The gemara on Zevachim 6b brings down the statement of Rebbi Shimon that the second Se'ir on Shavuos is brought to achieve a kaparah on any issur of Tumas Mikdash V'kodoshov that occurs between the bringing of the first korban and the second.
Why would the Torah require a second korban to catch these issurim which occur within a very short time period after the bringing of the first korban, and if the Torah is concerned about issurim which occur within such short timeframes, why doesn't it require us to bring more than 2?
Thank you,
Aharon Levine
Good question! We indeed intend to address that in the Insights. In short, it would appear that the Torah only prescribes Korbanos to be Mechaper on the entire congregation if they can be brought together with large groups of other communal Korbanos (that are brought on a specific day), such as the Korbanos Musaf of the Yomim Tovim. The only time such Korbanos are brought, aside for the Musafim, are with the Shtei ha'Lechem (which are accompanied by a cow, two rams, and seven sheep). The Torah took advantage of the opportunity for added atonement and prescribed another Se'ir to atone for Tum'as Mikdash.
Apparently, since the sin of Tum'as Mikdash is so great (as we find in the Tosefta, beginning of Shevuos), a great amount of Ritzuy (appeasement) must accompany its Chatas (see Zevachim 7b). The two sheep of the Tamid, or the single one of the Korban ha'Omer, will not suffice. There must be a Musaf group accompanying the Chatas Tzibur of Tum'as Mikdash.
I hope this helps,
Mordecai Kornfeld
As the Gemoro continues, we ought really to have brought Korbonos continuously, but Hashem spared us this.
I think the point is that this lesson was demonstrated once a year.(Pnei Yehoshua, Rosh Hashono, daf 8 apparently comments that only Shovous needs the second korban, not the other Yomim Tovim, although I have not seen this inside yet).
Mark Bergman