As I was paying attention to the Torah reading in shul last Shabbos something about the Torah portion of Tzav rang out as familiar. The korban shelamim the peace offerings are divided into two categories, and one of them is the Thanksgiving offering, literally the Thank You sacrifice. This korban todah is accompanied by many loaves of bread and matzot. This sacrifice is one of those limited by time constraints as to when it may be eaten within one day of the sacrifice itself.
This echoes something about another sacrifice, the Pascal Lamb, the korban Pesach. In the words of the Haggadahs reply to the wise son:
After we are done eating the Pascal Lamb on the day we mark the exodus from Egypt, which is midnight of seder night, we do not eat anything else.
The Pascal Lamb, commemorating our exodus from Egypt, is the final food of the night. Today, in a world without Temple sacrifices, this translates into not eating past midnight on seder night.
When a person experiences a personal redemption of sorts, specifically, crossing a desert and arriving in safety, or traveling the high seas and reaching the shore safely, or recovering from illness, or being released from prison (or from any mortal danger), a Thank You sacrifice is brought.
(In todays world of verbal prayer, as opposed to sacrificial prayers, the blessing of birkat ha-gomel is recited.)
The Thank You sacrifice was huge. Aside from the animal itself, it was accompanied by many loaves of bread and some matzot too all to be consumed on the day of the sacrifice itself. No leftovers.
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