Wave offerings

Wave offerings (Hebrew tenufah) were portions of sacrifices presented to God by a distinctive gesture of waving — moving the offering horizontally back and forth before the LORD — before they were given to the officiating priest. The rite is prescribed in Exodus 29:24–27 for the breast of the ram of ordination, and it became the standard treatment for the breast of all peace offerings (Leviticus 7:30–34). The right shoulder (thigh) was the "heave offering" (terumah, lifted up vertically); the breast was the wave offering. Both portions were assigned to Aaron and his sons as their priestly portion. Wave offerings were also prescribed for the two lambs at Pentecost (Leviticus 23:20) and for offerings connected with the Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:20). The waving gesture was understood as symbolically presenting the offering to God and receiving it back as a portion — a liturgical enactment of gift and return.