Question
Does the Jewish religion require animal sacrifices to atone for sin?
Answer
Animal sacrifices, on the Day of Atonement and other occasions, were an important means of atoning for sin when the Temple existed. But the principal method of atonement for sin, whether or not the Temple exists, is repentance. This is clearly stated in the Bible; good sources for it are 1 Samuel 15:22, Hosea 14:2 and Psalms 32:5.