Levítico 1:8 Midrash: Sifra & Vayikra Rabbah

1) (Vayikra 1:8): "And the sons of Aaron, the Cohanim, shall arrange": I might think even a hundred (sons); it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 1:12): "And the Cohein shall arrange them." I might think one Cohein arranges all of the limbs; it is, therefore, written: "And they shall arrange." How is this to be reconciled? One Cohein arranges two limbs. How many limbs are there? Ten. And one (Cohein) for the innards, so that a lamb is offered up by six (Cohanim). These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva says: "And they shall arrange" — two; "the sons of Aaron" — two; "the Cohanim" — two, whereby we are taught that a lamb is offered up by six. "the Cohanim" — to include those who are bald (baldness not being considered a disqualifying blemish).

2) "And the sons of Aaron, the Cohanim, shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the suet" — whereby we are taught that the head and the suet are not classed with the pieces. Another facet: He was to place the suet on the (bloodied) shechitah site in deference to the Exalted One. And whence is it derived that head and suet precede (for arrangement) all of the imurin (the devoted portions)? From (Vayikra 1:12): "and its head, and its suet, and the Cohein shall arrange them, etc."

2) I might think that he takes it out whole and burns it whole; it is, therefore, written: "its head and its legs." Just as head and legs mentioned elsewhere (in respect to a burnt-offering) have been severed (see Vayikra 1:6), so, here, they must be severed (before they are burned). — But (why not say): Just as head and legs there have been flayed, so, here, too, they must be flayed! It is, therefore, written (to negate this): "and its innards and its dung" (Just as the dung is in its innards, so, the flesh must be "in its innards, i.e., attached to the skin, unflayed.)