A lamb to be sacrificed, part of the system of sacrifices and offerings required by Mosaic Law. The lamb was a stand-in: he received the "death penalty" for the sins of the people - the shedding of blood pointed out the serious nature of sin, i.e., how much of an affront it was to God. An annual event, IIRC. It foreshadowed the New Covenant (a superset of the Law) brought about with Jesus' incarnation on Earth - He became the Lamb offered as a once-and-for-all sacrifice.

In the Arab world, when one buys a house it is customary to purify it and ensure good luck by sacrificing a lamb. It is not uncommon to see the courtyard of a newly constructed house smeared with blood.

Before being sacrificed, the lamb should live in the new house for several days and come to feel at home there. The local butcher who performs the ritual should kill the animal with one motion so it feels no pain.

The lamb is eaten at an evening feast to which friends--but not neighbors--are invited. Once neighbors have been invited to your home, you are obligated forever after to offer them hospitality every time they knock.