By Sholom Olensky
This week in the Torah:
The book of Leviticus opens with G-d’s call to Moses. Moses is told to instruct the people regarding sacrifices to be offered to G-d: “Speak to the Children of Israel and tell them, ‘A person that wants to bring, from amongst you, a sacrifice, you shall bring your sacrifice from animals, from cattle or sheep.”
Questions:
- At present, as the Holy Temple – the exclusive place for bringing such sacrifices – lies in ruins and is in the hands of our foes, there must be a current and relevant meaning to the Commandments regarding animal sacrifices. Since the Torah is eternal, some spiritual devotion reflecting the same concept must be present today, as well. What is it?
- The above verse requires understanding: “A person that wants to bring…a sacrifice…” seems to sum up the idea adequately; why the words “from amongst you”? And even if they carry meaning, why interrupt the description of the person’s objective – “to bring…a sacrifice…” – with the description of the person’s origin – “from amongst you”? Seemingly it would read better if it had said “A person from amongst you that wants to bring a sacrifice….”!
Preface:
A person has not just one, but two souls: An animalistic soul, which finds expression in base impulses and behaviors, and a G-dly soul which finds expression in good impulses and behaviors.
Explanation:
The root definition of the Hebrew word for “sacrifice” – “korban,” is the word “karev” – “draw close.” I.e. the spiritual meaning of the sacrifice is to come close to G-d.
Answer:
This is the meaning of the verse: A person that wishes to come close to G-d must realize that the offering must come “from amongst you”, i.e. from you yourself. The verse then elaborates on that: it must be the offering of the animalistic soul and drive in you, to bring that close to G-d.
Technically:
The animal was checked to be Kosher, whole and healthy. Then it was slaughtered, and later consumed on the Altar in fire that was kindled by man and also miraculously by G-d.
Metaphorically:
One must first assess one’s animalistic side and work on it that it be Kosher, whole, without “blemish” and healthy. When one realizes how deeply important this is to coming close to G-d, this introspection will be done right.
Furthermore:
If one is discouraged from coming close to G-d given one’s spiritual state…, the above verse answers: the sacrifice is to come from you, i.e. you have the capability to improve and come closer to G-d. Step by step, you’ll succeed.
“Slaughtering”:
The act of slaughtering, metaphorically, is to remove the “blood”, the passion, from the “meat”, bodily and physical pleasure. The physical attributes remain, just without base passion.
The Altar’s fire:
This is love for G-d. The innate Divine spark in everyone has this. However, this needs to be taught to the animalistic soul as well. E.g. by studying and meditating on subjects of G-d’s greatness in Creation, etc. and on the lowliness of man, and how nevertheless the two unite; meditating in a way that uses the perceptions of the animalistic soul and speaks its “language.” (These subject matters are dealt with extensively and make up the main part of Chassidic Teachings).
Assistance:
As mentioned in the first paragraph above, this is introduced by G-d’s call to Moses. Through Moses, and those like him, in every generation [as well as the “Moses” within each and every one of us], we are given teachings, courage and energy so as to be able to properly fulfill this metaphorical sacrifice and come closer to G-d.
(Based on Chassidic Discourse Basi Legani — 5712)
