Parashat Vayikra – Why animal offerings?

This weeks Torah portion presents a lengthy, detailed description of bringing korbanot in the Temple. The Hebrew work ‘korban’ is generally translated as offering or sacrifice. Neither of these is accurate.

“Sacrifice” implies giving up something. It implies that we are saying to G-d, ‘G-d, look how much I love you, instead of selling my finest lamb to pay for my physical needs, I’m giving it to you.”

“Offering” implies giving a gift to G-d. It smacks of paganism and implies that we’re trying to ‘buy off” G-d to get ourselves out of a bind, or to ask for a favour.

Neither of these come close to the meaning of the word “korban’; the word means ‘to come near”, as in to come closer to G-d. When we sin, we move away from G-d, and to move us closer, we bring korbanot Bringing the korban is a way to repair our relationship with G-d.

The korbanot are for our benefit, not G-d’s. The idea that G-d, the creator of the universe, needs, or even wants, us to bring him a nice roast lamb, or a wine or spice offering is blasphemous. G-d is not a physical being G-d doesn’t need to eat or drink. G-d doesn’t need to smell the burning incense. The korbanot are for us; we take the animals and elevate them onto the altar of God. This is a personal declaration of intent to elevate our material resources to a higher level - to direct it toward the service of God.

Today, without a Temple, we cannot bring korbanot. But by understanding the purpose of them (to bring us closer to G-d), we see that there are many ways that we can repair our relationship with G-d after we harm it with sin.

The story is told of Rabbi Yochanan walking on the outskirts of Jerusalem and Rabbi Yehoshua following him. When they saw the ruins of the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple), Rabbi Yehoshua said, "Woe to us. The place that atoned for sins is destroyed."
"My son," said Rabbi Yochanan, "We still have another means of atonement that is equal to the Beit Hamikdash : Chesed (acts of lovingkindness). As it is stated, 'Lovingkindness is what I want, and not sacrifices' (Hoshaia 6:6)." (Avos D'Reb Noson, ch. 4).
Atonement depends upon the individual regretting his actions, making amends, asking for forgiveness and verbally asking the Almighty to accept his plea for forgiveness. Perhaps doing acts of loving kindness aid in focusing an individual upon his larger relationship to the world and to the Almighty, thus placing him in a mode where he is able to examine mistakes and repair them.

Shabbat Shalom.