Parashat Tzav – Guilt

Despite the common link between Jewish mothers ad guilt, Judaism, as a religion, specifically tries to avoid guilt and shame. There are laws in Judaism that making a person blush out of shame (or embarrassment) is as if you spilt their blood.

This week, we continue to read about the bringing of korbanot (sacrifices) in the temple. We read about the free will offering, that one can bring at any time, for any reason, and the sin offering, that one brings when they sinned without knowing it, then realized it later (e.g. your forget that it’s Shabbat and you spend money).

For every offering, there is a different spot in the courtyard of the Temple that you were suppose to bring the offering to. The Kohen (priest) would meet you there and take the offering, and sacrifice it on the alter. However, the free will offering and sin offering are both brought to the same spot.

The explanation is that if you had a specific spot to bring a sin offering, then everyone would see you go there and know you sinned. This way, no one (other than you, and the Kohen) knows if you sinned, or are bringing a free will offering.

Even in sin, Judaism is a compassionate religion.