Parshas Vayikrah 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
וכל קרבן מנחתך במלח תמלח ולא תשבית מלח ברית אלקיך מעל מנחתך על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח ... (ב-יג)
One of the required components of each korban is salt. Rashi cites Chazal who said that as early as during creation, when Hashem separated the upper and lower waters, He promised then that salt would again return to the heavens, via the korbanos. Nothing is coincidental. There must be a lesson to be derived from salt - a sacrifice correlation.
Sorrowfully, לדאבוננו, the notion of korbanos is foreign to us, but according to many Rishonim, conceptually, its purpose is to bring us closer (קרבן = קרבה) and restore our relationship with Hashem. Sometimes, due to theהסתר פנים, we have become complacent living without that bond. The מלח teaches us how important and priceless that connection really is.
Before ששת ימי בראשית, salt was in close proximity to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Then, Hashem formed the waters below distancing it from Him. The salt was really sad to now have a somewhat diminished G-dly relationship, and in the way of consolation, Hashem promised the salt that they would once again be reunited. "על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח" was instituted all because of the ratzon to be closer to Hashem. Thus, korbanos and מלח are in sync and harmoniously impart this concept.
There’s another machshava to be learned from מלח. Salt, by nature, has the innate trait to act as a food preservative. At times we have a fleeting inspiration, and before we know it, it’s gone. The avodah is to retain, preserve, and hold on to that התעוררות. Perhaps that’s what מלח teaches us. Your korban, your desire to be close, must be accompanied by salt, with the strength and conviction of preservation and perpetuation. Even today, Chazal were מתקן to use salt during our seudos, because this principle is timeless.
Bezras Hashem, may we very soon be zoche to be מקריב korbanos with מלח and until that time, let us keep our התעוררות and our strong inspiration intense and strong, while constantly striving to improve.