Parshas Vayikrah 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' מן הבהמה מן הבקר ומן הצאן תקריבו את קרבנכם ... (א-ב)
In Parshas Vayikrah, we are introduced to the concept of korbanos. The question is, what is the purpose of bringing animal sacrifices? Hashem definitely does not gain anything from it, as it says, "אם צדקת מה תתן לו" (Iyov 35:7). So, what is the point?
Explains the Ramban, that in truth, it is the one who sins who deserves to be punished and burned for his crime. Only, that Hashem, in His infinite mercy, allows the man to bring an animal instead and burn it in effigy. Thus, says the Ramban, as his korban is being sacrificed, the sinner should contemplate that it is he who should have been slaughtered, whose body should be cut up and burned, his blood sprinkled to atone for his sins! In this way, the person will come to full teshuvah, and merit forgiveness.
Now, we say in davening, "ושם נעבדך ביראה" - that the Bais HaMikdash should be rebuilt, and the Avodah, restored. However, the tefillah describes the avodah as being related to yirah, to fear. According to the Ramban, that makes sense, as indeed, the whole purpose of the korbanos was to evoke one’s fear of judgment and repentance. However, elsewhere, by Mussaf, we daven and say the words: "ואת מוסף יום ... הזה נעשה ונקריב לפניך באהבה" - describing the avodah as one of ahavah, of love, rather than fear. This seems to contradict the previous tefillah which seems to indicate the opposite.
But the truth is that there is no contradiction at all. When it comes to the avodah of the korbanos in general, certainly the underlying purpose to all of them is yirah and teshuvah. But when it comes to the Korban Mussaf in particular, writes the Sefer HaChinuch, we bring this special korban on Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim for another purpose: to inspire us to remember all the kindness that Hashem performed for us on those days - on Shabbos, we are reminded of the double portion of mann that Bnei Yisroel received; on Sukkos, of the ananei hakavod, the clouds of glory; on Pesach, we remember the magnificence of Yetzias Mitzrayim - and so on and so forth. This, then, is certainly an avodah of ahavah.