Parshas Vayikrah 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' ... (א-ב)
MASHAL: A man once came to the Amshinover Rebbe zt”l and began to cry. “I left Auschwitz,” hes said, “but Auschwitz has never left me!” As the Rebbe mulled over how to respond, R’ Yisroel Alter zt”l, otherwise known as the Beis Yisroel of Ger, walked into the room. The Amshinover Rebbe turned to him and repeated, “This Yid says he left Auschwitz, but Auschwitz has never left him.”
The Beis Yisroel, known for his sharp and keen understanding of every fellow yid, nodded softly. “I also lost my family in Auschwitz,” he said. Then suddenly, he turned to the man and in a stern voice demanded, “Give me your hat.”
“My hat?” asked the man cautiously.
“Yes, give me your hat,” said the Rebbe.
The man, a bit taken aback, hesitated but then handed it over. The Beis Yisroel took the hat, threw it on the floor, and pronounced, “This hat is in Auschwitz. Leave the hat here. Walk out of the room and start your life anew!”
“But ... I need my hat?!” the man retorted.
“No, you don’t! Your hat stays in Auschwitz!” The man walked out without his hat - and into a brand new life.
NIMSHAL: The idea of korbanos is similar. A person committed an sin, an offense to Hashem and feels awful about it. Says the Yismach Moshe, this individual is now commanded to bring an animal to the Bais HaMikdash and observe its offering. He needs to examine how this animal is being slaughtered and burned for his sins. When the reality sinks in, he will come to tearful sincere teshuvah, the ultimate goal of the korban. Then he will be able to leave the korban behind in the Bais HaMikdash and walk out with a clean conscious and continue life “anew.” May we merit this opportunity again soon!