Community Corner

SACRIFICES, WHAT FOR?

This Shabbat, we begin the book of Vayikra; it's filled with laws for the people from G-d. There are rules for sacrifices, rules for Kashrut, rules for living a life of purpose in an ethical fashion. The Holiness Code is in the book of Vayikra. Not to make light of the third book of the Torah, it is filled with rules to help the children of Israel keep G-d's comandments and honorable life. Parashat Vakirya begins with the laws of sacrifice. There are several different types of sacrifices (korbanot) with different regulations for each. The first big question is why did we sacrifice at all?

First and foremost, the Israelites performed sacrifices because G-d commanded it of us. You could also make a case for the idea that the sacrifices were a way to provide food for the Cohanim. While this is true, I don't believe that was the reason. The order and details of the sacrifices take most of the parasha to discuss in depth. Here are the questions I have concerning the concept of sacrifice:
While we no longer perform sacrifices, what do we do now, and why?
What do you gain from the concept of the sacrifice?
How does the concept of sacrifice deepen your relationship to G-d?

Since the destruction of the Temple, no more physical sacrifices are performed. In the Conservative movement, the Musaf Amidah on Shabbat and Holidays take the place of the performance of sacrifices. Following the Siddur Sim Shalom that we use for prayer at VBS, the Shabbat Musaf Amidah is a symbolic reenactment of that sacrifice, and also contains the passage in the Torah where we are commanded to perform the sacrifice. These prayers function today as a reference to the fact that there were sacrifices performed and now we do not. Other Siddurim might phrase this differently.

Ramban stated that Korbanot are tools for the Children of Israel to get closer to G-d. The root of the word Korban is Kuf-Resh-Vet; this could be defined as to come closer. Korbanot were considered the only channels to become closer to G-d. But if you lived in Temple times and brought your sacrifice to the Temple for the Priest to sacrifice and bless, what did you gain? You gained a sense of peace and security for your family because you obeyed the commandment to bring your sacrifices. You had to bring the best products to sacrifice, it was expected that you sacrifice the finest animals, the purest oil, flour or grains. These were items that could be sold at market, presumably for the highest price since they were of the highest quality. You sacrificed the money you might have made, but you gained the knowledge that you are living your life within G-d's commandments.

Moses was a humble man, so much so that a Midrash tells us that when Moses was on Mount Sinai with G-d to replace the set of broken Commandments, Moses wrote the word Vayikra with a small vav instead of a large one. He did not think he was worthy of G-d's intention that he be a leader, and that he did not have an ego. We all need to be humble before G-d. Which brings me to my last point….how does the concept of sacrifices (as we observe them today) deepen your relationship to G-d? Like Moses did, it is incumbent upon us all to approach G-d in a humble manner. When we stand before G-d in the Musaf Amidah, it's our moment of humility and openness. This is the time to feel G-d's presence in our innermost thoughts and feelings. We hope to gain a deeper relationship with the Divine that we can carry throughout our daily lives. While we remember the physical sacrifices that are mentioned in the Musaf Amidah, now we are making personal and private sacrifices that are between G-d and ourselves only. It's a lot to strive for on a daily basis.

Shabbat Shalom.

Cantor Toby Schwartz