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Parshat Vayikra

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Ayelet Mael, SFW '04-'05

This week's parsha, Parshat Vayikra, starts the series of parshiyot that deal with the korbanot performed in the mishkan. It is therefore fitting to now ask the question: What exactly is the purpose of a korban?

Nechama Lebowitz analyzes the debate between the Rambam and the Ramban on this issue.

The approach taken by the Rambam is that korbanot are like "refua lifnei hamaka." What does this mean? Hashem coins B'nei Yisrael a "mamlechet kohanim v'goy kadosh." However, this cannot happen overnight and instantaneously. B'nei Yisrael must do an "avoda" and work to reach that level. The general "avoda" done among the umot ha'olam at that time period was to bring sacrifices. The Jews were well aware of the other nations that existed and were aware of their modes of worship: offerings. Therefore, it would be logical for B'nei Yisrael to fall into that trap and become involved with avoda zara. However, Hashem did not want B'nei Yisrael to become an idolatrous nation and therefore made the Jewish forms of avoda somewhat similar to those of the idol worshippers. Hashem made a permissible form of sacrifice by commanding the Jews to bring korbanot. More so, Hashem wanted to make the korbanot of B'nei Yisrael's different and distinct from those of avoda zara. We all know that the mitzrim worshipped the "tele" and therefore did not sacrifice sheep and that they did not offer cattle either. Hashem therefore told B'nei Yisrael to specifically bring these two animals as korbanot. Therefore, the Rambam is saying that Hashem created the "refua," the idea of a permissible way to serve their God, before the "maka," before B'nei Yisrael got involved with avoda zara practices.

The Ramban however, does not accept that the korbanot only serve a preventative function but believes that they have an inherent value. Additionally, if korbanot were only to counterbalance avoda zara, then how can we explain that Noach brought korbanot before an idea of avoda zara even existed?

In order to answer the above questions, the Ramban develops a new approach. The Ramban says that korbanot serve an essential role in the teshuva process. After performing a sin, a Jew must travel all the way to the Beit Hamikdash and bring a korban. Each action performed in the slaughtering process is meant to trigger the makriv's emotions. The person should watch as the korban is consumed and feel that it should be him instead but he is only spared because of Hashem's great chessed. The whole procedure is meant to arouse the sinner to do sincere and complete teshuva.

The Sefer Hachinuch expands on this idea and says that one cannot just have the machshava, but they must also have a ma'aseh. The sinner cannot just utter a few words of viduy but must act and bring a korban. Judaism is not just about having a "frum" thought or a lofty idea but it's about putting it into action. The well known phrase: "acharai ha'peulot nimshachim halevavot" can now be understood in a new light. We can't just have the "levavot" but we must start with the "peulot," the korbanot, the actions and mitzvot that we do, which is ultimately the "ikar." 

Shabbat Shalom,