Vayikra

Getting Closer

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan

The Hebrew word korban means "something that brings us closer." The English word "sacrifice" comes from a Latin "something that makes us holy."

Our earliest sages of the Talmudic era knew the system of korbanot well. They knew that the olah offering was a constant reminder of God's presence; the zevach shelamim was an expression of gratitude; the asham was a donation to the public servants as part of atonement for a crime; the khataat was a means of restoring inner and communal emotional balance after a difficult event. When the rupture of national disaster made it impossible to offer korbanot, our sages reminded their students that prayer and good deeds can accomplish exactly the same ends.

In Guide for the Perplexed, Rambam (Moses Maimonides) teaches that the replacement of korbanot with prayer and good deeds is not essentially a response to a national emergency. Actually, it is a natural evolution. God instructed the early Israelites to approach God and perfect themselves through korbanot because korbanot were standard practice in the ancient Near East. The Israelites could do this inner work in a way that was integrated into the life of the region. Over time, people learned that the korbanot were a tool of spiritual growth. They came to realize that prayer is a more direct way to achieve this growth.

The movement towards God and the evolution towards holiness continue today, as we find new ways to bring meaning to prayer, and increase our commitment to mitzvot. May today be the first day of the rest of your long life of closeness and holiness.

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