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Sacrifices are alive and well today

Torah Study

DEBORAH GETTES
Vayikra/Leviticus 1:1-5:26

• God instructs Moses on the five different kinds of sacrifices that were to be offered in the sanctuary:
  
• The olah or "burnt offering" where an entire animal, except for its hide, was burned on the altar.
  
• The minchah or "meal offering" was partly burned and partly given to the priests to eat.
  
• The zevach sh'lamim or "sacrifice of well-being" was a voluntary offering sometimes brought to fulfill a vow.
  
• The chatat or "sin offering" was an obligatory sacrifice offered to expiate unintentional sins.
  
• The asham or "penalty offering" was an obligatory sacrifice required of one who had misappropriated property.
  

If his offering to God is a burnt offering of birds, he shall choose his offering from turtledoves or pigeons. The priest shall bring it to the altar, pinch off its head, and turn it into smoke on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar. ... The priest shall tear it open by its wings, without severing it, and turn it into smoke on the altar, upon the wood that is on the fire. (Leviticus 1:14-17)

1. What purpose did the sacrifices serve for our forefathers?
   
2. Today we do not have an altar for sacrifices and we no longer sacrifice living animals. What are our present-day sacrifices?
   
3. Do you think that sacrifices should be difficult to offer?
   

• The term "sacrifice" comes from a Latin word meaning "to make something holy." The most common Hebrew equivalent is korban, "something brought near," i.e., to the altar.
  
• God introduces a subject that is most fundamental and most esoteric at the same time: the korbanot, "offerings" by which we are brought near to God. The talmudic sages began to modernize the korbanot for us. The sacrificial service should be replaced by three things: tzedakah, our table and prayer.
  

Understanding the concept of korbanot gives us concrete ways to live our lives. To the Israelites, the Temple was the place where God resided. Making offerings at the Temple was their way to get closer to God. Certainly the sacrifices were not easy to make. The animals had to be slaughtered in severe and brutal ways.

Although it is not possible to make sacrifices at the Temple today, that doesn't exclude us from having to put forth an effort to bring ourselves closer to God - making our own korbanot. We can draw closer to God if we act in a godlike way. Also, the study of Torah and prayer are means that bring us closer to God.

In his "Guide for the Perplexed," Moses Maimonides argues that sacrifices were an early form of worship given to the Jewish people so that they could learn how to serve God without feeling different from other peoples. Slowly, they learned that "the sacrificial service is not the primary objective of the commandments but that prayer is a better means of obtaining nearness to God."

We need to know of what our present-day korbanot should consist. Certainly all forms of tzedakah and the following of mitzvoth are essential. Studying Torah and attending prayer services also move us to the closer connection with God. Whether we have sinned or not, we still have the desire to move closer to God, to offer our own korbanot. To do so, we must put forth the effort to show kindness, compassion, generosity and goodwill. At the same time, we must put forth the effort to study Torah and attend worship services. Sacrifices are alive and well - they just have to be slightly redefined.