Parshas Vayikra: The True Korban

ויקרא אל־משה וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר

HaShem called to Moshe and spoke to him from the Ohel Moed saying

Chazal tell us that ויקרא and He called, is a language that is used to demonstrate HaShem’s loving manner of first calling out to Moshe. Whenever HaShem commanded, instructed or spoke to Moshe, He first called him, “Moshe, Moshe.” Moshe would then respond, הנני- “I am here.” Where did this calling come to? The possuk says that it came directly to Moshe. Of course, HaShem’s “voice” is strong enough to shatter trees and be heard all across the entire world, but it was HaShem’s will that only Moshe would hear it. Furthermore, Kriah is an expression that we find by the Malachei Hashareis, וקרא זה אל זה ואמר- and they called to each other saying, קדוש קדוש קדוש-Holy, Holy, Holy. (Rashi quoting the Sifra)

The hailigeh Piaczesner Rebbe, Rav Kloinomus Kalmish Shapira Hy”d (Aish Kodesh) asks that this idea of HaShem calling on Moshe as an expression of love, could really have been mentioned in other places as well. For example, we find by the sneh and prior to Matan Torah, HaShem called Moshe from Har Sinai. So why does Rashi specifically mention this here as we are about to begin discussing the halachos of korbanos?

Over here, the Rebbe shared an insight into the world of karbanos and how it can apply to us all on a practical level. By עקידת יצחק we find, ויקח את האיל ויעלהו לעולה תחת בנו- Avrahom took the ram, and sacrificed it as a korban in place of his son. This possuk teaches us the foundation of all sacrifices: The korban is in place of the person. In our parsha, it says אדם כי יקריב מכם- when a man of you brings a korban. The word מכם once again emphasizes this point that it is being brought instead of you. Similarly, we find that when one fasts, the tefillah is that מיעוט חלבי ודמי יהא נחשב כקרבן- the fat and blood that we lose as a result of the fast should be considered and accepted like a korban on the mizbayach. Indeed, יסורין- suffering that a person endures cleans away our sins as well because it diminishes our strength which is a form of a korban. The same is true of all the sufferings of Klal Yisroel; they are all a korban to HaShem.

It is for this reason that Rashi shares this idea of HaShem “calling” over here regarding animal sacrifices to point out that whether it is an animal sacrifice or any other suffering one goes through, one must realize that it is HaShem “calling out” with love at that moment.

This means that when one go through a hard day, or hears a “terrible besura”, it is actually HaShem calling out to us with love, and when we accept it with love, the Aibishter reciprocates as well. At that moment, by accepting it, we just offered a korban.

The Rebbe continued (and here we must open our hearts): there is a concept called dibbuk chaveirim the strong bond that one yid feels to another. This bond, the notion that we are there for one another, is not only when we dance at each other’s simchas, but especially in times of hardship and suffering. If Reuven is experiencing pain, Shimon has a tremendous opportunity. How do Yidden react? One Yid shows another yid chizzuk. This is not merely shown by opening the wallet (which Klal Yisroel so beautifully does time and time again), but even when one has no material resources, it is still possible to share. By pouring out broken hearts to HaShem on behalf of another, this too is a wonderful gift that one gives the other. We receive the broken-heartedness and teshuvah, and they (the one we daven for) receive the rachmanus and good effects which we do for them, as well as the tefillah which we give to HaShem on their behalf.” It is this “shared calling of love” that we do for each other which in turn inspires the malachim וקרא זה אל זה ואמר -to call out to one another, … קדוש קדוש קדוש

But now the Rebbe added a powerful thought: there is a huge difference between our calling and that of the mala’ach. After all, has a mala’ach ever experienced pain and suffering? Was he ever beaten to a pulp like a Yid? Was he ever harassed, taunted or made fun of? And yet, “A Yid never breaks”; amazingly we always respond to HaShem with our own קריאה של חיבה. Surely, a heartfelt tefillah such as that will reach so much higher.

We have all witnessed a great amount of suffering in recent times. How did we respond? We called back to You with our very own calling of love. There were great tzeddakas given (and continue to be given); non-stop Bikur Cholim and Hatzalah activities; the phone calls and tireless efforts of all Your kinderlach. But that is not all. We learned to daven more for one another.

But now once again the world is in another great time of distress. The lives of so many Yidden are at stake. We ask You HaShem: “Ribono shel Olam, please look at the tefilla and chessed and remember the way we are there for one another, seeing what can be done to help out, even if just a kind word of chizzuk. This is the כי יקריב מכם- this is the true karbon and is on the highest level of tzeddaka possible, because it is bringing all of us closer to each other and especially closer to You. Please allow our actions to be in place of any more korbanos that may be necessary.

Good Shabbos, מרדכי אפפעל