Parshat HaChodesh: Karbanot – Drawing Near, Moving Forward

Yechezkel describes in detail the offerings that will be brought in the Beit HaMikdash during the time of redemption. He outlines the special karbanot, focusing particularly on the role of the Nasi, the leader who models religious devotion through personal offerings and structured ritual.

The essence of a korban is found in its root: karov, to draw near. As Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch emphasizes, karbanot are not mere rituals of atonement or appeasement. They embody acts of nearness, expressions of humility, surrender, gratitude, and aspiration. In confessing sin over a korban, in offering flour instead of a lamb when one is poor, or in daily tamid offerings on behalf of the entire nation, we are brought face-to-face with our dependence on Hashem—and our ability to serve Him in every situation we find ourselves.

In Yechezkel’s vision, the Nasi brings a chatat offering on Rosh Chodesh and Pesach—not because he has sinned, but because renewal demands self-examination. It’s a striking idea: even on days of joy and rebirth, we are called to reckon with our shortcomings. Karbanot become both an expression of gratitude and a path to growth. The Tamid offering, brought every morning and afternoon, underscores this daily journey—reminding us, as the Midrash teaches, that our avodat Hashem must be constant, fresh, and infused with energy. Every day, every act, every offering—whether tefillah, learning, or kindness—can be an encounter with the Divine, if approached with presence and passion.

The transition from karbanot to tefillah, as noted by the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah, carries this message forward. We no longer stand in the Mikdash, but we stand before Hashem with our tefilot, bearing the same responsibility to bring our full selves—our “flour and wine,” our aspirations and flaws. Our prayers must not be perfunctory; they are ma’amadot, spiritual reenactments of national participation. Each of us becomes part of a timeless offering.

Rav Hirsch notes that even the Mincha offering—seemingly modest—is rich with symbolism. Flour, oil, frankincense: our food, comfort, and fleeting joys are all from Hashem. Yeast and honey were prohibited because they represent additives—external enhancements. Salt, however, is required, because it brings out inherent flavor. We serve Hashem not by becoming someone else, but by refining who we already are. As the bread is dipped in salt, we are reminded to actualize our G-d-given potential and elevate the everyday.

As Parshat HaChodesh ushers in a season of renewal, we are called to reclaim the spirit of the korban—to approach our tefillot with sincerity and our daily service with constancy, humility, and gratitude. May we, like the Nasi in Yechezkel’s vision, offer ourselves as living sacrifices—not in body, but in commitment and courage—to the sacred mission of geulah.