Parshat Vayikra, Perek Alef PAsuk Daled
And he shall lean his hand [forcefully] upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him to atone for him.
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דוְסָמַ֣ךְ יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הָֽעֹלָ֑ה וְנִרְצָ֥ה ל֖וֹ לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָֽיו:
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The context of this pasuk is Hashem speaking to Moshe and commanding him to teach bnei yisroel how to make KArbanot and the proper way to give them. Hashem gives Moshe a few rules about how the animal should look and then commands him to put his hands on the head of the burnt offering. There is a question on this as to why the Pasuk added the words “burnt offering” when it could have just said “upon its head.”
Rashis opinion is that it includes “burnt offering” to include any sacrifice that includes a burnt offering, and to show that the smicha burnt offering also requires hands on head. And since this Perek and Parsha deals with voluntary Karbanot offerings, this case requires extra words to include it.
What are other reasons a person has to put their hands on the korban's head?
What is the purpose of karbanot in general?
The Siftei Chachamim says: Rashi is answering the question: Why does it say, “on the head of the burnt-offering”? Rather it should say “on its head,”. He says , it comes to include everything that is called a burnt-offering for laying of the hands. And since it is written “the burnt-offering” with the ה, this implies that only the burnt-offering that was mentioned: “From cattle or from sheep,” was the only one implied.
ReplyDeleteI like this because I think it gives a good understanding why it mentions hands and for which korbanot.
-Meira Book
Jen Felder
ReplyDeleteChizkuni states that because the pasuk does not specify which offering and only refers to it as a burnt offering, whether the offering is mandatory or not, the rules of how it should be offered apply to both. The only time it doesn't is when the offering is being brought by a woman, a non-Jew or brought for a group. The language that the pasuk uses teaches us that this offering is for an individual and no matter whether it is a mandatory offering or not, the importance of following the rules of how it should be offered stands for all offerings.
I like some of this, I feel that whether or not your offering is mandatory the fact that Hashem made sure to keep the process the same for both doesn't diminish from the importance of either type of offering.
Rabbi eytan felner says that the point of the korban is not to get on gds good side or a bribe to him. He doesnt need it because after all he is Hashem. The root of korban mean to “come close”. Bringing a korban to the beit hamikdash and elevating it into the air represents our yearn to get close to god in all ways even with materialistic items. The idea of giving an offering is taking a physical thing and sanctifying it. I think it is a beautiful idea to want to take all aspects of life and make it holy because after all everything comes from hashem and it should be recognized.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://www.aish.com/jl/b/chumash/Chumash-Themes-15-Understanding-Korbanot.html
kayla
The Ibn Ezra says that He will place his hand means the literal interpretation of the verse that he places a single hand The animal which atones for an emergent impulse is called a burnt offering Similarly, the animals brought to atone for sin and guilt are called sin-offerings and guilt-offerings
ReplyDeleteI like this idea because it is a simple explanation that he puts his hand on the head while giving the Karbon and that the Karbanot are for for sinning
Mimi
Tova Rubin
ReplyDeleteThe Gerrer Rebbe says Karbanos are a way to become closer to Hashem and when we sin we distance ourselves from Hashem. The shoresh of Korban is karov, to get closer to Hashem and when we sin we have the opportunity to repair that relationship with Hashem. The process of burning an animal makes you closer to Hashem because it takes a lot of work,time, effort and energy but it is a labor of love, which is the true part of being close to Hashem. I like this answer because it shows how fortunate we are to repair the relationship with Hashem when we sin.
The rambam brings a reason on why God instituted the idea of korbanot For the Jews in the desert. He says that in the olden days people had a real strong and naturally inclined desire to worship other gods this included sacrificing animals. God understood this and to help the Jews
ReplyDeleteHe instructed them to bring Korbabot So that if they wanted to sacrifice animals it would be for God, to build a relationship with him . The Rambam also adds that the desire to worship other gods was only relevant in those times and not in modern day therefore korbanot Are thing of the past and won’t be used in the future. I really I like this idea because I remember learning about this last year and thinking that it was really interesting to see how much God seems to cares about us and our relationship with him.
https://jewishaction.com/religion/jewish-law/whats-truth-korbanot/
The Sefer HaChinuch (mitzva 95) says there is great educational value of the physical act of korbanot, as opposed to a verbal one like prayer. The Chinuch sees the fact that when a person faces the sight of an animal on the altar, he realizes that his actions have brought him to the level of an animal and that a life of physicality leads to destruction. The act of bringing the korban is very effective in internalizing this message.
ReplyDeleteThis makes sense to me because seeing an animal burnt sounds like a pretty gruesome sight. I’d imagine it would really have an impression on a person.
Sylvie Culang
Maimonides says that everything that is for the sake of God should be of the best and most beautiful. When one builds a house of prayer, it should be more beautiful than his own dwelling. When one feeds the hungry, he should feed him of the best and sweetest of his table. When one clothes the naked, he should clothe him with the finest of his clothes. Whenever one designates something for a holy purpose, he should sanctify the finest of his possessions, as it is written “all the fat is to God”. I like this idea because I think it takes a positive approach burning the ca I like this idea because I think it takes a positive approach to them burning the Korbanot as oppose to other approaches that relate the burning to negative things such as sins.
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