Mussar D'var Torah on Parshat Vayikra

 Parshat Vayikra describes the regulations for a worshipper who brings a personal sacrifice to the Mishkan, the Tabernacle.

The word Korban, or offering or sacrifice,  comes from the root K.R.V., which means to draw near. The sacrifices were a means for the worshipper to draw near to God.

There are four types of animal-offerings described in Parshat Vayikra that an individual can  offer (as opposed to communal sacrifices, which brought the whole community close to God). From a Mussar perspective, these can represent different ways of the nefesh drawing near to the Other. The nefesh is the animal soul, which we have in common with animals – which is the case of humans, houses the neshamah, the pure human soul created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God.

The Burnt-offering was entirely consumed on the altar. The text says that it is brought to atone for the offerer, but no particular sin is mentioned. This represents, in Mussar terms, the porous nefesh, where one interacts with the Other in a way that obliterates oneself, without regard for self-care – which often also results in not seeing the Other as they are, but a distorted view of them.

The Sin-offering was brought to atone for inadvertent sins, while the Guilt-offering was brought to atone for intentional sins. These represent, in Mussar terms, the rigid nefesh, where one’s disregard for the Other through one’s Yetzer Ra and self-absorption.

The Peace-offering, or Offering of Well-being (in Hebrew, Korban Shlamim, from the same root as shalom, which means peace/wholeness), is an offering in which part of the offering is offered to God, part is given to the kohanim (the priests), and some is consumed by the worshippers. In Mussar terms, this represents the semi-permeable nefesh. One acts with regard for and in service to the Other – but in a healthy way that includes self-care and self-protection. There is  something for the Other and for oneself, which results in peace and wholeness. It is the highest form of an individual’s animal offering.  The word “atone” is not used, for there is no transgression, as results from a rigid or porous nefesh interacting with the Other.