Machshavot HaLev - Yeshivat Lev HaTorah

133
Vayikra
Giving to the Giver
Yehuda Stuchins
T his week’s parsha introduces us to the concept of korbanot: the different types,
the procedures, and the laws pertaining to them. The obvious question is what is the
point of korbanot?
Rav Hirsch provides an explanation. He says that the root of the word ןברק is ברק,
which means, “to come close.” He writes that the point of korbanot is to bring us closer
to Hashem. The main purpose of korbanot cannot be to provide for God because God
does not need anything from us. The purpose must be to allow us the opportunity
to give something of ours to Hashem. A strong support for this explanation is the
fact that throughout the entire parsha of korbanot the Torah only uses the name קוקי,
which represents Hashem’s attribute of mercy, while the name םיקולא, which represents
Hashem’s attribute of judgment, is not found.
In Relationship with Hashem, Chaim Rosenblatt discusses the basics of Jewish
philosophy. He writes that the way to get closer to God is to act similar to Him and
since God is the ultimate giver, we must also be giving. This could help explain the
idea behind korbanot. By providing us with the opportunity to bring korbanot, both
God and we are giving. We give our material wealth to Hashem and He gives us the
opportunity to do so.
In Masechet Brachot, the gemara (26b) says that tefillot were at least partly based on
korbanot. Based on the explanation of korbanot above we must explain how tefilla