The parashah of this week, Vayikra (And called) is the first verse of the Book of Leviticus, which deals mostly with the laws of sacrifice. In the times of the Temple in Jerusalem, sacrifices were offered on the altar, both to atone for sins and as a means of drawing closer to God.
Today we do not have the Temple and cannot offer sacrifices; however, like all mitzvot, their conceptual content is eternal, even though it cannot be observed in practice. To understand what the sacrifices teach us, we must analyze what they were like.
In principle, the very Hebrew name of the sacrifices tells us their essence: the word Korban (sacrifice) is related to the word karov, whose meaning is near, to draw near to God. The mitzvah of offering sacrifices teaches us, then, that there is an obligation for man to draw near to God as much as he can.
How was a KorbanAn animal was taken, thoroughly inspected to ensure it had no defects, its throat was cut, the blood was removed, and then it was burned (all or specific parts, depending on the offering) on the altar.
Taking the animal symbolizes taking one's own animal nature, one's animalistic inclinations, and drawing them closer to God. Hasidic thought explains that a person has both an animal soul and a divine soul. The natural inclinations of the animal soul are toward the material and worldly, while the divine soul is always inclined toward the spiritual, toward God. The goal is not to eliminate the animal, but to learn to "tame" it. Each person must find ways to utilize their animalistic potential in the service of God.
Examining the animal symbolizes a true and sincere analysis of one's own qualities and behaviors, so as not to justify negative actions out of self-love. Each person must ensure they have no "flaws," that is, that they have not neglected any ability to bring it closer to God.
Slaughter removes the animal's blood and vitality. The limbs and body remain whole, but after slaughter, they are dead. This teaches us how man should approach God: he should not stop eating, drinking, working, or interrupt the normal activities of life. Everything can remain as it is, only the "blood," the vitality, of these activities must be removed and invested in the service of God, as the psalmist says: "Strengthen your hands and you will eat"—precisely "your hands," and not your head. This indicates that the head should always be directed "upward." All activity should be done for the sake of heaven, to serve God, and not to satisfy a personal passion.
The altar symbolizes the heart of man, while the fire on the altar symbolizes the natural love that every Jew has for God. This fire must be constantly kindled to burn away and consume all the passions of the material world, so that all matters of life are related to God.