This week we begin reading the third book of the Torah, which is known as the Book of the Kohanim (priests). The reason for this is quite simple: throughout its parashot, the laws pertaining to the Kohanim and their work in the Temple are described in great detail.<\/p>\n
Much of that work involved sacrifices. In fact, the book of Leviticus itself begins with the laws concerning some sacrifices.<\/p>\n
Some people struggle to understand the concept of sacrifice. How can we offer an animal to God? Does God need our offerings? In fact, the Bible repeatedly states that God prefers a broken heart to sacrifices, that He prefers that we listen to and follow His words rather than offer sacrifices. So, what is sacrifice?<\/p>\n
The truth is that a thorough analysis of the matter requires going beyond the scope of a small publishing house, but, in short, the answer is as follows:<\/p>\n
Every matter in the universe can be viewed and expressed in multiple dimensions. The fact that, for some reason, one dimension cannot exist does not diminish the value of the matter itself. This applies to all the precepts of the Torah.<\/p>\n
Specifically in the context of sacrifices, the factual dimension of these was the offering of animals, each according to its own laws, timing, etc., to be burned on the Altar in the Temple in Jerusalem. We cannot do this now because we do not have a Temple (may it be rebuilt quickly in our time).<\/p>\n
The oral dimension of sacrifices consists of studying their laws, which are generally found in any prayer book. Our sages explain that the very act of studying sacrifices is considered as if we had put them into practice.<\/p>\n
The spiritual dimension of sacrifices is drawing closer to God. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, and it can be interpreted (in the spiritual dimension) as coming from the word karov, meaning "near." That is, the meaning of an offering to God is to draw closer to Him.<\/p>\n
We generally say that Torah study and the observance of mitzvot are the way to draw closer to God. However, this is a different kind of approach (since we said that studying the sacrifices is like bringing them, and we cannot fulfill that mitzvah).<\/p>\n
In short, the point here is to bring all aspects of a person's life closer to God. This includes not only moments when studying Torah and fulfilling a mitzvah, but even when eating, conducting business, or conversing with family. A person should strive to perform these tasks in a refined and holy manner, thus drawing closer to God. Sacrifice in the Torah represents this offering of one's entire life to God, extending beyond the designated holy times and places to the very essence of the person and permeating all their thoughts, words, and actions.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Esta semana empezamos la lectura del tercer libro de la Tor\u00e1, que se conoce como el Libro de los Cohan\u00edm (sacerdotes). La raz\u00f3n de \u00e9sto es muy simple: a lo largo de sus parashot se describen, en gran detalle, las leyes pertinentes a los cohan\u00edm y su trabajo en el Templo. Gran parte de ese… Read More \u00bbSacrifices?<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,59],"tags":[950,956,1059,1023,962,970,945,1024,944,993,1003,1009,973,942],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editoriales","category-vaikra","tag-di-s","tag-estudio","tag-korban","tag-lectura","tag-ley","tag-libro","tag-mitzva","tag-ofrenda","tag-pensamiento","tag-precepto","tag-rezo","tag-sacrificio","tag-templo","tag-tora"],"episode_featured_image":false,"episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"\u00bfSacrificios?<\/a><\/blockquote>