This week's Torah reading opens the book of the laws of the Temple and Tabernacle. One of the main services there was that of the offerings. What lessons can we extract from them? Based on Likkutei Sichot, vol. 1, p. 939
Vaikra – Constant Giving to God
“And He Called”
This week’s third reading is called Vaikra, which means “and He called.” This happens after the whole building of the Tabernacle, the mobile temple in the desert, the Mishkan in Hebrew. After everything was completed, God called Moshe Rabbeinu to tell him all the laws of the things that had to happen there.
Furthermore, He taught him also the laws of the priests. That is why this book is called Torat Kohanim, the Torah, the laws of the priests.
The Offerings in the Mishkan
One of the main things that happened there in this Mishkan, in the Tabernacle, was the offerings, in Hebrew korbanot. Even though they do not apply today—and it is actually forbidden to do offerings outside of the Temple—there is an interesting detail.
Non-Jews could offer offerings outside of the Temple, but it is completely not recommended for many reasons.
Going back to our point, we do not do this today. However, the teachings, the lessons that these offerings give us, are eternal. That means they apply everywhere and at any time.
The Constant Offerings – Tamid
From within all the offerings, there were actually two that were called Tamid. Tamid means always, constant offerings. One in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Now, the truth is, it is impossible for every single Jew to bring offerings every single day, twice a day, in Yerushalayim, in the holy city. When do you work? When do you live your life? And so on.
So the truth is that they used to gather money every single year from every Jew. In this way, everyone participated in these offerings. And with a small amount of money every year, these offerings were actually brought on behalf of every single Jew around the world.
Small Offerings, Big Meaning
Now, these offerings were not even so big. They were just one sheep in the morning, one in the afternoon, some oil, some flour, and a bit of wine.
However, these offerings are still called Tamid, constant. That means it is a constant offering. A person has to offer himself constantly to God.
But wait a second. Usually, we understand that a person has to offer himself completely to God. And that is true. One of the explanations of the word korban is from the word karov, which means close. If you want to get close to God, you have to offer yourself.
But here we see something else.
It’s Not About How Much You Give
We don’t see that this offering was so big in quantity. However, our sages say that it does not really matter how little you give or how much you give. The main thing is your heart—the willingness, the kindness of the heart with which you give, how you give.
So one of the lessons of these offerings is that it really does not matter the quantity. You have to give yourself with happiness, with joy, with a good heart.
God Does Not Expect More Than You Can Give
Another idea is that even though we only gave a small amount—just a little bit in the morning and just a little bit in the afternoon—it is still called Tamid, constant.
God is not expecting from you more than what you can give.
Of course, a person has to be honest with himself and find within himself how much he can really give, both in quantity and in quality.
Quantity vs. Quality
What does it mean to give in quality?
For example, if you help someone with money, do you give it with a smiling face? Or do you just say, “Here, take it”?
That is a quality issue.
Also in learning: do you enjoy what you are learning? Or do you say, “I have to read this today… I’m tired… this is boring…”?
So you are doing what you have to do—you are giving the quantity. You learn every day, a little in the morning and a little in the afternoon. But how do you do it?
Do you bring beauty into what you do for God, or not?
That is the difference between quantity and quality.
A Temple Within Each Person
So even though these offerings were small, they were still considered complete, constant giving to God.
From here we learn just a few ideas from the korbanot, and there are many more.
A person has to know that just as God said to build a Temple in the desert, or later in Jerusalem, each one of us has to build from himself or herself a Temple—a holy place for the dwelling of God’s presence.
Constant Giving
And this is the idea: even something small, done every day, in the morning and in the afternoon, with heart, with joy, is considered constant giving.
Something complete.
Something eternal.