Vayikra: Intent to Repent

By Josh Appel

For many of us קדשים is the most difficult topic in our learning to understand. Seemingly arcane laws of animal slaughter and מסכתות which are typically untouched during our years in Yeshiva lead us to have a complicated relationship with the topic. However, fully immersing ourselves in the world of קדשים can be an edifying experience. After all, not only is קדשים connected to קדושה – an aspect of Judaism which is critical – but is also relevant to us on a deeply personal level. The very fact that תפילה is meant to replace קרבנות can shed light on the ambitious idea of what קרבנות are truly meant to represent and accomplish.

Although there are some who think that קרבנות are only based on ancient ritual, and others who only focus on the details, others emphasize how each קרבן represents a different aspect of our personal relationship with הקב"ה. In fact, the רמב"ם (מלכים יא:א), when describing the glory of ימות המשיח includes the fact that once again we will bring קרבנות. More than that, Rav Hirsch says that the root of the word קרבן is קרב, showing that the purpose of the קרבן is to grow closer to Hashem.

With that in mind let us examine one קרבן in particular in order to extrapolate its meaning. In פרק ד' the Torah describes one of the most well-known קרבנות, the חטאת. There are different types of קרבנות חטאת, both on a communal and personal level. When focusing on the חטאת in general there are a few peculiar דינים which we encounter.

First, the beginning of מסכת זבחים says that a קרבן must be brought לשמה. In other words, if a person is חייב to bring a קרבן עולה they must bring that קרבן with the intent to bring it as an עולה. If the person brings that עולה with the כונה for a שלמים instead though, then the משנה rules that the קרבן is still כשר (i.e. the כהן can proceed with the other parts of the עבודת הקרבן) just that the קרבן doesn’t fulfill the חיוב הקרבה which the בעל had. There are two notable exceptions to this rule though, קרבן פסח and a קרבן חטאת. If either of these קרבנות are brought שלא לשמה they are פסול. Why is a קרבן חטאת an exception to this rule?

The second aspect of the קרבן חטאת which is peculiar is that it can only be מכפר for חטאים of which a person would be חייב כרת for which were committed בשגגה. If someone acts wrongly במזיד then they do not bring a חטאת. If someone is מבטל an עשה they do not bring a חטאת. If someone is באונס or מתעסק they do not bring a חטאת. What is more is that a person is only חייב to bring a חטאת if the entire action – מתחילה ועד סוף – was בשוגג. If at any point they were מזיד or מתעסק they do not bring a חטאת. What is the reason why the חטאת is restricted to שגגות and why should it be necessary that the entire act be בשוגג?

It could be that the extra כונה necessary for the קרבן חטאת is directly parallel to what it atones for. שוגג is the middle-ground in between אונס and מזיד. The former is an uncontrollable accident whereas the latter is intentional. שוגג on the other hand, is accidental, but an accident which could have been avoided with more care. When we are בשוגג, when we try but nevertheless fall, the Torah mandates the חטאת. The חטאת requires כונה like no other קרבן. When we fall somewhat unintentionally the answer is כונה – intent, focus and care. It is a reminder to fortify our barriers, to become aware of the things causing us to fall. This חטאת can only be brought for this sin, for a single purpose (not for any other קרבנות) and by only one person (unless it is a חטאת הציבור). It is a form of taking responsibility, for allowing oneself to slip to a place where they were able to be בשוגג and a commitment to the future.

Even if not physically brought nowadays the חטאת still shows us the position we should take when we fall. We should learn from the Halachos of the חטאת – and think of them when saying the פסוקים of the חטאת in our Davening – how to take responsibility for our actions through intent, focus, care and commitment.