Vayikra: Sacrifice Yourself this Purim

By Judah Graber

This year, before we embark on the Avodah of Purim, we are privileged to begin Sefer Vayikra. I would like to share a brief idea about looking at korbanos as a model for how we can approach our Avodahs Hashhem in general and how we can embrace the opportunities Purim has to offer. Vayikra opens with its first commandment in the pasuk:

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יַקְרִ֥יב מִכֶּ֛ם קׇרְבָּ֖ן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה מִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה מִן־הַבָּקָר֙ וּמִן־הַצֹּ֔אן תַּקְרִ֖יבוּ אֶת־קׇרְבַּנְכֶֽם

The ספורנו writes about the importance of infusing meaning into the korban. He writes, “When one brings himself close to G’d through a confession of sins and by humbling himself, the concept parallels the verse in Hoseah 14:3, ונשלמה פרים שפתינו, 'we will pay with bulls after having done so first with our lips.'... Our sages paraphrase this by pointing out that the Torah does not say כולכם, 'all of you,' but מכם, 'something emanating from you,' i.e., 'by excreting the spiritually unworthy parts of you.'” (translation courtesy of Rabbi Eliyahu Munk). ספורנו emphasizes an important idea: it's not just about sacrificing the korban, it's about sacrificing oneself to Hashem. It's verbalizing and thereby internalizing beforehand the idea that "I have insecurities, I have flaws, I could be better, I was wrong," etc. Sometimes we focus solely on the exact actions we are supposed to take, like the performance of the mitzvos, but it's crucial to take time beforehand to internalize the meanings of the mitzvah so that when the time comes to perform it, we can infuse it with deep significance.

Simultaneously, many of us are aware of the theme in Sefer HaChinuch of עִקְּרֵי הַלְּבָבוֹת תְּלוּיִין אַחַר הַפְּעֻלּוֹת, "the main inclinations of the heart follow after the actions." This idea emphasizes that Hashem gave us mitzvos as a means of guiding our souls to the proper thoughts and emotions we ought to have. In מצוה צה, the commandment of בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה, Sefer HaChinuch discusses the mitzvah of korbanos. He writes about how it wouldn't be very effective if the only way we could perform teshuva was by merely speaking to ourselves and confessing our sins. He powerfully expresses how the mitzvah of being makriv a korban was a process: one would realize they sinned, separate an animal from their flock, travel with it to Yerushalayim, give it to the kohen, and fulfill all the detailed mitzvos. Ramban writes about how each detail of the mitzvah would prompt the person to look inward and understand that they truly deserved punishment. The entire process is designed to motivate introspection. When you act a certain way, you will start to think in that way as well.

From these ideas emerges the notion that before entering a period ripe with opportunities for Avodahs Hashem, such as Purim, it is incumbent upon us to deeply contemplate how we will try to benefit from this experience. This Shabbos, let's review the halachos of Purim, delve into its deep ideas, discuss vorts, and machshavos. This way, when we enter Purim, we will have a deeper understanding of why we are doing what we are doing, hopefully elevating our performance of the mitzvos. At the same time, let us not become overly consumed by all the preparation. Rather, let the festive nature of the day, with all its mitzvos and opportunities for growth, guide our hearts to where they need to be. Have a good Shabbos, freilicha Purim, and remember that everything is a joke.