"An offering to Hashem"

Synopsis

As soon as the tabernacle was complete, God rested in it and called out to Moses, informing him that because Yisrael would sin in the future, their tabernacle would be taken away from them. Therefore they must offer sacrifices. Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Shimon discuss the offerings that are done to awaken mercy and not judgment. It is important that one stands by the altar with a broken spirit, feeling remorse for his actions so that judgment may be softened.

Moses Offering Sacrifice Sin Tents

50. Come and see: On the day that the tabernacle was complete, the Holy One, blessed be He, quickly come and rested in it. Immediately, literally, "He called to Moses, and Hashem spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying..." (Vayikra 1:1). "And Hashem spoke to him...:" He informed him that in the future Yisrael will sin before Him, and this Tent of Meeting will be taken as pledge because of their sins and will not remain in their hands. This is what is written, "And Hashem spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting," meaning regarding the Tent of Meeting that it will be taken as pledge in the future because of Yisrael's sins, and it will not remain in existence. The remedy for this is: "If any man of you bring an offering to Hashem" (Vayikra 1:2). Here are sacrifices for you, which protect for all.

50. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִשְׁתַּכְלַל בֵּי מַשְׁכְּנָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים וְשָׁארִי בֵּיהּ. מִיַּד, וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֵלָיו, וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ דִּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֵיחַב קַמֵּיהּ, וּלְאִתְמַשְׁכְּנָא הַאי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יִתְקְיָים בִּידַיְיהוּ, הה"ד וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר. מַאי אָ"ל. מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, מֵעִסְקֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, דְּזַמִּין לְאִתְמַשְׁכְּנָא בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא יִתְקְיָּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ. אֲבָל אַסְוָותָא לְהַאי, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ.' הֲרֵי לָךְ קָרְבְּנִין דְּאָגִין עַל כֹּלָּא.

Crowns Form Holy Name Mercy Offering Unity Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

51. Rabbi Chizkiyah was in the presence of Rabbi Shimon. He said to him: That which is called an offering (Heb. korban) should have been titled 'bringing near' (Heb. keruv) or 'drawing near' (Heb. krivut). Why then is it called an offering (Heb. korban)? He responded: It is known among the friends that an offering is THE DRAWING NEAR of those holy crowns, NAMELY THE SFIROT CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, who are all drawn together and mutually connected until they all form a perfect unity so that the Holy Name be properly set. That is THE MEANING OF, "An offering to Hashem," an offering IS THE DRAWING NEAR of those holy crowns - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT - to Yud Hei Vav Hei, WHICH PERTAINS TO MERCY, DENOTING THE CENTRAL COLUMN. Thus this Holy Name may be perfected and unified properly so that mercy can prevail throughout the worlds and the Holy Name will assume its crowns to perfume everything.

51. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ, הַאי דְּאִקְרֵי קָרְבָּן, קֵירוּב מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אוֹ קְרִיבוּת, מַאי קָרְבָּן. אָ"ל הָא יְדִיעַ הוּא לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָּיא, קָרְבָּן מֵאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּמִתְקָרְבֵי כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא, וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן דָּא בְּדָא, עַד דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַד, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים, לְאַתְקְנָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי, הה"ד קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ.' קָרְבָּן דְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין לַיְיָ' הוּא, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְיַחֲדָא לֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכָחוּ רַחֲמִין בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין. וּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרוֹי לְאִתְבַּסְּמָא כֹּלָּא.

Judgment Mercy Sacrifice Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

52. All this is done to awaken Mercy and not to awaken Judgment. Therefore it is to Yud Hei Vav Hei and not to Elohim, FOR YUD HEI VAV HEI INDICATES MERCY WHILE ELOHIM INDICATES JUDGMENT, and we require Mercy and not Judgment. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, Happy is my portion that I have asked and merited these words. It is a clear explanation, but is it not written: "The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart, Elohim, You will not despise" (Tehilim 51:19). Thus, it is written, "The sacrifices of Elohim" instead of, 'the sacrifices of Hashem.'

52. וְכָל דָּא בְּגִין לְאַתְּעָרָא רַחֲמֵי, וְלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא דִּינָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ לַיְיָ' הוּא, וְלָא לֵאלֹהִים. לַיְיָ:' אֲנָן צְרִיכִים לְאִתְּעָרָא רַחֲמֵי, וְלָא לֵאלֹהִים, רַחֲמֵי בָּעֵינָן וְלָא דִּינָא. אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּשָׁאִילְנָא וְרַוַוחְנָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין, וְדָא בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה. אֲבָל הָא כְּתִיב זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, לֵב נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה אֱלֹהִים לֹא תִבְזֶה. זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים כְּתִיב, וְלֹא זִבְחֵי יְיָ.'

Altar Judgment Mercy North Sacrifice Strength

53. RABBI SHIMON responded: Certainly this is true; namely, 'the offerings of Elohim' is not written but "The sacrifices of Elohim." THIS ALLUDES ONLY TO THE ACTUAL SLAUGHTERING THAT IS DESIGNATED BY THE NAME ELOHIM, for which reason it was performed at the north side of the altar, FOR THE NORTH SIDE ALLUDES TO THE NAME OF ELOHIM WHICH IS JUDGMENT. Sacrificing is to the name of Elohim, which is the side of Gvurah so that the spirit of Judgment will be mitigated and broken and Judgment thus be weakened, thus bringing Mercy to overpower Judgment. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN, "The sacrifices of Elohim" to break the strength and power of harsh Judgment, as it is written, "A broken spirit." This implies that the strong spirit of Judgment is broken, and its spirit and power shall not be overpowering. Thus, man is to stand by the altar with a broken spirit and feel remorse for his actions, in order that this strong spirit be broken, so that Judgment may be softened and Mercy overpower Judgment.

53. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, קָרְבָּן אֱלֹהִים לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים. וְעַל דָּא שְׁחִיטָתָן בַּצָפוֹן, דְּהָא זְבִיחָה הוּא בְּגִין אֱלֹהִים, הַהוּא סְטָר גְּבוּרָה, דְּיִתְבְּסַם וְיִתְבַּר רוּחָא דְּדִינָא, וְיִתְחַלָּשׁ דִּינָא, וְיִתְגַּבְּרוּן רַחֲמֵי עַל דִּינָא. וְעַל דָּא זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים, לְתַּבְרָא חֵילָא וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, דִּכְתִּיב רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, לְמֶהֱוֵי הַהוּא רוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא נִשְׁבָּרָה, וְלָא יִתְגַּבָּר רוּחֵיהּ וְחֵילֵיהּ וְתוּקְפֵּיהּ. וב"נ בָּעֵי כְּדֵין, לְמֵיקָם עַל מַדְבְּחָא, בְּרוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, וְיַכְסִף מֵעוֹבָדוֹי, בְּגִין דִּיהֱוֵי הַהוּא רוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא תְּבִירָא, וְכֹלָּא בְּגִין דְּדִינָא יִתְּבְסָּם, וְיִתְגַּבְּרוּן רַחֲמֵי עַל דִּינָא.

Creation Offering Ox Sheep

54. Rabbi Elazar said, The scriptural verse: "If any man of you bring an offering to Hashem" should have been written in this manner: 'If any man brings an offering to Hashem.' Why is the phrase "of you" interposed here? HE ANSWERS, The scriptural verse comes to exclude the first man, who also brought an offering when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world. HE DID NOT BRING AN SACRIFICIAL OFFERING FROM THE CATTLE AND SHEEP, BUT A HORNED OX WITH ONE HORN. We have stated that "of you" alludes to any man, so "If any men of you bring an offering..." would exclude the other man, IMPLYING THE FIRST MAN, since he is not one "of you." Rabbi Shimon said to him, you explained it quite satisfactorily! Indeed it is so.

54. אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ.' א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, הַאי קְרָא הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִכְתַּב, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ.' מַהוּ מִכֶּם. אֶלָּא לַאֲפוּקֵי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּהוּא אַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְהָכָא מִכֶּם כְּתִיב, הַאי אָדָם, לַאֲפוּקֵי אָדָם אָחֳרָא, דְּלָא הֲוָה מִכֶּם. אָ"ל ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, שַׁפִּיר קָאַמָרְת, וְהָכִי הוּא.