Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Jews and their daily Offerings

B"H

Who of us can imagine that he is going to a Jewish Temple (no, I am not talking about a reform synagogue but about THE real Temple in Jerusalem) in order to bring the required offerings (Korbanot) ? Who can imagine buying a bird or a cow and offering it to G - d ?
During Temple times this was something very ordinary but today we might think that offering an animal is just disgusting and primitive. Briefly speaking - it is a toture to the animals.

Since the destruction of the Second Temple, Jews are not allowed to bring any offerings. Only when Meschiach is coming and building the Third Temple, offerings are going to take place again. Until then, we just add special prayer additions as the Mussaf - Prayer at the end of the morning prayer Shacharit on Shabbat.

Why do Jews give sacrifices to G - d ? Is this not to similar to those peoples offering sacrifices to their idols ?

First of all, Jews only bring animal offerings and NO human sacrifices. G - d is absolutely against human sacrifices although other religions love to remind the Jews of the fact that Avraham was prepared to offer his son Yitzchak (Akeidat Yitzchak). Whoever claims that Yitzchak (he was 37 years old when Avraham took him to Mount Moriah) was supposed to be a human sacrifice is totally wrong. G - d wanted to test Avraham who showed Him that he would obey any Mitzwot just in order to serve the Creator.

In Judaism, G - d is an eternal perfect being and we humans are unable to grasp His essence and being. The question is how can I, as a human, get closer to such an eternal perfect being ? Is there a way at all of having a relationship ? How can I get closer to G - d who has no matter or form ?

The answer is that I can build a relationship by doing G - d's will. This is almost the only way of getting closer to Him. I cannot grasp Him but through the Mitzwot, I can understand Him a little. Sacrifices and Mitzwot bring me closer to G - d. And don't we see the roots of the letters in the word "sacrifice - Korban קורבן" ? Korban has the same roots as the verb "Lehitkarev - getting closer - להתקרב". Thus, through a sacrifice we are getting closer קרב to G - d.
But how ?.

When I start regretting my negative deeds and plan to do Teshuva (repentance) then I am going to bring a sacrifice (at least at Temple times). From now on, I want to do G - d's will and thus have the opportunity of getting closer to Him.

The Torah gave us the Mitzwa of offerings at different times but didn't provide us with precise instructions. These intructions we can find, for instance, in Talmud Zevachim and Chullin.

Has anyone seriously though about how it will be when the last Temple is standing and we are going to bring sacrifices ? To be honest, I cannot imagine and push the thought about it as far away as I can. It is simply beyond my imagination although I have a lot of it.

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