Sefer Vayikra discusses many different types of korbanos (sacrifices) and their intricate laws, including how and why each of the korbanos was offered. Our Sages tell us that the main atonement of the korban was achieved through the zerikas hadam (sprinkling of the blood) and not the offering itself.
The Sefer Hi Sichasi notes that there are other mitzvos in the Torah where blood is the dominant feature. During makkas bechoros (The Plague of the Firstborn), Hashem commanded the Jewish people to take the blood of the Korban Pesach and put it on the doorposts and lintel of their homes, as Hashem said (Shemos 12:13), “The blood shall be a sign for you upon the houses where you are; and I will see the blood and skip over you; and there will not be a plague upon you when I strike in the land of Egypt.”
Why is it blood that differentiates between the homes of the Egyptians and the Jewish people? Our Sages also tell us that when Hashem wanted to give the Jewish nation mitzvos with which they could merit to be redeemed from Egypt, He gave them two mitzvos involving blood – the blood of the Korban Pesach and the blood of the milah. What is the special quality of the blood that it has the power to redeem the Jewish nation from its troubles?
The great Nesivos Shalom, the Slonimer Rebbe, states that this is derived from the Torah (Vayikra 17:11), “For the soul of the flesh is in the blood and I have therefore given it to you to be placed upon the altar to atone for your souls; for it is the blood that atones for the soul.” Rashi expounds that the soul of every creature is dependent upon the blood, and therefore the blood of the sacrifice should atone for the soul of man. It is the blood that pumps throughout the entire body of every creature that gives it life.
Immediately following the construction of the Tabernacle (at the end of Chumash Shemos), the Torah teaches about korbanos. The Mishkan embodied the concept of the proximity of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) as it says (Shemos 25:8), “They shall make a Sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them.”
Our Sages clarify that, in fact, the heart of every person should personally welcome the Divine Presence within himself. Similarly, the offering of the korbanos in and of itself does not achieve atonement. It is when the person’s mind and heart are overcome with thoughts of teshuvah as he perceives that the essence of the korban – the life-giving blood – could be his blood that there is atonement. The letters of the Hebrew word dam – daled, mem – symbolize man, adam, who is comprised of flesh and blood. Placing the blood on the doorposts and lintel in Mitzrayim, where we had sunk to the 49th level of impurity, indicated that we had purified our inner essence and were ready to begin a life dedicated to the service of Hashem. It is our performance of mitzvos with commitment and self-sacrifice that purifies us.
The Impossible, Possible Climb
A beloved king who led his subject with wisdom and distinction was getting old. He no longer had the vigor and stamina to govern the people, and he decided to seek a faithful and capable individual who could serve as his viceroy.
The king traveled far and wide, without success. When he returned, he hired contractors to build a many-storied palace in the center of town, with the very top floor of the house to be the office of the viceroy. No expense was spared in the construction. It was a beautiful edifice with only one peculiarity. The staircase to the top was designed with oddly shaped steps, each one irregularly spaced from the other, with some steps high, some deep, and others turning sideways or sticking out at odd angles. It was like an obstacle course, and one would have to tread very carefully to make his way to the top.
Satisfied with the results, the king then sent out a proclamation that the first person who would successfully climb the staircase within half an hour would be the viceroy. There were many applicants, wise individuals and strong men, who all made the attempt. However, after starting the climb and seeing how long it was taking them, they soon gave up. Word spread that it was an impossible challenge.
An intelligent Jew who knew that the king was a capable and astute individual realized that there must be something more to this challenge than met the eye. The man studied the convoluted and circuitous construction and began to climb one step at a time. He climbed step after step. After he had ascended ten steps, he saw there were more, each one more difficult than the previous. He felt he had no more strength left, yet he continued to make his way up, because he believed in the king and knew that there must be a method to this madness he persevered, ignoring the jeering and taunts.
He had only seven minutes left to climb, and there was still a long way to go, but he pressed on. At the 27th minute he hit a wall that looked unbalanced. When he touched the wall, it suddenly moved, and beyond it was a straight path that led directly to the top. The Jew became the viceroy.
Rav Gamliel Rabinovich explains it is so with the service of Hashem. At first it seems to be an impossible task. How could Hashem request mortal man to add holiness and purity to himself to such an extent? But the King does not ask what is beyond man’s ability. The initial steps may be difficult, but one should continue his spiritual ascent all his life without stopping. Ultimately it will be as our Sages tell us, “If a person sanctifies himself a little bit, then from Heaven he will be greatly helped to be holy.” With the sacrifice offering one ascends the rungs of holiness and merits to become a viceroy of the King.
