Last week, in Parshas Pekudei, we read that the Mishkan (Sanctuary) was completed and erected. So, what do we do in the Mishkan?
This week, in VaYikra, we delve into the types of sacrifices that can be brought:
- Burnt offering
- Grain offering
- Peace offering
- Sin offering
- Compounded sin offering
Plus, there are several types of sacrifices within these general categories, as well as several types of group or national sacrifices.
The reason for the sacrifices is to teach us the value of sacrifice! We do it all the time.
We sacrifice for our goals. We sacrifice for our families. We sacrifice for our communities and nation. We sacrifice for ourselves.
Why not sacrifice for HaShem? After all, why bother to build a Sanctuary if we aren’t going to do anything with it? But the purpose of the Mishkan is to have a revelation of Hashem. The reason for the Mishkan is to have a dwelling place for God’s glory within me!
So we need to sacrifice for that experience.
Not everything we want is that good, is it? Not everything is worth it. That strawberry shortcake? It’s very tempting, but is it worth the “extra gain” of its taste? Can we sacrifice for that extra gain of sanctity? Of course we can! And we can merit to some level of morality and honesty along with responsibility and goodness.
This is the lesson of sacrifice. Sometimes it is a burnt one. Sometimes a meager grain offering. Sometimes we give in to another person’s wants in order to attain peace. Other times it represents a recognition of humility and admission of wrongdoing. Certainly it is a sacrifice. Not an easy thing to do. But, very worthwhile, because then I can feel I made the effort to do the right thing.
Have a great Shabbos.
