III-1 Vayikra Coming Close
God instructs Moses to take up a collection of free-will gifts for the construction of the Mishkan. The gifts could not be cast-offs or the result of illicit behavior. You cannot steal something and offer it to God. Similarly offerings, brought before the priests, must be from the heart. Before giving a sin offering, restitution must be made to anyone wronged. Personal relationships must be reconciled before bringing the sacrifice to the priests. Emphasis was not on the slaughter on the animals, but on retrospection and teshuvah-repentance. "Korban" means to come close. In bringing sacrifices, anyone could enter into God's presence to make an atonement for his sins or to give a thank offering.
Many types of korbanot existed. The Olah was an ascending offerng, wholly consumed on the altar. Minchah was a flour offering made with olive oil and frankinscense. Shelamim was a peace offering that was eaten by the person bringing the offering after certain parts were consumed on the altar and others given for the Kohanim. Chatat, was a sin offering to atone for a wrong whether the King, High Priest or ordinary person. All people make mistakes. Asham was the guilt offering for someone who has doubts whether or not he has betrayed God or broken commitments by making false promises or vows.
Although many shudder at the thought of slaughter, consider how different this world would be, if we ate meat with full awareness of the life we destroyed to fill our stomachs. Today, animals have little value. A quick trip to the grocery store retrieves a frozen chicken or steak from the deep freezer. Headless, legless and formless, it imparts no impression on us as being a creation of God. We stick it in the pan and later devour it without thought to the value of life. There is no relation between body and soul.
Through sacrifices, people were constantly reminded of life's values. The meat was not wasted by massive recall by a FDA botulism warning or tossed into the garbage container at the local diner. Each person was confronted with his own transgressions and mortality, recognizing the irreplaceable value of life, whether human or animal. Which animals? Cattle, sheep, goat and dove-those that are domesticated.
The very poor could bring a flour offering. It was treated no differently than if it had been the blue rbbon bull of the local county fair. The significance of
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