[Avodah] In sight Into Korbanos

Professor L. Levine llevine at stevens.edu
Sun Oct 14 09:02:01 PDT 2018


The following is from RSRH's commentary on Bereishis 8:20


20 Then Noach built an altar to God and took of every pure animal and
of every pure bird, and offered ascent offerings upon the altar.

la Shem; our offerings are directed to the aspect of God’s rule that desires
not destruction, but life. 'ä is the source of all life and of all future
existence, and He is ready at all times to grant new life, new vigor, and
a new future. Symbolically, one offers his own life in order to win new
life from God; one offers oneself up to God in order to be consecrated
by God and to be elevated to a holy life on earth. One does not bring
an offering to a vengeful, angry, bloodthirsty god. Rather, one who
brings an offering devotes to God’s Will every pulsebeat, every nervous
impulse, all muscular strength. To make an offering means to win from
God eternal life. One does not offer up an animal; one offers up himself
through the animal. When a person offers an animal before God and
leans his hand upon it; when he slaughters it, collects its blood, dashes
its blood upon the altar, and surrenders its head, legs, breast, and carcass
to the flames — in doing so he offers to God his own blood, his own
mind, his own muscular strength, and surrenders himself completely
to the fire of God’s Will, as set down for Israel in the Torah.

YL


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