We start a new book in the Torah today, and immediately, we’re introduced to a new concept: the קרבן (korban). The word קרבן/korban enters the Torah’s vocabulary here in the book of Vayikra - it does not appear in the earlier books of the Torah. Of course, there are mentions of sacrifices in earlier parts of our sacred text: Noah offers עולות (olot) (usually translated as “burnt offerings”). Avraham offers the ram as an עולה/olah in place of his son. On the flip side, the people of Israel offer עולות/olot before gathering to dance around the golden calf. There are other words for sacrifice as well, but קרבן/korban makes its debut just as we shift into the part of the Torah that is primarily concerned with sacrifices and the Kohanim who offer them. 

Not only is קרבן/korban a new addition to the Torah, it also is not very commonly used (at least not in its noun form). The word קרבן/korban appears only 74 times in Torah, most of them not surprisingly in the book of Vayikra. I find this surprising. Of our 613 mitzvot, at least one third of them have to do with sacrifices. That proportion grows when you add in mitzvot about the Temple, the place where sacrifices were ultimately offered, and the Kohanim, the people responsible for offering them. Even taking only the mitzvot that exclusively deal with sacrifices, their number far outstrips the 74 mentions of קרבנות/korbanot in the Torah. 

The system of korbanot as laid out beginning in our parashah transforms Israelite religion. Coming on the heels of the construction of the Mishkan in the latter part of Shemot, the beginning of Vayikra creates a structure for the worship that would take place there. Different types of korbanot require different procedures. There are korbanot offered in thanksgiving, korbanot that seek God’s forgiveness, korbanot that mark special occasions, and korbanot that are regular parts of every day. 

The significance of korbanot during the time of Mishkan and Temple cannot be overstated. However, we no longer live during that time. The Mishkan and the Temple are long gone. In the absence of those holy spaces, the system of korbanot could no longer function, and our religion evolved, replacing sacrifice with prayer and the creation of holy communities. And yet - korbanot comprise a major portion of the mitzvot that shape our religious practice. And Vayikra will continue to be read and studied year after year in our annual cycle of reading the Torah. I’d rather we not simply tune out during this part of the service for the next couple of months, so we need to deepen our understanding of korbanot.

To tease out that deeper understanding, I want to start with the word itself. As I said a moment ago, I think it’s fascinating that the word קרבן/korban, which underlies such a large proportion of our mitzvot, appears so few times in the Torah. Its rarity makes us take notice of it, leads us to wonder what’s so special about this word.

The etymological meaning of word קרבן/korban holds the answer to that question. קרבן/korban comes from the same שורש/shoresh, Hebrew root, as קרוב/karov, which means “close.” This root creates the words for “relatives,” for things or places that are in proximity to one another, for drawing close. Its use as קרבן/korban, sacrifice, tells us a great deal about what sacrifices are meant to accomplish. They are a means to finding closeness with God. Whether on significant occasions in our lives or simply on a day to day basis, the desire to find closeness with God was given expression through the act of sacrifice. 

The Midrash in Vayikra Rabbah emphasizes this idea in its opening set of homiletical writings on the beginning of Vayikra (1:2), when the word קרבן/korban is first mentioned. The Midrash explains that, by means of these sacrifices, the people of Israel secure their place in God’s eyes as God’s most precious people. They are compared to God’s most inner garment, a community elder’s favorite kerchief, a person’s treasured only child. All because of the sacrifices they offer. 

This desire to find closeness with God still holds true today. While we no longer sacrifice animals on the altar to accomplish this, we know that the concept of קרבן/korban - of bringing something of ourselves - can engender that same closeness. 

On an interpersonal level, when we exist in true relationship with one another, we are constantly giving of ourselves. We give our time, our attention, our energy, our love, our empathy, our vulnerability. The powerful theology of Les Miserables expresses this beautifully: To love another person is to see the face of God. The קרבן/korban of our most essential relationships, with our families, our partners, our dearest friends, draws us closer to each other and brings holiness to our lives. If we’re very lucky, the korbanot we bring to our deepest relationships give us glimpses of God. 

But קרבן as described in the Torah is not simply an individual pursuit; it is the foundation of communal religious life. korbanot are what keep the community functioning. They are what transform a group of people and a pile of stuff into a holy community. Without the daily ritual of sacrifice, how do we see the idea of קרבן/korban as operational in our communities today? How do korbanot keep our communities functioning and suffuse them with holiness?

I only need to look as far as the people in this room to find an answer. We describe ourselves as a lay-driven community. Relying on each other, rather than on a large professional staff, to do most of the heavy lifting, we know well idea of קרבן/korban. On any given Shabbat morning, we have volunteers who greet people as they come in the door, who sponsor Kiddush, who make sure that those in our community who can’t get here on their own have a safe and friendly ride to shul, who make sure our space is secure, clean, and set up for our needs, and so much more. We give generously of ourselves and in doing so, we draw each other close, creating a truly holy community. 

Our spirit of קרבן/korban and the volunteers who internalize the call to bring themselves close are a tremendous part of what makes Chevrei Tzedek such a special place. I mention this now both to thank those of us who bring ourselves close regularly, and as a reminder that opportunities for this kind of giving abound. We always have openings for Kiddushim to sponsor (on our own or with others), for greeting, for leading services or reading Torah. And beyond our Shabbat services, we have special programs, like the Green Mitzvahthon that’s coming up during the first weekend of May, that need our volunteer support. The committees that keep the life of our community so full can do so due to the contributions of the people that join them - and they are only made stronger by the addition of new voices. 

As we open our reading of Vayikra, I’m asking us to look at ourselves and notice the ways we bring our korbanot to the community and to see the powerful impact we have. Especially if you’re just at the beginning of your journey of bringing yourself close to the community, I’m also asking us to look at the opportunities we have to offer korbanot and to find the place where your קרבן/korban is most needed. When we each bring our own korbanot, the bounty of our offerings draws us closer to each other, weaving holiness into our community.

Shabbat Shalom.