4, Torah Portion

The Meaning Of Sacrifice
Is Not Tied To Value

Torah to the gleanings and a tithe and
other forms of charity given in kind to
obtain the necessary ingredients for
the korban mincha. Thus, if he denies
himself the eating of these ingredients,
he will have the necessities of the min-
cha. Then, says the Chasam Sofer, he
truly is "sacrificing himself."
n this week's Torah portion, we
The poor man is willing to deny
have a continuation of the
himself and to symbolically give back
description of the procedures
to God which God has made available
for the sacrifices.
to him. This is the "sacrifice" that the
Although such worship is com-
Torah considers the ideal, not the suf-
pletely beyond our own expe-
fering of the poor man's
rience and understanding,
denial, but his willingness
perhaps if we take a closer
and desire to symbolize his
look, we can have some sense
overriding gratitude to his
of its meaning.
maker. His offering is a
In describing the grain
truly personal and sincere
offering (korban mincha), the
tribute to his God.
verse (Leviticus 6:8) tells us:
From this lesson learned
"He (the priest) separates
from the poor man with his
from the sacrifice his hand-
grain sacrifice, we can say
ful of flour ..." The Talmud
RABBI ELIEZER the same for any sacrifice.
(Yoma 47A) derives from the
COHEN
The sacrifice was a way for
term "his handful" that "a
Special to
the human being to
vessel should not be used to
The Jewish News acknowledge that that
take the handful, but it must
which he has comes to him
be done according to the
through the beneficence of God, his
handful of the particular priest. The
creator. His gratitude and love compel
handful of flour burnt on the altar
him to offer at least a token gift in
was a function of the size of the par-
return.
ticular officiating priest; the amount
It is not the gift itself nor its value
burnt was personal rather than stan-
that is the measure, but the very
dardized.
personal feelings of love and grati-
Likewise, also in reference to the
tude, the very sense of "giving back"
grain offering, the Talmud (Min.
that makes the sacrifice so meaning-
104B) uses a verse from last week's
ful.
portion (Leviticus 2:1): "And when a
nefesh (soul or self) sacrifices a korban
mincha ..." to derive that a grain sacri-
Special Service
fice cannot be brought in partnership
with other people, but rather by a
For Honorees
"single soul." The Talmud then con-
Congregation Shir Tikvah will hold a
tinues: "Rabbi Yitzchok said, 'Why is
special Shabbat service beginning at
the Mincha sacrifice different (from all 7:45 p.m. Friday, April 3, as a way of
other voluntary sacrifices) that the
thanking those people who have devot-
word "soul" is used? The Holy One,
ed much time and energy into serving
blessed be He, said: 'Who brings a
as the honorees and honorary chairper-
(mere) grain sacrifice but a poor man?
sons of the Shir Tikvah-sponsored pre-
I consider it as if he sacrificed his very
miere night of RENT on April 8.
soul before Me.'"
The service will say thank you to
Thus, specifically with the grain
Sam and Jean Frankel, local real estate
offering is it personalized in every
developers and the RENT honorees;
respect because it typically is the offer-
and honorary chairs, Arthur and Gina
ing of the poor. The great Rabbi
Horwitz, Henry and Linda Lee,
Moshe Sofer (Schrieber), also known
Abram and Rhoda Medow, Irving and
as the Chasam Sofer (1763-1839), in
Barbara Nusbaum and David and
his commentary on the Torah (Toras
Ilene Techner. An Oneg (coffee ad
Moshe), explains that the poor man
dessert buffet) will follow the service.
has no money with which to buy even
For information on the service
a bird offering (which could be less
(including location) call the temple
expensive than a grain offering). The
administrator, (248) 619-9669. For
poor man, though, is entitled by the
information on attending the RENT
premiere,
call the hotline, (248) 706-
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congrega-
El
1703.
tion Or Chadash.

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Shabbat Tzav/Hagadol:
Leviticus 6:1-8:36•
Malachi 3:4-24.

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