God explains to the Israelites how to offer sacrifices
“And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish” Leviticus 1:1 – 3
- What happens if someone’s devotion to God is genuine but their offering is meager? “There was once a woman who brought a handful of finely sifted flour. One of the priests belittled her and said: ‘Look what she brought. Is this worthy of an offering? Later, that very priest had a nightly vision in which he heard a voice: ‘Do not underestimate this woman. For I value her offering as though she had sacrificed her very life'” (Vayikra Rabbah 3:5). The value of a sacrifice is measured according to the sincerity of its offeror.
- It is our human nature to fail. Our weaknesses will inevitably cause us to err at some point. This is the reason we shouldn’t judge a person for their mistakes. Rather, we should focus on a person’s willingness to acknowledge and atone for their mistakes. That is the purpose of a sacrifice – to allow a person to indulge in self examination, recognize their mistakes, and correct them.
Sacrifice as an act of kindness
“And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. Or if a soul touch any unclean thing” Leviticus 5:1 – 2
- A sacrifice is not a price to be paid to God in exchange for something. It’s an expression of generosity and love. The biblical offerings symbolize a person’s willingness to relinquish something that belongs to them for a higher purpose. It is a sign of genuine devotion, enabling the offeror to transcend themselves and give to others.
Pearls of Divine Wisdom: “He Called”
- The sacrificial laws mirror our inner struggle, at the end of which we are called to renounce some of our belongings and come closer to God. We lead the battle inside of us against negative traits weighing us down.
- Our duty is to discover our personal hurdles for the purpose of moving past them. We must be utterly committed to the truth if we wish to find it and improve ourselves.
- Once we overcome these paralyzing obstacles, we can become open to receiving God’s messages and thus release ourselves from our heavy yoke. At the end of the journey, we’ll find freedom and inner peace.
- Offerings and sacrifices are not measured by their economic value but rather by the sincerity of the offeror. A small, genuine sacrifice is much more precious than a large, insincere one.
- It is our human nature to fail. Our weaknesses will inevitably cause us to err at some point. This is why we shouldn’t judge a person for their mistakes. Rather, we should focus on a person’s willingness to acknowledge and atone for them.
- Purpose gives life a meaning that can only be found when we give and help others. The endgame of our mission is to bring more light into this world.
When we restrict negative impulses, judgment becomes lovingkindness.
