There
are 2 thoughts that are very special to the whole Sefer Vayikra and an
important connection to Sefer Shemos. A logical place to begin is with the
Ramban’s Hakdama to Sefer Vayikra. The Ramban who explained that Sefer Shmos is
the book of Galus and Geula and that it ends with the Shechina residing on the
Mishkan, which is of course the zenith, the high point of Geulah, explains a
continuation here as follows.
The
Ramban writes that Hashem commanded us to bring Korbanos in the Bais Hamikdash
for the following reasons. The Korbanos are an opportunity for forgiveness and
that Aveiros should not cause the Shechina which resides among Klal Yisrael as
we have learned at the end of Sefer Shemos, to leave G-d forbid. The Korbanos
are an opportunity to make sure that the Shechina remains in the Mishkan among
Klal Yisrael. The Ramban explains this as the reason for the Korbanos.
There
are a number of difficulties with the very idea that the purpose of the
Korbanos are so limited to just keeping the Shechina in the Bais Hamikdash or
in the Mishkan. First of all a Korban is called Raiach Nichoach even before the
Bais Hamikdash or the Mishkan were built. We already find it being a Raiach
Nichoach by Sefer Beraishis in Parshas Noach when Noach brings Korbanos in 8:20
– 21 (כ וַיִּבֶן נֹחַ מִזְבֵּחַ,
לַירוָר; וַיִּקַּח מִכֹּל הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּהֹרָה, וּמִכֹּל הָעוֹף הַטָּהוֹר,
וַיַּעַל עֹלֹת, בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ כא וַיָּרַח יְרוָר, אֶת-רֵיחַ
הַנִּיחֹחַ, וַיֹּאמֶר יְרוָר אֶל-לִבּוֹ לֹא-אֹסִף לְקַלֵּל עוֹד אֶת-הָאֲדָמָה
בַּעֲבוּר הָאָדָם, כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו; וְלֹא-אֹסִף עוֹד
לְהַכּוֹת אֶת-כָּל-חַי, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי). There we see clearly that Korbanos come for better reasons.
Not just to remove a Chisaron but actually to provide a Maylah and a benefit.
This is a difficulty with the Ramban’s position that the reason is to keep the
Shechina among Klal Yisrael.
Secondly
there are numerous Gemaras that give reasons for the Korbanos. The Gemara in
Maseches Rosh Hashono 16a (11 lines from the bottom) says (תניא א"ר יהודה משום ר"ע מפני מה אמרה תורה הביאו עומר בפסח
מפני שהפסח זמן תבואה הוא אמר הקב"ה הביאו לפני עומר בפסח כדי שתתברך לכם
תבואה שבשדות ומפני מה אמרה תורה הביאו שתי הלחם בעצרת מפני שעצרת זמן פירות האילן
הוא אמר הקב"ה הביאו לפני שתי הלחם בעצרת כדי שיתברכו לכם פירות האילן ומפני
מה אמרה תורה נסכו מים בחג אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא נסכו לפני מים בחג כדי שיתברכו לכם
גשמי שנה). Bring before me the
Shtei Halechem on Shavuos so that there should be a blessing among the fruits of the year. The Korbanos
bring Beracha and don’t simply prevent a Chisaron of the Shechina leaving. It
actually brings specific Beracha. Certainly a Korban Todah which is a Korban of
Thanksgiving is more than just a Kapparah for an Aveira. Therefore these are
difficulties that we have with the idea, the concept of this Ramban.
I saw a
beautiful answer brought in the name of the Shem MiShmuel in the Sefer Iyunim
Bamikra (This Sefer had the Mar Makom).
The Shem MiShmuel in Shnas Taf Reish Ayin Vav says a beautiful Yesod
from his father the Avnei Nezer. Really he explains something even more
fundamental than the Korbanos. We find the name of the place of the Mizbaiach
and the Aron in the Chumash as being called the Mishkan. Later when Shlomo
Melech builds it, it is called the Bais Hamikdash. These names are used
interchangeably. V’asu Li Mikdash refers to the Mishkan. So that we have two
names Mishkan and Mikdash which are used interchangeably but primarily in the
Midbar it is called the Mishkan and in Eretz Yisrael it is called the Mikdash.
The
Avnei Nezer explains that each represents one function of the Mishkan, Mikdash.
The word Mishkan means residing of the Shechina among Klal Yisrael. The name
Mishkan represents a place where the Shechina resides. Where Korbanos are
brought for forgiveness so that the Shechina should not leave. Since in the
Midbar the Mishkan and the fact that the Shechina came upon the Mishkan was as
the Ramban explains at the end of Sefer Shemos an Inyan of Kaparah for the
Eigel, so the primary name in the 40 years in the Midbar is Mishkan. Something
that began as a Kapparah for Klal Yisrael. Now of course the Mishkan is not
only a place of Kapparah (of forgiveness). We have asked in our Kashas and
demonstrated from those Mar Mekomos. It is also a Mikdash, a place that brings
to higher and higher levels of Kedusha. Sheyiskadshu Bnei Yisrael. So there is a
second aspect an aspect of reaching higher levels of Kedusha and deserving a
Beracha of the Peiros and the Tevuos Hashana of a Raiach Nichoach. For that the
name is Mikdash. When Shlomo Hamelech
built the Bais Hamikdash it was primarily for that and therefore the name Bais
Hamikdash was used. However, there is a dual purpose in this area called either
Mishkan or Mikdash. The Ramban’s introduction is explaining the flow of Shemos
to Vayikra, explaining what took place in the Midbar, and therefore, his
explanation is true for the Mishkan aspect of this place. The place to make
sure that there is forgiveness and that the Shechina does not leave. That is
not it, there is also the Mikdash aspect. When we understand these two aspects
we can answer what appears to be a Stirah in the Rambam.
The
Rambam in bringing a Posuk for this Mitzvah brings one Posuk in Hilchos Bais
Habichira and one in Hilchos Melachim. That is, in Hilchos Bais Habichira Perek
1:1 the Rambam brings a Posuk V’asu Li Mikdash V’shachanti B’sochom. In the beginning
of Hilchos Melachim there is a different Posuk brought, Lishicno Sidrishu
U’vasa Shama. There are 2 different Pesukim, however, they are not a
contradiction. There are dual aspects, V’asu Li Mikdash. Mikdash is an aspect
of Bais Hamikdash and Lishicno Sidrishu. Lishichno is a Lashon of Mishkan and
both aspects are true aspects. Therefore we have a Chiddush and a Yesod, there
is a Mishkan and there is a Mikdash. The place of Kaparah, the place of
reaching higher and higher level of Kedusha. The 2 aspects of Avodas Hashem,
the 2 aspects of this special place where the Shechina resides.
