Parashat HaShavua - Vayikra
This Shabbat we begin reading the book of Vayikra, which amongst others, delineates the details of the sacrificial offerings for particular occasions, including sacrifices that are offered to atone for a sin done without intent, by mistake. The fourth chapter of the book of Vayikra begins with the following two verses:
וַיְדַבֵּר ה׳, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר--נֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה מִכֹּל מִצְוֹת ה׳, אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂינָה; וְעָשָׂה, מֵאַחַת מֵהֵנָּה.
The Lord spoke to Moses saying: Speak to the Israelite people: When a person unwittingly incurs guilt in regard to any of the Lord's commandments about things not to be done, and does one of them… (Leviticus 4:1-2)
In his commentary on these verses, Ramban (Spain, 13th century) focuses on the words נפש (translated above as person). Ramban suggests that the reason the Torah specifically incorporates the word נפש, which biblically means life, but rabbinically and in modern Hebrew often means soul, is because the focus here is on people as thinking and thoughtful beings. As Ramban states: “the process of thinking is centered in the soul, and it is the soul which commits the error.”
Furthermore, Ramban explains that the reason we must offer a sacrifice is to cleanse our soul in order for it to be worthy of a relationship with God. I understand this cleansing process to suggest that the purpose of the sacrifice is not to repair the action but rather to ensure that we, as thoughtful human beings, reflect on the thinking process that occurred, the judgment we made and learn from our mistakes. We cannot simply atone for the action, we must take a moment to reflect on the fact that even if in error, we performed the action. We must take a moment to consider how to not make a similar mistake in the future.
On Yom Kippur, as part of the Kol Nidre service, we quote Numbers 15:25 and proclaim:
וְנִסְלַח, לְכָל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלַגֵּר, הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם: כִּי לְכָל-הָעָם, בִּשְׁגָגָה.
The entire congregation of the people of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger amongst them, for all have done so in error (unwittingly).
This proclamation offers the hope that all our wrong doings were done in error. They were a mistake in judgment. This verse offers the benefit of the doubt that we never intend to harm or to hurt. Ramban teaches us (in his commentary on this week’s parsha) that even if in error, we must commit to taking stock and to reflecting on how we can repair relationships that are impacted by moments where we did not exercise our best judgment. And while there is comfort in knowing that we are surrounded by a community of people who make similar mistakes and are also in need of forgiveness, the burden and responsibility falls on us to [offer the sacrifice], reflect and work with intentionality to repair.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Dahlia Kronish
High School Associate Head