In this week’s Parshah, the Torah discusses the sacred sanctity of a Korban (an animal utilized for the purpose of bringing us closer to Hashem). The Torah instructs our nation to offer a Korban exclusively in the holy Bais HaMikdash, and forbids it from being brought in any less sacred place (12:26; see Rashi). It is interesting to note that the powerful process of taking a common barn animal and uplifting into a korban, one of the holiest objects in existence, is incredibly simple. All one has to do is verbally set it aside to be used to serve Hashem as a Korban. At that moment, the simple farm animal is instantly elevated to the highest level of holiness, enabling it to be brought into the holiest place on earth, the Bais HaMikdash, and offered on one of the holiest places within the Bais HaMikdash, the holy Mizbaech (altar), and can only be eaten by the holiest members of the Jewish nation, the kohanim. Indeed, the Torah refers to this process, and the ability to take such a mundane creature and instantly imbue it with so much holiness just by setting it aside to serve its Creator, as a true “wonder” (Sfas Emes - Parshas Nasso 6:2).
Why did Hashem specifically command us to bring Him a barn animal, something so mundane, as a Korban? Why didn’t Hashem command us to primarily bring something like gold and silver, objects that, unlike animals, have no odor and are valued universally? What lesson is Hashem teaching us by doing so?
Indeed, a similar phenomenon is common even in today’s day and age. In exile, the holiest item that we possess is the Sefer Torah. Interestingly, Hashem instructs us to only write a Sefer Torah on animal hide (Shabbos 108). Why? Why didn’t He allow a Torah be written on papyrus, the common form of paper in ancient times, which is made from the papyrus plant, cyperus papyrus? What lesson was Hashem imparting to us by instructing us to specifically use the hide of a mundane barn animal to be the very fabric of the Sefer Torah, the holiest item that we possess?
We can answer this by addressing an interesting Gemara in Brachos (35a-35b). The Gemara there points out a contradiction: on the one hand, the Torah states that the world belongs to Hashem, as it states “La’Hashem Ha’aretz U’meloah” (to Hashem belongs the earth and its fulness). On the other hand, the Torah states that Hashem gave full ownership of the earth to man, as the pasuk states “V’Haaretz Noson Livnei Adam” (the earth, He has given to mankind). How do we resolve this paradox? The Gemara answers, somewhat vaguely, that “one verse is discussing BEFORE man makes a blessing, and one verse is discussing AFTERWARDS”. Conventionally, the Gemara is thought to be understood as follows: before man makes a blessing, everything on earth belongs to Hashem. However, after making a bracha, man earns the subject of his blessing, and only then does that item belong to him.
I once heard a different and very novel approach in understanding this Gemara, from the world-renowned speaker, R’ Pesach Krohn: Before man makes a blessing, all of earth and physicality belongs to man; i.e., it is utterly mundane and devoid of spirituality. Therefore, the subject of his blessing can only be associated with mankind. However, after man makes a blessing, he uplifts that item to the highest level of holiness, and it is only then that it is associated with G-d Himself.
With this incredible concept, we can answer our question. The reason that a Sefer Torah is specifically made from animal hide, the farthest object from a holy origin, is in order to teach us an incredible life lesson: our purpose on this planet is to uplift everything in existence, to the highest level of holiness, by using it and attributing it to Hashem. By doing so, we can accomplish the greatest “wonder”s (Sfas Emes Ibid). If an animal hide can be uplifted to the highest levels of holiness, when it is used for serving Hashem, how much more so can everything else in physicality be? Additionally, it is supposed to serve as a personal lesson to all of mankind: if the hide of a simple barn animal can be uplifted to become a holy Sefer Torah, how much more so can YOU uplift YOURSELF to the sanctity of a living Sefer Torah, so long as you adhere to it and serve your Creator? This lesson is embodied in every Sefer Torah, as well as every Korban, and is something we should question ourselves with as often as possible.
Living Inspired
We are truly powerful. We can utilize anything in creation to serve Hashem, and thereby uplift it to the pinnacles of holiness. If every time that we eat, we savor all of the delicious flavors of our food for the purpose of gaining more appreciation of Hashem’s kindness, and use it to motivate our bracha to have more heartfelt concentration and gratitude, we will thereby sanctify every morsel of food that we eat. If we utilize our careers as a means to be able to pay our children’s tuition (thereby teaching them Torah), and to feed them, the next generation of Hashem’s special nation, then we have uplifted our careers to the highest level of holiness imaginable (R’ Avigdor Miller). In short, if a simple barn animal can be utilized to reach the pinnacles of holiness, be the parchment of a Sefer Torah, and can be offered in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur (See Vayikra 16:2-15), how much more potential do WE have to transform and uplift ourselves and all that we come in contact with?
Focus on this going forward, and you will truly live an uplifted life.
