Tzav 5786

The Torah’s discussion of animal sacrifices is challenging, especially since Judaism has functioned without them for nearly two thousand years and the prophets often criticized their misuse. Figures like Jeremiah did not reject sacrifices outright but condemned the idea that they could serve as bribes to excuse immoral behavior. His statement that God did not originally command sacrifices suggests they were not central to the covenant’s foundation. Instead, the core demand was ethical: to obey God and live with justice and righteousness.

Sacrifices, particularly after the Golden Calf, became a way for people to feel close to God. The Mishkan and the korbanot (from a root meaning “to come close”) reflected a human need for tangible connection with the Divine. God did not require offerings, but allowed them as a means for people to express devotion. At their heart, sacrifices were not about ritual performance but about love, gratitude, and the desire to give—an idea that distinguished Judaism from other ancient religions driven more by fear than by love.

Even after the destruction of the Temple, the essence of sacrifice remained alive in new forms: prayer, study, charity, kindness, and repentance. These became the ways Jews continued to express devotion and draw close to God. More broadly, the concept of sacrifice underpins relationships and communities—love is sustained by what we are willing to give up for others. A society that loses this value risks weakening its most imp