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The Buck Stops Here
Why were the two goats used in the Yom Kippur sacrifice exactly the same size, price and look? Why do they need to be the same?
The kids suggested that since one for Hashem and one for Azazel, they needed to be fair, to appease Azazel that he received the same korban Hashem had. Interesting thought.
We suggested that these sacrifices addressed Responsibility. We are responsible for our own actions. Our conditioning and other factors may influence how easy or hard it will be, but ultimately we are personally accountable.
Some people are born with a predisposition to thievery, homosexuality and murder. Yet they must not steal, act on their homosexuality nor kill. Indeed, their trial is harder, doing the right thing comes to them with difficulty. They will be compensated for that difficulty. But they do need to toe the line.
The two goats are identical. There is no difference between them. Yet one end up in the holiest place in the world, the Kodesh HaKodoshim, and the other in the boondocks. Two goats, same background, but radically different destinies.
This means us. We too start out the same, and end up radically different. Some of us become good people, others crooks. The message is that our lives’ directors are not a broken home, but rather our choices.
This sacrifice celebrates choice, represented by the lottery deciding each goat’s future, as our choices do. And when we accept responsibility for our choice, we accept our guilt. We take ownership of our bad behavior.
Now may atonement begin!
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The Yom Kippur Sacrifice And Us
We bring incense to mask our approach to Hashem. The Shchina itself rests between the Keruvim, and it is arrogant for mortal man to approach Her directly. The Kohein Gadol brings a cloud of Ketores, covering the Kappores. Then the Kohein approaches to sacrifice.
What does he sacrifice? He atones for tumas Mikdash uKdoshuv; entering into the Beis HaMikdash or eating/handling Kodshim while ritually impure.
Is this so important? Why didn’t the Kohein Gadol spend his time on more serious averos, perhaps on the big three; arayos, avodah zarah and murder?
Tumas Mikdash means the direct practical relationship with Hashem. Before turning to Him for favors, we need to repair any insult or injury we have done Him directly. We need to redress damage done directly against Him before addressing not having followed His commands and directives.
Hashem lived amongst us, and approaching His area in a state of Tumah affronts Him directly – His person, as it were.
Today we no longer have a Beis HaMikdash where Hashem dwells in person, neither do we have the Korbanos of Yom Kippur. However the Shchina is still amongst us somewhat.
Chazal interpret the pasuk “who dwells amongst you despite your impurity” to mean that even today the Shchina is somewhat present.
We need to pay particular attention to our behavior towards him directly. Some things offend His sensibilities and taste. Immorality is one, we need to take particular care that our thoughts and actions stay pure.
First priority is to keep the channels open: don’t offend Him directly!
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Spilling Blood
“…its blood to him, he has spilled blood!…”
Sacrificing an animal outside of the Mishkan is spilling blood. This refers to either one who sacrifices a Korban outside the Mishkan, or someone who slaughters any animal during the Midbar period, when all slaughtering was done only inside the Mishkan.
Rashi explains the reference to spilling blood that these actions are as serious as spilling blood. Though murder was not committed, improper slaughtering is as serious as murder.
Sefer HaChinuch, however, explains this pasuk literally: we may kill animals only for human benefit; food, health, medicine. Gratuitous killing is out. Animals have rights too.
Depriving an animal of life for no human benefit is murder. Its not human murder, and does not carry the death penalty, but it is a serious sin. The Torah expresses that slaughtering an animal improperly – without mandate – is murder.
These are fighting words. The Nodah B’yehuda *(Yorah Deah 10) permits hunting, although he deems it unJewish and cruel. He does not consider killing animals for fun murder. But the Chinuch certainly does.
To discuss with kinderlach: A. What ought to be our attitude towards animals – Can we can kill ants invading our home and causing us pain? Yes. We have no right to kill them for no reason, but this sounds like a reason. B. Is having fun considered a reason? Most probably not. C. If we can get the animal out of the way in other ways, perhaps we ought to refrain from killing them. Animals have a right to be left alone unless we need to kill them, and here we can just as well make do without killing them.
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Going Public
The Torah describes sacrificing a son to Molech as a desecration of G-d’s name. Why is that?
The Sforno explains that we sacrifice mere animals for Hashem, while for Molech a son is given. By comparison it seems Molech is more important. That is a desecration of His Name.
(Lesson: When we spend more on a couch then on mitzvos, that desecrates Hashem’s Name!)
We suggested that someone so committed to Molech that he sacrifices his own son makes a statement: Molech matters! Molech is important, not Hashem. A public stand influences others, desecrating Hashem’s Name and cause.
Do take a public stand – for the good! That’s a Kiddush Hashem!
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React Proactively
“And Hashem spoke to Moshe after the death of the two sons of Aharon…” The parsha goes on to teach the laws of being careful to enter the Kodesh only once a year and with the proper korbaos.
The sanctity of the Kodesh kodoshim was not created by the death of Aharon’s sons, and the laws pertaining to entering therein ought not to have to do with it either. Why are those laws prefaced by mentioning the death of Aharon’s sons?
Rashi comments that although the laws stand on their own, they are better observed when we are reminded of the grim fate of Aharon’s sons, and to add extra motivation their deaths are mentioned here.
We suggested a slightly different approach. When there is a bad accident at some street corner, the municipality will put a traffic light there. Why? It was always known to be dangerous. In fact there are ten other corners as dangerous as this one. Yet here is where they put that light. Why? Because the accident was here.
When tragedy hits, we need to respond with appropriate action. So although even had there been no trouble at all, we still need to honor the Kodesh and enter it only with the conditions outlined in this parsha, now that there had been calamity, this too is reason to beware the kodesh. And that is why the Torah mentions it – because there are now two reasons.
The upshot of this is that when something bad occurs, we are obligated to react proactively.
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Guaranteed All The way
“and on the fourth year you shall eat its fruit [of your young tree,] to add to you its produce”. What does this imply and why does it need to be said? Does the Torah always promise reward for mitzvos? Why here?
When the Torah tells us to abandon cash – when it seems a sure loss – it reassures us; Fear not! You will lose nothing by keeping the mitzvos. Not eating the fruit for three years seems a total write-off. Says the Torah “You will only gain by this”.
This is when all seems dark. Certainly one does not lose by other mitzvos either!