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Orchard of Delights Vayikra
Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, also patterned his life In response, God told the moon to make itself smaller (Chullin 60b).
on these three stages. Throughout his life Abraham submitted to Every Rosh Chodesh during the Temple period a goat was brought
God’s will, consistently following God’s directives in order to pursue as a sin offering. The Torah refers to this sacrifice as “a sin offering
and deepen his relationship with Him. The sacrifices He made for for God” (Numbers 28:15). This phrase is somewhat surprising, as
God reached their climax when he submitted and bound Isaac to presumably all the sacrifices brought in the Temple were “an offering
the altar, separating his personal feelings from what he understood for God.” The Talmud explains that in remorse for making the moon
to be his Divine duty. Furthermore, Abraham led a life of giving, smaller, God Himself, in a manner of speaking, brings a sin offering
offering hospitality to all passersby, in his constant efforts to educate every Rosh Chodesh (Chullin 60b). Rosh Hashanah is also a New
humanity to the truth of monotheism. His tent was open on all four Moon, though we make virtually no reference to this in our prayers,
sides and according to Kabbalah he was one of God’s “chariots,” so on Rosh Hashanah as well, God, as it were, brings a sin offering.
a pure conduit of loving-kindness. This type of giving draws down (Notably, the psalmist does allude to Rosh Hashanah as the day
upon its practitioners and the world, in general, the deepest level of the new moon, when he writes, “Blow the shofar at the moon’s
of sweetening and peace. In as much as “the actions of the fathers renewal, on the day of veiling of the moon, for our feast day” [Psalms
are a sign to the children” (Sotah 34a), Abraham paved the way of 81:3].)
spiritual service for the children of Israel. The qualities he displayed Rabbi Natan explains that on Rosh Hashanah, when we approach
had a profound effect on how a Jew relates to God and approaches the King, the Holy Judge, with awe and fear, we find that God takes
Him. Parenthetically, the idea of sacrifice as epitomized by the the advice given in Pirkei Avot (2:5) : “Do not judge your fellow
binding of Isaac had a lasting effect not only on the Jewish people man until you have been in his position.” God, as it were, declares,
but also on Christianity and Islam, as both of these religions also “I understand your predicament. I am also humbly bringing a sin
look to Abraham as their spiritual father.
offering today; please let us draw near to each other again.” God
While throughout this section, we have argued for the profound can judge us and empathize with us because He is also, so to speak,
psychological, symbolic, and spiritually rewarding role the Temple in our position. This teaching leads us to make the following general
sacrifices played, ultimately, these are only present when the observation about teshuvah and the Temple service. Only people –
sacrifices are offered in the correct way with the proper motivations. be they rebbes, friends, or loved ones – who empathize with us and
Thus, for instance, God made absolutely clear to Abraham after truly relate to our pain and confusion can help us rectify ourselves.
testing his loyalty and faith at the binding of Isaac that He did When God calls us to perform the Tabernacle service, He is inviting
not desire human sacrifice. Subsequently, the Torah railed against us to have a personal relationship with Him. Indeed, He contracts
the Canaanite practice of child sacrifice numerous times. More Himself and makes room for us to enter.
significantly, the prophets decried the shallowness and superficiality The importance of empathy also explains, at least on a superficial
to which the Temple service had fallen. When the inner meanings of level, why Aaron had to undergo the humiliating experience of being
the sacrifices were lost and only the hollow shell of ritual remained, partly responsible for the Golden Calf. While the commentaries
the prophets (Jeremiah 6:20; Isaiah 1:11, 66:3; Hosea 8:13) spoke out explain that the reason he participated was to try and stop the
in God’s name decrying the meaningless offering of sacrifices. With people or at least minimize the gravity of their sin, in retrospect
the destruction of the Second Temple, the Sages instituted private his participation can be understood on a far more profound level.
and communal prayer and the individual Jew, in effect, became the Aaron, who was to be the High Priest, needed to experience this
cohen, directly responsible for sacrificing “the offerings [literally,
sense of sin to some degree, so that he would be able to relate to

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