CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS VA'YIKRA 5771 - BS"D

2) Ch. 1, v. 2: "Odom ki yakriv" - Rashi first explains that the sacrifice discussed is a "n'dovoh," a donation, and not a "chovoh," an obligatory sacrifice. Then Rashi says that we learn from the word "odom" that a sacrifice which is stolen property cannot be used. Why does Rashi explain the latter part of the verse before the earlier part?

3) Ch. 1, v. 2: "Odom ki yakriv" - Why do we need the word "odom" to exclude a stolen sacrifice? We know this from (1:10) "korbonO," HIS sacrifice."

4) Ch. 1, v. 2: "Odom ki yakriv MI'KEM korbon laShem" - How does bringing a sacrificial offering brings one closer to Hashem, as the word KORBON comes from the word form KOROV, close?

5) Ch. 2, v. 1: "Korban MINCHOH" - What is the pristine translation of "minchoh" when it is used as a "korbon" appellation?

ANSWERS:

#1

Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna answers that this compliment is a most powerful reprimand. When one receives a compliment he has to do a soul-searching inspection to see if he is truly deserving of such an accolade, and if not, he must shape up.

#2

The Kosnos Ohr answers that the word "odom" could have been explained to mean bnei Yisroel only, as per the rule (gemara Y'vomos 61a and B. M. 114b), "Attem kru'im odom." However, after explaining that the sacrifice discussed here is a "n'dovoh," a donation, we cannot say that in this verse "odom" excludes a non-ben Yisroel, since non-bnei Yisroel may also donate sacrifices to Hashem. The explanation of the latter part of this verse forces us to say that "odom" who is mentioned earlier, must exclude stolen animals from being accepted as sacrifices.

#3

Rabbi Yosef B'chor Shor in the Moshav Z'keinim asks this and he answers that two verses are needed, one for theft where the animal is offered before "yiush," before the original owner has given up hope of recovering his stolen possession, and a second verse for the case of the animal being offered after the original owner has given up hope of recovering it. The Moshav Z'keinim points out that the final letters of the three words, "odoM kI yakriV," are Beis-Yud-Mem, which spell "BaYoM," into the sea. This alludes to Hashem's forgiving a person who has sinned, and has thrown his sins into the sea, as is stated in Michoh 7:19, "V'sashlich bimtzulos YOM kol chatosom."

#4

The Kuzari writes that he asked this question and received the following response: Just as you realize that a human has two components, his physical body and his spiritual soul, and without consuming physical food the soul departs from the body, even though the logic behind this is not understood, you know that it is so, so too, although you don't understand how offering a sacrifice to Hashem connects one to Hashem, it is nevertheless true.

This concept is alluded to in the words of our verse. "Odom ki yakriv ……. korbon laShem" -when a person offers a sacrifice and it brings him close to Hashem, this is just like MI'KEM, from yourselves, the human, that physical food keeps the soul connected to the body. (Rabbi Moshe Shlomo, Magid of Vilna)

#5

The Chinuch in mtzvas a'sei #116 tells us that the word MINCHOH means a PRESENT. He says that there are two reasons for a flour-offering to be called a "minchoh."

1) Flour-offerings are the minority of the total amount of offerings brought. Just as a person keeps most of his possessions for himself and only gives a minority away as presents, so also the minority flour-offering is called a "present".

2) The majority of flour-offerings are donations rather than being obligatory, and are therefore called "presents."

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See also Sedrah Selections, Oroh V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha and Chasidic Insights