Parshas ויקרא, and indeed, most of Chumash ויקרא, deals exclusively with the דינים of the קרבנות. What relevancy can we find to קרבנות, in our times, when we unfortunately do not yet merit the ability to bring קרבנות?
To answer this question let’s first examine the concept of a קרבן. Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch explains that the word קרבן, is from the שורש of קרב, to come close. Bringing a קרבן symbolizes one’s desire to connect with Hashem. As the פסוק says
ואני קרבת אלוקים לי טוב.
When bringing the קרבן, the animal, a physical object, is consumed by the fire, which is a spiritual force. Similarly, the מקריב symbolizes through his act of bringing the קרבן, that he too wants to come close to Hashem, by giving up of his own physical wants, for the sake of spiritual growth. This is how bringing the קרבן helps bring a person closer to Hashem.
We can now understand how קרבנות are relevant even בזמן הזה, when we have no בית המקדש. The מסילת ישרים writes that life in this world is a constant struggle. The גוף which is physical is pulling man towards physicality and תאווה. The נשמה on the other hand, which is spiritual, wants only רוחניות. Man’s goal in life is to utilize this world by elevating the physical so that it’s used as a tool to grow spiritualy and come closer to Hashem, and not just as a tool to satisfy his earthly desires. When a person lives life in such a way, he also is מקריב a קרבן: The קרבן of giving up his desires for the sake of coming closer to Hashem.
This is highlighted by חז”ל in מסכת סנהדרין:
אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל הזובח את יצרו ומתוודה עליו כאילו כיבדו להקב”ה בשני עולמות
When giving up of our own desires for the sake of Hashem, we’re connecting עולם הזה together with עולם הבא, thus bringing a special קרבן of our own to Him. And this type of קרבן can be brought in any place one may be, at any time, even without the מזבח and the בית המקדש.
We’ll conclude with a story that highlights this point. World renowned psychiatrist, Rabbi Dr. Avraham Shia Twerski, was a scion of the Chernobil Chasidic dynasty. As in all Chasidic courts, the Rebbe’s in Chernobil bake מצות on ערב פסח after חצות, to be eaten at the Seder. This is a great highlight of the year, so much so that the Chernobil מנהג is to say הלל during the מצה baking with a ברכה, as was done in the בית המקדש on ערב פסח.
The following story was related by Dr. Twerski’s grandson. ” One year I was a guest at my grandparents house for Yomtov. I arrived in the morning of ערב פסח, and settled in. Later that day, my married sister and her family were also scheduled to arrive for Yomtov. All morning long, Zaidy was excited and happy, looking forward to the מצה baking later in the day. Sure enough, after חצות, Bubby lay down to nap, and Zaidy and I left to the car. We sat down and Zaidy put the keys in the ignition. Then, instead of turning on the car, he stopped. I looked at him, while he sat there, deep in thought. ‘Zaidy’, I said, ‘we’ll be late for the מצה baking.’ He replied ‘ I just realized that while we’re gone, your sister will arrive. And since we won’t be home, she’s going to wake Bubby up from her nap.'”Zaidy sat for a few more minutes, thinking. Finally, he took the keys out of the ignition, and turned to me. ‘Let this be a lesson for you. That even more important than baking ערב פסח Matzos, is letting Bubby enjoy her ערב פסח nap. Concludes the grandson,
“We returned home, without the special מצות, but instead carrying an even more special lesson.”
Weekly Parsha Shiur 