Tsav be "He commanded" is the root of the word mitzvoth, the commandments.

In Tsav we read a repetition of the sacrifices of Vayikra. The word Korban loses a great deal when translated simply as "sacrifice". It means far more in the Hebrew from the word brq "karov", painting a picture of "drawing near or close" to God".

Alfred Edersheim, a Jewish believer and scholar of the 19th century, described the ceremonies taking place in the mishkan as looking like a slaughter house more than a house of prayer. We can ask ourselves…was this some kind of primitive religion where the sacrifices were done to try to appease an angry god? Not so, God is showing us the stench of our sin caused by our failure to do what He asked us to do and the true price of attaining holiness. It was not God's intention to build a Temple; we were meant to be that temple but our disobedience caused Him to provide the means of redemption through the sacrifice of the innocent. This is a picture of what Messiah would come to do.

Some in Judaism have downplayed the sacrificial system. Since there is no longer a Temple there is no longer talk about the need for atonement through the shedding of blood which is clearly called for in Leviticus. They have replaced the sacrificial system with liturgical prayers. In the same way, some in Christianity have not been able to fully understand the sacrifice of Jesus because they do not relate it to the teachings of Leviticus. It is as if G-d was doing a totally new thing with the Jesus' sacrifice. When Yochanan the Immerser, (John the Baptiser) cried out "Seh ha Elohim ha noseh chatat ha olam- Behold the Lamb of G-d who takes the sins of the world", he knew the teachings of Torah with the promises of Messiah who would come to fulfill the sacrifices. Yochanan was stressing the point that there was only one way in which our sins could be atoned for and that was through the korban.

Some Jewish apologists say that God would never allow human sacrifice, however this is not the case either in Torah or in Talmud where there are several instances of God's anger being turned away after a sacrifice was offered such as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, Leviticus Rabba 20:12 (Yoma 2:1, Pesikta deRav Kahana 26:16). "Rabbi Hiyya Bar Abba said: The sons of Aaron (Nadav & Avihu), as the Day of Atonement atones, so also the death of the righteous ones." Also in the scriptures we can see the appeasement of the Gibeonites in 2 Samuel 21:14.

Judaism has the belief that there are two Messiahs - the suffering Messiah ben Joseph, and the triumphant Messiah ben David. Christianity doesn't have the understanding of two Messiahs. They simply believe that Jesus came once and He will return again. Both hold some of the truth but for me Messianic Judaism brings us the best of both worlds rejoicing in the knowledge that these two Messiahs, ben Joseph and ben David would be only one, coming at two different times.

When G-d uses the word "bring" me a sacrifice instead of "give", He was explicitly showing us that we would bring something to Him which He had already provided for us. He is clearly the Creator and there is nothing we could do to create the sacrifice ourselves to take to Him. The same idea was being expressed in next week's portion when He said, "Be perfect as I am perfect". He was not expecting us to work at being perfect or holy as in some translations; G-d is the one who is perfect and holy. It is through the 'korban" that we can "draw near" to Him the One who makes us holy and perfect in the process. This erases all our ideas of self-righteousness where we are the ones who do what it takes to make ourselves perfect. G-d is the One who "brings us closer" providing the sacrifices (korban), He gives us the faith, and He makes us perfect in order to be able to serve and worship Him.

This is clearly expressed in Leviticus 6:11 "sdqy ohb igy rsa lk kol asher yiga bahem yiqdash". Everyone who touches them shall become holy". We are holy because G-d makes us holy, separated for Himself.

The sacrifice is not a mere substitute. It relates to us on three levels as best described through the anachronism created by the rabbis, ASHAN [si meaning "smoke" in Hebrew.

1) Olam- the healing of the world
2) Shanah- the period of time of year, G-d's festivals
3) Nefesh- in a personal way through the acceptance of men in relationship with G-d.

Yeshua said that we would worship G-d in spirit and in truth. He was explaining that we are more than flesh and blood. We are eternal beings, temporal in flesh and it is sad when we allow temporal situations to consume us. Suffering is an aspect of the temporal state. Our Rabbis have the idea that the suffering of the righteous brings redemption to the world. The nation of Israel has suffered for thousands of years not only caused by their own disobedience but also for bringing about redemption. Christianity's view of redemption can be very narrow in its scope, their perspective being that redemption can only be attained through the death of Jesus without taking into consideration that Jesus Himself gave us the example to take up our cross and follow Him. Not that that we can in any fashion be or find a substitute for His sacrifice, but we need to see that every time that there is an injustice done to the innocent which causes suffering we can better understand the picture of the Lord's redemption. Once again Messianic Judaism is able to see the broader picture.

Through the years of making sacrifices null and void due to the destruction of the Temple, Judaism has come to believe that it is their virtue that now saves them. Christianity, on the other hand has created a figurehead of Jesus in the fashion of Moses' bronze serpent on a pole. When the Israelites simply looked upon it, they were healed. Eventually the serpent became an icon or a talisman. He becomes a pocket god which can be taken out and used as needed. Both sides have lost the Biblical sense that only G-d's Korban can "bring us close" to Him.

Many of us think that we can fool G-d by doing things our own way. Today I am asking you to make a paradigm shift in your thinking-there is no way that we can do anything for our salvation. G-d is the one who does everything for us. We think that we can solve our own problems. G-d created us to be in relationship with Him, to worship Him. Worship is the natural reaction in response to someone who does so much for us. But man says "I will worship G-d in my own way" creating our own religion, instead of understanding the wonderful love of G-d through the shedding of the blood of Messiah Yeshua our Redeemer. If G-d does not call us, we cannot respond to Him. The korban is a sample of His love which "brings us near" to Him. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of sacrifice and suffering, let us understand that throughout it all, there is nothing that we can do on our own. G-d is the One who "draws us near", affording us the freedom to be able to do His will.

 

     Rabbi Percy Johnson
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