Adam Harishon offered sacrifices in Gan Eden. They were brought in the First and Second Holy Temples, and even now we “sacrifice” the animal aspects of our nature. The ultimate sacrifices , however, will be offered in the Messianic era, when “We will prepare and offer to You with love in accordance with the command of Your will.”

This week we begin the Book of Vayikra, which contains the laws of the kohanim and the various sacrificial offerings. This chapter will explore the dynamics of sacrifices in general, and how they will achieve their ultimate perfection in the Final Redemption.

In truth, even now, without a Beis Hamikdash in Jerusalem, we can offer korbanos to G-d, albeit in the spiritual sense. A Jew is obligated to take his animal soul - which cannot relate to anything higher than eating, drinking and the gratification of physical desire - and offer it as a "sacrifice," i.e., to infuse even the animal part of our nature with a fiery love for the Creator.

Interestingly, the dynamics of sacrifices are the same regardless of whether the "animal" is physical or spiritual. As described in the Talmud (Yoma 21:b), when a physical animal was offered as a sacrifice, it was consumed by a supernatural, G-dly fire that descended from heaven. In the same way, when "sacrificing" the animal aspect of our nature, the objective is to merge it with the soul's burning love and longing for G-d.

The verse in this week's Torah portion reads as follows (Vayikra 1:2): "When a person will bring from you an offering to G-d, from the animals, from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your offering." At first glance, the Torah's syntax seems forced and convoluted. Why does it state, "When a person will bring from you" instead of the more logical, "When a person from among you will bring"? The answer, according to Chasidus, is that the Torah is teaching us that in addition to the physical animal, the sacrifice must come from the person's "soul" - "from you" - and include the animal aspects of his nature - "from the animals, from the cattle and from the flocks."

Why a Physical Animal?

All of which raises a question when taken to its logical conclusion:

Several times a day we implore G-d to rebuild the Holy Temple: "May it be Your will...that the Beis Hamikdash be speedily rebuilt in our days." As the Rambam explains in the beginning of Hilchos Beis Habechirah, this request is primarily for the reinstitution of the sacrificial offerings: "It is a positive commandment to make a house for G-d where the sacrifices can be brought." Similarly, in the various Mussaf services (Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, etc.) we pray to be allowed to return to the Beis Hamikdash, where we will offer the sacrifices "in accordance with the command of Your will." The implication is that at present, while we are still in exile, the situation is not "in accordance with G-d's will."

A question is asked: If sacrifices can be offered even now, in the spiritual sense, why are physical sacrifices considered so important? Our Sages, of blessed memory, instituted the various prayer services to take the place of the physical offerings in the Beis Hamikdash. If so, why aren't our spiritual sacrifices sufficient? Why do we constantly pray for the reinstitution of animal sacrifices?

To explain:

According to Divine plan, Moshiach will bring perfection to all aspects of creation, including the service of sacrifices. At present, despite our very best efforts and intentions, a person generally stays on the same spiritual level even after he has davened. Unlike a physical sacrifice in the Beis Hamikdash, where the animal was actually consumed by fire and became holy, our animal urges are only temporarily overcome by prayer rather than completely destroyed. We look forward to the Messianic era for the permanence of the spiritual elevation it will bring.

In the words of the Rebbe Maharash: "...Although prayer was instituted to take the place of the daily burnt offerings, i.e., the sacrifice of the animal soul, which is actually on a higher level than all the sacrifices of cattle, lambs and rams that will be offered in the Days of Moshiach... That is to say, if the animal soul were actually ‘sacrificed,' this would be on a higher level. In actuality, however, although we pray for ‘the daily burnt offerings according to their order,' the animal soul is not truly refined or sacrificed.

"The daily burnt offerings were consumed by a fire that descended from Above. Similarly, our prayers only succeed by virtue of their emotional element, when the natural soul becomes infused with a fiery love that rises upward and yearns to attach itself to G-d. Prayer alone, however, does not render the individual completely G-dly; it is only a preparation for the Messianic era. This is reflected in the fact that we must repeatedly arouse the same emotion that was previously elicited. Only in the future, in the Messianic era, will we attain the true level of adam, man."

In other words, only by sacrificing an actual animal can we fulfill "the command of Your will" in the true sense. No matter how much we pray and offer G-d our spiritual sacrifices, it just isn't the same.

As noted in Chapter 36 of Tanya, G-d created the world for the purpose of having a dwelling place in the lower spheres: "It is a well known Rabbinic statement that the purpose of the creation of this world is that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds." G-d wanted the highest spirituality to reside on the lowest plane of physical existence, and in an open and revealed manner.

This concept is best expressed by the sacrifice of an actual physical animal. When a person sacrifices his animal soul in the spiritual sense, it is private matter between him and G-d. The physical eyes perceive nothing, as the transformation takes place on the inside. By contrast, when we see an animal being consumed on the altar, G-d's desire for "an abode in the lower worlds" is achieved.

At present, without a physical Beis Hamikdash, this element is missing from our Divine service. We therefore pray for the Temple to be rebuilt speedily in our days, to enable us to "offer to You with love in accordance with the command of Your will." For at that time, "Then shall You be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then shall they offer bullocks upon the altar." (Tehillim 51:21).

Beyond the Refinement of Evil

This leads us to another logical question. If it is only in the Third Beis Hamikdash that we will be able to offer sacrifices "in accordance with the command of Your will," does this mean that G-d's will has never been truly fulfilled, even in the First and Second Holy Temples? In the Mussaf service of Rosh Chodesh we say, "May you set up a new altar in Zion, and on it we will bring the burnt offering of the new month." The sacrifices that will be offered in the Messianic era on the "new altar" thus seem to have an advantage over the sacrifices that were brought in the First and Second Temples.

To explain:

One of the functions of the sacrifices in the First and Second Temples was birur, the refinement and purification of evil. As Chasidus teaches, our physical world is an admixture of good and evil; the animal being sacrificed on the altar is likewise derived from kelipas nogah, which itself is an admixture of good and evil. The sacrifices thus performed two functions: 1. The separation of the holy aspect of the animal from its evil component, and 2. Its elevation and unification with holiness. This, however, was not the original intention of sacrifices.

What was their original function? It states in the Torah ((Bereishis 2:15): "And the L-rd G-d took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it." Commenting on the words "to work it and to keep it," our Sages explain in Bereishis Rabba that G-d put him there for the purpose of offering sacrifices. Before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, evil was a separate and distinct entity. A korban could elevate an animal to a higher level, but there was no process of birur involved. The sole function of sacrifices was to bring spiritual elevation into the world.

It was only after the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, when good and evil became jumbled together, that the function of sacrifices changed to include birur, as a necessary preparation for the animal's elevation. However, when compared to the original, loftier intention of pure spiritual elevation, this aspect of sacrifices is secondary and inferior.

In the Messianic era the service of sacrifices will revert to its original function of spiritual elevation, the ascension from one level of holiness to the next, without any involvement in evil. At that time, G-d's promise to "remove the spirit of uncleanliness from the earth" will be fulfilled, and the world will return to its original state before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge.

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The Original "Adam"

Another advantage sacrifices will have in the Third Beis Hamikdash is reflected in the verse in this week's Torah portion, "When a person (adam) will bring from you an offering to G-d." In order to properly elevate an animal, the individual offering the sacrifice must be an "adam." If the person himself is an "animal," in what way is he superior to the offering he hopes to elevate? The category of adam, however, will only be attained in the Messianic era.

The fundamental difference between man and beast is expressed in the verse in Koheles (3:21): "The spirit of man goes upward, and the spirit of the beast goes downward to the earth." Man is blessed with an intellect that allows him to strive upward. He understands spiritual concepts and can think abstract thoughts. An animal, by contrast, is limited by nature. It is attracted to the lowest levels of existence and cannot elevate itself any higher.

This difference between man and beast is immeasurable; how else to explain the fact that a single shepherd can control hundreds of sheep with a simple verbal command? (In fact, if man hadn't sinned and the "Divine image" on his face was completely intact, even the predatory animals would be subservient to him. As explained in Chapter 24 of Tanya, "When confronting the righteous, from whose face the Divine image never departs, the evil beasts are humbled before them, as stated in the Zohar of Daniel in the lions' den.") This innate advantage over the animal kingdom enables human beings to elevate sacrifices and infuse them with holiness.

Now we can understand how a certain element was missing in the sacrifices of the First and Second Holy Temples. In those days, as at present, man's superiority over the animal kingdom was only partial and incomplete. As previously explained, one of the requirements for offering sacrifices is that the person bringing the korban be an "adam." If he is not yet on that level, his korban is imperfect.

In the Messianic era, everyone will be on the spiritual level of "adam." Man will no longer be distracted by his physical desires and animal soul, and the intellect will reign supreme. The "Divine image" will return permanently to man's countenance, and thus our ability to elevate the animal kingdom will be fully developed and perfect.

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"In Accordance with Your Will"

This leads us to another question: If Adam Harishon's sacrifices in Gan Eden were perfect, as they did not have to perform the function of birur, in what way will the sacrifices in the Third Holy Temple be superior?

The answer lies in the well-known explanation in Tanchuma about the "decree" that existed before the Giving of the Torah. Before the Torah was given, spirituality and physical were two separate, disconnected realms. It was only at Mount Sinai, when G-d decreed that the "higher realms should descend to the lower realms, and the lower realms ascend to the higher realms," that it became possible to unite them. Thus although Adam Harishon's sacrifices were perfect in one sense, because they predated the Giving of the Torah they were also somewhat defective, as they lacked the ability to draw G-dly light into the world in a permanent manner. For it is only in the Messianic era that the ability to combine spirituality and physicality will be perfected.

To sum up:

Historically, sacrifices have been offered in four sets of circumstances:

1.During the exile: At present, without a physical Beis Hamikdash, the only way to offer sacrifices is in the spiritual sense.

2.First and Second Temple period: Animals were sacrificed on the altar, but because man was not on the highest spiritual level, his sacrifices were imperfect. Also, because the animals themselves contained an admixture of good and evil that first had to be separated, the sacrifices were diverted from their original intention.

3.Gan Eden: Man and the entire world were on an exalted spiritual level, but holiness and physicality could not yet be joined together permanently.

4.The Messianic era: The service of sacrifices will be perfected, as will the totality of our observance of mitzvos.

For in fact, just as the perfection of sacrifices is dependent on being an "adam," so too are all of the Torah's commandments: "You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man (adam) does, he shall live in them; I am the L-rd" (Vayikra 18:5). In the Messianic era, man will return to his original state of "adam," and our performance of mitzvos will likewise be on a spiritually superior level.