Following this line of reasoning, we will now return to the remark HKB”H makes to Aharon HaKohen to appease and encourage him: “I swear by your life! Your contribution is greater than theirs, for you will kindle and prepare the Menorah’s lamps.” It is important to note that the korbanos brought by the nesiim consecrated the external mizbeiach located in Ezras Yisrael. Aharon HaKohen, on the other hand, kindled the Menorah located in the Heichal, an internal, holier location.
Furthermore, the Arizal (Eitz Chaim, 50, 7) teaches us that we were commanded to offer animal korbanos, because human sin originates from man’s animalistic soul—his "נפש בהמית". Now, this part of the “nefesh” is a mixture of good and evil. Hence, by sacrificing an animal to atone for the influence of the “nefesh habeheimit,” we are symbolically incinerating the negative, evil part of our being to Hashem.
Our teacher, the Arizal, also explains this in Ta’amei HaMitzvos (Vayikra): "ולכן כשאדם חוטא, מקריב קרבן נפש בהמה של בעלי חיים, שהם גרמו לו לחטוא, ונחית אש גבוה ושורף אותן העבירות, ואז שורש נפש בהמי שבאדם נמשך לו ניקוי וזכות, כי הכל הוא משורש אחד חוצבו ומתכפר האדם". A sinner sacrifices an animal as a korban, because the animalistic soul caused him to sin. Thus, a heavenly fire descends and incinerates those aveiros. Then, the root of the animalistic soul in the person is cleansed and purified, because everything is hewn from one source, and the person receives atonement.
We will now present the inspirational words of the esteemed Rabbi Chaim of Sanz, zy”a, in Divrei Chaim (Vayikra), related to the passuk (Vayikra 1, 2): "אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' מן הבהמה מן הבקר מן הצאן תקריבו את קרבנכם"—when a person from among you will bring a korban to Hashem, from the cattle and from the flocks you shall bring your korban. Here is a translation of his sacred insight:
The matter of the korban is well-known. The Almighty does not need to consume it. In His infinite wisdom, He issued this decree to bring a human being closer to Hashem. They of blessed memory explain that the kedushah of the fire on the mizbeiach consumes the material tendencies of the animal; this affects a corresponding change in the person’s animalistic soul. As a result of his teshuvah and contrition in the presence of Hashem while the korban is being sacrificed, the person’s animalistic force and tendencies are shattered and burnt. Thus, he connects with the force of kedushah . . . This is the implication of the passuk: “When a person from among you”—namely, when a Jew offers a korban, he should have in mind to sacrifice that portion within his being to Hashem . . . Thus, the korban consumes the corruption of the animalistic soul within him and elevates the human portion within him to Hashem.
Applying this to the korbanos brought by the nesiim to consecrate the mizbeiach, they intended to imbue all Jews with the ability to resist the seven midos of the klipah, enabling them to avoid bad behavior—"סור מרע". Therefore, their contribution was offered on the external mizbeiach in the Ezras Yisrael. This exemplifies the teaching in the Gemar (Sanhedrin 43b): "כל הזובח את יצרו ומתוודה עליו, מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו כיבדו להקדוש ברוך הוא בשני עולמים העולם הזה והעולם הבא, דכתיב זובח תודה יכבדנני". Whoever slaughters his yetzer and confesses on its account, Scripture considers it as if he has honored HKB”H in both worlds, Olam HaZeh and Olam HaBa; for it is written (Tehillim 50, 23): “He who offers confession honors Me.”
In other words, whoever conquers his yetzer hara, it is viewed as if he slaughtered it.
In contrast, Aharon HaKohen kindled the Menorah in the Heichal, the inner chamber. Thus, he illuminated for all of Yisrael the seven midos through a light of kedushah imbuing them with the capacity to do good—“asei tov.” To substantiate this explanation, let us refer to the teachings of the author of the Tanya in Torah Ohr (Vayeishev). He writes that the seven lamps correspond to the seven midos; the lamps are the midos. Every midah has a corresponding part both in the klipah and in the realm of kedushah. In fact, the midos of the klipah are nourished from the kedushah. Ahavah of kedushah degenerates into material lust. Similarly, yirah of kedushah degenerates into negative fear and anger. It is incumbent on us to refine the midos and transform them into elements of kedushah, so that all of the midos serve Hashem.
This explains very nicely HKB”H’s words of encouragement to Aharon: “I swear by your life! Your contribution is greater than theirs, for you will kindle and prepare the Menorah’s lamps.” Indeed, the nesiim offered korbanos on the mizbeiach to abolish the negative, evil side of the seven midos and imbue Yisrael with the quality of "סור מרע". Your contribution, however, is superior to theirs. By preparing and lighting the lamps, you infused the seven midos with kedushah imbuing Yisrael with the exemplary, admirable quality of "עשה טוב".
