Success has made failures of many men.
(W:BY ARQYW) ‰...TAUXL RT WA HNWY IBW HLEL WTNw IB sBK AYBT ...hRHU YMY TWALMBW‰
“And when the days of her purity are complete...she shall bring a yearling lamb as an olah and a young dove or turtledove as a chatas....” (Vayikra 12:6)
After giving birth, a woman had a period of time that she remained pure. It was 40 days after having a son, or 80 days after having a daughter. The commentaries explain this has to do with the amount of time it takes for the different genders to form in the womb, and some also suggest the timeframe for the boy was modified to enable her to attend the bris in a state of purity. At the end of this time, she brought a set of sacrifices. The fear was that due to the stress of the birth, she may have thought or said something she should not have, including potential vows made under duress. She therefore brings two sacrifices.
The lamb is brought as an Olah. Completely burned on the altar, an Olah atones for improper thoughts, even though it did not result in actions being taken. The Chatas atones for actions, and this is brought for something she may have said or done.
We may wonder, though, why the woman brings the lamb for thoughts and the bird for actions. Certainly, actions are worse than thoughts alone, so the actions should require the larger lamb, while the thoughts should only require the bird.
Not only that, but if the woman can’t afford it, she IS allowed to bring two birds, so we see that a bird is enough to atone for thoughts. Why, then, does the Torah require her to bring a lamb if she can afford it?
The answer is that Hashem’s commandments are perfect, intended to provide each of us with what we need. The fact that we could even ask these questions is actually the answer to them. As the Navi says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways.”
We suggested that actions need more atonement than thoughts. Obviously, Hashem doesn’t think so. Thoughts are much freer than actions and a person can dream up things they can’t actually do, resulting in numerous sins of fantasy. The woman giving birth could have given in to the stress and begun a flurry of anxious and angry thoughts that had no basis in reality. For this, a serious korban must be brought.
For the actual potential of saying something she should not have, bringing a bird is enough. When a person does something concrete, they are more aware of it and more likely to regret it. If they “merely” think it, they don’t feel any harm was done.
Ah, you say, but when she can’t afford it, a bird is sufficient. Why is that? It is because Hashem knows the nature of a person going through difficulty. Poor people are generally more humble, even if only of necessity. They are more aware that in their imaginings, they may have sinned, and this willingness to be wrong, brings them closer to atonement.
At the time of greatest good, we may mistakenly feel we’re going through troubles. Therefore, Hashem commands these korbanos be brought some time after the baby has entered its parents’ lives, and they realize how blessed they should have felt from the start.
A prince received a package from his father, the King. It was hand-delivered and the messenger conveyed how precious it was. With great anticipation, the prince opened it to find a delightful ornate keepsake box, inlaid with precious stones. He proudly displayed it on his mantelpiece. When the King came to visit, he asked his son about the gift. The son replied that he liked it but was wondering why his father seemed so interested in something which, though nice, was not spectacular. He pointed to the mantel. "Didn't you open it?” asked the King, “Inside was the deed to an estate right near the palace so you could come live near me! I wanted you close by - but you never came.”
©2024 – J. Gewirtz
