This week, we study about the korban todah, a korban of thanksgiving, to praise Hashem for His salvations. A todah is essentially a korban shelamim with two differences: A shelamim can be eaten for two days and one night, while a korban todah is eaten for only one day and one night, until midnight. Secondly, a korban todah was brought together with forty loaves of bread, while there was no bread with the korban shelamim.
The Siforno and the Abarbanel zt'l explain that these differences were to publicize the miracle that occurred. When there are forty breads to eat in a short time, one will invite others to his meal. He won't be able to eat everything alone. As they eat the korban and the breads, he will tell the others about the miracle and the salvation Hashem performed for him, and this will sanctify Hashem's name.
Reb Elyah Roth zt'l said in the name of Rebbe Shlomke of Zvhil zy'a, "When you experience hashgachah pratis, don't keep it a secret. You have a holy obligation to reveal Hashem's hashgachah to others." It isn't only major salvations that we should publicize, but also Hashem's hashgachah pratis that we experience in our everyday lives, so everyone should know that Hashem leads the world.
A couple living in Antwerp didn't have children after many years of marriage. The wife made a kabbalah that when they have a salvation and are blessed with a child, she will make a seudas hod'ah for ten people. Shortly after making this kabbalah, she had her yeshuah.
The Abarbanel (this week's parashah) writes, "When the owner of the todah realizes that he has to finish it in one day and by midnight, he will invite his brothers, friends, and fellow men to eat with him. They will ask one another, 'Why did he bring a korban todah?' and he will tell them about the miracles and wonders that Hashem performed for him, and he will praise Hashem amongst many and this will publicize the miracle. If the korban todah would be eaten for two days and a night like all other shelamim, the owner of the todah wouldn't invite anyone to his meal because, over this amount of time, he could eat it in his home."
The Siforno writes, "There were many breads to publicize the miracle among the many eaters."
So, the Siforno discusses the breads, and the Abarbanel discusses why it was eaten in a short time, and their answers are the same. Due to the short span of time and the many breads, he will certainly invite guests to his meal and tell them about the miracles Hashem performed for him.
We don't bring a korban todah right now, but we learn from their words the importance of telling people about the miracles Hashem performs for you. Everyone experiences miracles, and we understand from the korban todah that Hashem wants us to talk about the miracles and publicize Hashem's wonders.
