Yaakov Avinu was living in Eretz Yisroel, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. What could be more spiritually fulfilling? And yet, Hashem sends him down to Mitzrayim, along with his entire extended family. Mitzrayim was infamous as the headquarters of immorality. How would his family retain their kedushah in such horrible surrroundings?
When Yaakov Avinu was on his way down to Mitzrayim, he passed by Be’er Sheva and brought korbanos, as the pasuk says 46:1 – “Vayizbach zevochim l’Elokai aviv Yitzchok”. The Ramban asks, why does the pasuk say “zevochim” in plural form? Until now, all korbanos brought were “olos” and this was the first time that a korban shelamim was introduced. Why specifically now did Yaakov Avinu bring a korban shelamim?
Says the Ramban, Yaakov Avinu brought a shelamim because he wished to be “kolel all the midos”, he wanted to unify all the traits of a person and bring them to perfection. What does this mean?
It sounds like there is something about a korban shelamim that brings perfection to all a person’s traits. But what does this have to do with Yaakov Avinu going down to Mitzrayim?
There is a pasuk in Shir Hashirim 4:16 – “Uri tzafon uvo’ee seiman” – wake up the people in the north and those in the south should come. The gemora explains that tzafon is referring to the nations of the world, since a gentile is only allowed to bring a korban olah in the Bais Hamikdash, and that gets sacrificed in the north, the tzafon. “Seiman”, the people of the south, is referring to us, klal Yisorel, who can also bring a korban shelamim which can be sacrificed anywhere, even on the south side. So, we learn an important point – that only a yid can bring a korban shelamim.
What’s unique about this korban that only a yid can bring it?
Rav Avigdor Miller explains that a korban olah is not eaten; it’s totally consumed on the mizbayach and is entirely sacrificed to Hashem. That concept is easy for gentiles to undertand. Their idea of holiness is to separate oneself completely from this world and have nothing to do with it. When they bring a korban, they can’t eat from it or derive any pleasure; it must be sacrificed completely as an olah. This is in line with their understanding of holiness, as their priests, lehavdil, won’t marry and must abstain from worldly pleasures.
Klal Yisroel, on the flip side, is just the opposite. We don’t flee from olam haza; on the contrary, we make sure to use it and elevate it for our avodas Hashem. The holiest yid, the Kohen Gadol, must be a married man. We know that kedushah doesn’t mean abstaining from olam hazeh. We eat, we drink, we have families, and we elevate the mundane to the holiest of holies. That’s a concept that’s unique to us, klal Yisroel. The goyim could never understand it.
Rav Uri Zohar explains why the goyim have such a deep a hatred for us. If frum Jews would totally abstain from the pleasures of this world, the gentiles would accept it as “okay, they’re holy”. But here you have a nation that is enjoying themselves – they have a beautiful family life, they eat, they drink... and it’s obvious that they’re holy! The gentile world can’t live it down that we use the pleasures of this world to serve our Creator and it infuriates them. They can’t understand the concept of elevating olam hazeh for olam haba. And that’s why a goy can only bring a korban olah, since it’s totally sacrificed for Hashem. That’s the only concept of a korban that’s acceptable for a gentile. A shelamim, on the other hand, is only for a yid, where the person bringing the korban partakes from it. That’s a concept that only we can understand.
When a bachur is learning in yeshiva, it’s easy to live a life of kedusha (there are less challenges) because he is isolated from the world. However, once he gets married and goes out into the word, the challenges are much greater. In a similar vein, when klal Yisroel was going down to Mitzrayim, Yaakov Avinu was worried about the spiritual dangers. He was leading his children by the will of Hashem to the most impure land, Mitzrayim. Now was the time to introduce a new korban, the korban shelamim. This korban teaches us that this world is here for us – to use, to enjoy, and to elevate it to kedushah. And that’s the lesson that Yaakov Avinu was teaching his children – we must elevate the physical to spiritual.
The Ramban says that the commandment of “Kedoshim ti’hiyu” – to be holy – applies even to those areas that we call “reshus”, meaning that we’re allowed to do them. For example, we’re allowed to eat, but we must make sure to do so in a holy fashion, not in a gluttonous, indulgent way. Again, this is the concept of the korban shelamim – enjoy this world, but elevate it to holiness.
Let’s take this lesson to heart and remember how a yid should behave in galus. Yes, we are blessed to live in a time of plenty, but let us not lose focus of who we are and how we view the pleasures of this world. We face tremendous nisyonos in galus and we must remember that we are the only nation who can bring a shelamim, since we have the ability to elevate gashmiyus to ruchniyus. May we merit to internalize this lesson and live a life of kedushah in this world, thereby elevating ourselves and all of creation.
