מחשבת הלב

מאת משפחת הר 'חיים יוסף קויפמאן זצ"ל

פרשת ויקרא

על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח

One of the required components of each korban is salt. Rashi cites the Chazal that as early as during creation, when Hashem separated the upper and lower waters, He promised that the salt would again return to the heavens via the korbanos. Nothing is coincidental. There must be a lesson to be derived from this salt – sacrifice correlation.

לדאבוננו, sorrowfully, the notion of korbanos is foreign to us, but conceptually, its purpose according to many Rishonim, is to bring us closer (קרבן = קרבה) and restore our relationship with Hashem. Sometimes, due to the הסתר פנים, we become complacent living without that bond. The מלח teaches us how important and priceless that connection really is.

Before ששת ימי בראשית, the salt was in close proximity to HaKodosh Baruch Hu. Then Hashem formed the waters below distancing it from Him. The salt was really sad to now have a somewhat diminished G-dly relationship, and in the way of consolation, Hashem promised that they would once again be reunited. על כל קרבנך תקריב מלח was instituted all because of the rotzon to be close to Hashem. Thus, korbanos and מלח are in sync and harmoniously impart this concept.

There's another machshava to be learned from מלח. Salt, by nature, has the innate trait to act as a food preservative. At times we have a fleeting inspiration, and before we know it, it's gone. The avodah is to retain, preserve, and hold on to that התעוררות. Perhaps that's what the מלח teaches us. Your korban, your desire to be close, must be accompanied by salt, with the strength and conviction of preservation and perpetuation.

Even today, Chazal were מתקן to use salt during our seudos, because this principle is timeless. May we very soon be zoche to be מקריב korbanos with מלח, and until that time, let's keep our התעוררות strong, while constantly striving to improve.