The Torah begins the subject of Korbanos saying: When an “Adam” will bring a Korban... The Meforshim ask, why does the Passuk say an extra word ”Adam”?
When a person brings a Korban, he is Mach’nia himself, since whatever is done to the animal is instead of himself. But, before a person embarks on a career of working on Anava and to be Mach’nia himself, says the Chovos Halvavos he must first know his own value. A human being was created in an upright position, and Rabeinu Yonah says that standing straight is the position of a Baal Bitachon. The Gr”a says that the main point of Hashem giving us the Torah, was for the Midda of Bitachon.
Every human has to realize his greatness, that he is a Tzelem Elokim. He needs to spend his life being proud of this fact, and work on being a Baal Bitachon in Hashem. A person’s main accomplishment in life is that he doesn’t become broken from all the Nisyonos and hardships. He can accomplish this by remembering that: ָח ִב ָא בי ָד ֶשׁ ם ִנ ְב ָר ְבּ א ֶצ ֶלם די ג תובא Hashem loves him, since he is a: לַﬠָמִּמ ַקּוֹלֱא קֶלֵח איוב לא ב part of Hashem. This helps him trust that Hashem [who knows what’s best for him] will help him, and will do Nissim for him.
When a person stands straight with Simcha and Bitachon despite his “peckel”, he is a true Tzadik, heading for the most wonderful Gan Eden.
Only a person who realizes his greatness [an “Adam”] can be Mach’nia himself with a Korban. A person who thinks he is no better than an animal, just like the Goyim around us, cannot bring a Korban. That’s why it says: When an “Adam” will bring a Korban.
The reason why people have so much: ַצר ןִיַﬠ stinginess and cannot “Fargin” others, is because they are not aware of their own greatness. They need loads of Mussar, reminding themselves constantly of their qualities, and thanking Hashem for their greatness. “Self-persecution” is no Mitzva. Each Yachid individual is super-special in his own unique way, and even the biggest Tzadikim cannot do what he does. When a person thinks about this all the time, he isn’t jealous of others; on the contrary, he is happy with their accomplishments.
Notice, how the Torah is constantly giving us messages of our greatness, calling us an: הָלוּגְס םַﬠ יתרו יט ה treasured nation, and a: תֶכֶלְמַמ םיִנַהֹכּ יתרו יט ו nation of princes. There is no end to this continuous message. We see how important it is to Hashem for us to be involved in knowing Gadlus HaAdam. And
The Greatness of Challenges
R' Hutner once told R' Ahron Kotler a story about a family who hesitated in marrying off their daughter to a certain Bachur. Although a Masmid, this Bachur had difficulties in his learning since he wasn’t a Baal Kish’ron bright. They asked R’ Yehoshua Leib Diskin what to do, and he advised that when Chazal say: ָכּל ַה ְמ ַק ֵי ֶא םי ַה ת תּוֹ ָר ֵמ העוֹ ִנ וֹס יפוֹ ְל ַק ְי ָמיהּ ֵמ וֹע ֶשׁר אבות ד ט A poor person who learns Torah will eventually become rich, also refers to one who is “poor” in Kish’ron intelligence. The family followed his advice, and sure enough their son-in-law eventually developed new Kishronos [“wealth”] and became a big Talmid Chacham.
When R’ Ahron Kotler heard this, he began to cry. He explained that he had always been brilliant, and never had these challenges. R' Ahron understood the greatness of people who have difficulties, enough for him to cry because he didn’t have them!
Very often, the greatest Neshamos have unusual difficulties in Torah and other areas. They fight their Yetzer Hara, and don’t feel they are winning. But if they keep fighting, they are actually much greater than others who succeed in Torah and Yir’as Shamayim without difficulties.
our lowly generation of Ik’visa Dim’shicha needs double dosages of reminders, that every move we make is truly Kodesh Kodashim. But the less self-esteem we have, the more we are sure of the extreme opposite, since the Yetzer Hara knows where to focus his energies. He puts down our greatest souls, since he knows that they are truly a gold mine for Klal Yisroel.
The blood of the Olah and Shelamim was thrown on the bottom half of the Mizbeach. Only the blood of the Korban Chatas was shmeared on the upper half, all the way on top, on the K’ranos horns [Rashi]. What is so special about the Chatas? Chazal say: ְבּ ָמקוֹ ֶשׁ ם ַבּ ֲﬠ ֵל י ְתּשׁוּ ָבה עוֹ ְמ ִד ֵא ,םי ַצ ןי ִד ִקי ְג םימוּ ִר ְי םי וֹכ ִל ַל םי ֲﬠמוֹד ברכות לד ב A Baal Teshuva has a special status. The person bringing a Chatas is a Baal Teshuva, and therefore the place for his Kapara is on top and on the “horns”. The Baal Teshuva is literally on a higher place, and on the real: ןֶרֶק horn which symbolizes greatness.
The Rambam says that although a Baal Teshuva feels inferior, the truth is just the opposite; a Tzadik Gamur cannot even stand in his place! Throughout our lives, we need to review this Rambam many times, until we begin to value every tiny effort we make trying to improve ourselves, and it’s definitely not easy!
