#mizbeiach

[rebbestorah]

The Best and Finest

כָּל חֵלֶב לַה (ויקרא ג, טז) All fat is to G-d (Vayikra 3:16)

When an animal is offered as a sacrifice, its premium fats—the choicest parts of its flesh—are burned on the Altar. The Rambam (Issurei Mizbeiach 7:11) interprets this as a universal principle as well: “The same applies to everything done for the sake of G-d—it must be of the finest and best. When one builds a house of prayer it should be finer than his private dwelling. When he feeds the hungry, he should give them the best and sweetest of his table. When he clothes the naked, he should give him the finest of his garments. When consecrating an object to the Temple, he should give the finest of his possessions. And so it is written, “All the fat is to G-d.”

The Talmud (Shabbos 133b) teaches a similar principle, yet from a different source in the Torah, and with an entirely different set of examples: “’This is my G-d, and I will beautify Him’ (Shemot 15:2). This means, beautify yourself before G-d in mitzvot. Make before Him a beautiful sukkah, a beautiful lulav, a beautiful shofar, beautiful tzitzit, and a beautiful Torah scroll.”

The difference between these two statements is that the Talmud speaks of beautifying your observance, whereas the Rambam teaches that by bringing an offering of superior quality, you enhance the value and effectiveness of the sacrifice itself.

The Talmud’s principle is applicable regardless of the status conferred on the object through its use in the performance of a mitzvah. The sukkah, lulav, shofar, tzitzit and Torah scroll may all remain in your personal possession, yet by performing G-d’s commands in a beautiful manner, you bring additional splendor to G-d—before whom you serve.

The Rambam, however, speaks only of instances comparable to sacrifices, such as donations to the Beit Hamikdash or gifts to the poor, where you are offering the object to G-d. Here, the emphasis is on the object that you are consecrating. When it is of the choicest and the finest—“All the fat is to G-d”—then not only is your observance beautiful, but the offering too is more complete and of greater merit.

—Likkutei Sichot, vol. 27, pp. 10-14

[rebbestorah]

Don’t Sacrifice Your Heart

משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה  - תענית כט,א  You shall not offer upon it any other incense, burnt-offering, or flour-offering, and you shall pour no libation upon it. (Shemot 30:9)

The Inner Mizbei’ach, the golden altar which stood in the sanctuary of the Mishkan, was used exclusively for the offering of Ketoret, incense. All other Korbanot, the animal and grain offerings, were brought only on the OuterMizbei’ach that stood in the Mishkan courtyard.

Chassidus explains that the specifics of the service in the physical Mishkan must be equally applied in the spiritual Mishkan that we each must create within ourselves. In the personal spiritual Mishkan, these two altars represent two levels of passion and interest, what Chassidus terms the “outer heart” and the “inner heart.” The “outer heart” refers to interests that are intellectually generated, such that they are inherently limited and contained. The “inner heart,” however, refers to passions that we are drawn to with a profound sense of attachment and inner delight, such as toward causes that directly affect our very survival.

Therein lays the explanation for why no offerings other than the Ketoret could be brought on the Inner Mizbei’ach. The animal and grain Korbanot represent a Jew’s responsibilities toward the world in which he lives, to uplift it from its mundane existence and infuse it with G-dly meaning. Like the blood, fats and grains that were offered up to G-d on the altar, the Jew must elevate all his mundane activities by directing them toward a G-dly objective and purpose. Nevertheless, the Korbanot were brought on the Outer Mizbei’ach to show that one’s involvement in the material world, even if directed toward a higher goal, must never become his inner passion and zeal.

Ketoret, conversely, represent the Jew’s efforts within himself to develop a deeper and more meaningful relationship with G-d. The word Ketoret, קטורת, is thus related to the Aramaic word קטר, a knot, referring to the inner bond with G-d that a Jew cultivates through the study of G-d’s Torah and the observance of His commands. Only these exclusively holy endeavors may be offered on one’s Inner Mizbei’ach, i.e., pursued with inner devotion, passion and delight.

—Likkutei Sichos vol. 6, pp. 185-187

[rebbestorah]

Where Your Heart Lies

לֹא תַעֲלוּ עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת זָרָה וְעֹלָה וּמִנְחָה וְנֵסֶךְ לֹא תִסְּכוּ עָלָיו - שמות ל, ט 

You shall not offer upon it any other incense, burnt-offering, or flour-offering, and you shall pour no libation upon it. (Shemot 30:9)

The Inner Mizbeiach (altar) was used exclusively for the offering of Ketoret, the burning of incense. All other Korbanos, the animal and grain offerings, were brought specifically on the Outer Mizbeiach.

In the teachings of Chassidut, the service in the Mishkan is not a thing of the past. Rather, the specifics of the Avodah in the Mishkan are eternally applicable in their spiritual sense in the Mishkan which we each are obligated to create within ourselves.

The blood and fats of a korban were offered upon the altar, and its flesh was eaten in conditions of purity. Thus an ordinary animal was uplifted from its mundane existence and brought close to G‑d. In other words, Korbanos represent a Jew’s responsibilities toward the world in which he lives. Conversely, קטורת is related to the Aramaic word קטר, a knot, representing the Jew’s efforts within himself, to consciously bind himself in an unbreakable knot with G-d.

Therein lays the explanation for why no sacrifices could be brought on the Inner Mizbeiach.

The Inner and Outer Mizbeiach represent two degrees of passion and interest. The Outer Mizbeiach represents our “outer heart”, our passion toward causes in which our interest is based on a calculated understanding that this cause serves some benefit for us. The Inner Mizbeiach represents the innermost levels of the heart, an instinctive passion toward causes that directly affect our most primary needs.

The exclusivity of the Inner Mizbeaich teaches us that we must always keep our engagement with the material world at bay. Indeed it is the sacred imperative upon every Jew to utilize the material world with which he engages as a means of elevating it to holiness. Nevertheless, the passion reserved for causes of life-and-death, our Inner Mizbeaich, must be reserved only for Torah and Mitzvot, as these activities are not neutral, rather they are directly and exclusively means of bonding eternally with G-d.

- Likkutei Sichot vol. 6, pp. 185-187