Tefilla as a Korban

Pashas Vayikra focuses on the mitzvos of korbanos. Korbanos are a chok, meaning a mitzvah whose reason we cannot understand. Nevertheless, the word korban is clearly related to the word kirva, which means closeness (see Ramban Vayikra, 1:9). It would seem that a korban has something to do with closeness to Hashem. Even though this is a chok, and many halachos of korbanos cannot be understood, is there a way to understand how a korban brings us close to Hashem? Is there a way we can feel this closeness?

The Ramban (ibid.) offers two explanations:

The first is that a korban expresses devotion to Hashem. An animal is brought on the mizbe’ach, each limb separate, and the bringer of the korban is supposed to think that “this animal is being brought instead of me. I too must dedicate all of my limbs to Hashem.” (Although the Ramban says this about a korban chatas, this can apply to voluntary korbanos as well.)

The second explanation is that “a korban is an expression of closeness and unity.” Rav Gedalia Shor explains that a korban returns the animal to its source, Hashem. This act demonstrates the connection of the creation to its Creator, and unites all of creation—including the bringer of the korban himself — with the Creator.

The Maharal (Nesivos Olam 1, Nesiv Ha’avoda 3) adds that one of the main korbanos is the tamid, a perpetual offering, brought twice daily. Since the first tamid was brought at the earliest possible time in the morning, and the second was brought toward the end of the day, this symbolizes that the entire day is united with Hashem.

The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:46) seems to offer a different explanation of korbanos: He states that korbanos were intended to undo the gentile practice (prevalent in the ancient world but still found today) of worshipping animals and their power. Slaughtering an animal and offering it as a korban is a way of uprooting this errant belief.

The Ramban (Vayikra 1:9) rejects this idea, noting that Hevel and Noach offered animals as korbanos to Hashem before animal worship existed. Moreover, the Torah refers to a korban as a “fragrant offering to Hashem.” This means that it has a positive value to Hashem, and is not merely a way of uprooting avoda zara.

Rav Gedalia Shor, however, claims that the Rambam and the Ramban explain korbanos similarly. Just as the Ramban states that a korban brings us closeness to Hashem, the Rambam addresses the negative side of this same idea, that a korban comes to uproot avoda zara — and not strictly the avoda zara of animal worship. Attributing power to any force in creation other than Hashem—such as belief in our own power—is also a form of avoda zara. Therefore, the two ideas are the same. A korban shows that all of creation belongs to Hashem and is united with Him.

Today, unfortunately, we don’t have korbanos, but the Navi (Hoshea 14:3) states that our prayers can substitute for them. Meaning, the closeness to Hashem that a korban is supposed to foster, and feelings of devotion to Him and unity with Him—all these can be achieved from tefilla. How is this possible?

As for devotion, the fact that we have to make efforts to banish our usual thoughts from our mind in order to concentrate on our prayers and speak to Hashem—this makes prayer an expression of devotion to him.

The Maharal (Nesiv Ha’avoda 3) adds that even the scheduled times of our tefillos express devotion to Hashem. In the morning, we must overcome the comfort of our beds to come to shul and pray. In the middle of the day, we must temporarily leave our businesses to pray, and at the end of the day, we must overcome fatigue to pray once again.

As for closeness to Hashem and unity with Him, this is found in the text of our prayers. In davening, we ask Hashem for intelligence, health, livelihood, redemption from troubles, our future redemption as a nation, etc. With each request, we are internalizing the message that all of creation comes from Him and is united with Him.

Chazal say that although tefilla stands at the celestial peak of this world, nevertheless, many people do not take it seriously (Brachos 6b). People think to themselves that it is hard to concentrate in tefilla, or that their tefillos are not answered right away—why should I invest time and energy into it? If we would think instead that tefilla can bring us closeness to Hashem—and in fact the Ramban (Igros 1:7) states that the closest one can come to Hashem is through tefilla—shouldn’t we put all our energy into it?

Rav Aharon Cohn, zt”l, one of the former roshei yeshivos of the Chevron Yeshiva, was known for the palpable sense of deveikus to Hashem he evidenced when he davened. Talmidim would say that his face was like the face of an angel during prayer. At times, he would stand on tiptoes, as if literally trying to get closer to Hashem.

Rav Aharon Kotler once commented: “It was worth traveling from the United States to Eretz Yisrael just to see Rav Cohn daven!”

May we be zoche to come close to Hashem in every tefilla!