The main subject matter of this week’s Parsha (Torah portion) of Tzav, and most of the Torah portions in the book of Vayikra, are korbanot, which in English is translated as sacrificial offerings, sacrifices. But the real translation of the word korban is to come close — closeness. And the way we achieve closeness between man and God is by giving, giving of ourselves, giving of our possessions.
And the lesson we glean from this is that the way to create closeness, not only between man and God, but also between man and his fellow man, is through giving. In relationships, we need to give in order to create closeness. In parenting, we’re constantly giving to our children, and that giving creates closeness.
So God is teaching us that if you want to create closeness, you achieve that by giving.
So we should all learn to give. And the more we give, the more closeness, the deeper that relationship will be, whether it is between us and God, us and our loved ones, us and our children and our families.
May we all have the merit to be able to give, to create closeness.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom.
