בס "ד

This week’s Torah portion, Vayikra, opens the third book of the Torah and introduces us to the world of sacrifices. The name of the portion reveals its essence: Vayikra – it is a personal call to each person to establish a connection with Him. The world is going through many upheavals and the global tensions are grabbing headlines and attention. Since every event is conducted in Divine Providence, how can a person do something to better the situation?

The Torah opens with the words: “Adam, for he shall offer a sacrifice to the L-rd from among you.” It does not say “a sacrifice from among you,” but “ he shall offer from among you.” Our Sages teach that true closeness must come from within the person himself, from his innermost being. The purpose of sacrifice is to create closeness to G-d. Being a Noahide is a commitment to live as conscious partners with the Creator in improving the world. The true sacrifice in our day is the ability of a person to “sacrifice” his ego, his time, and his personal bad habits and desires in order to do the will of G-d.

Man must take the ‘beast’ within him, the animalistic and materialistic tendencies within him, and bring them closer to G-d. He must find a way to harness these animalistic powers to serve G-d. The great danger that lurks in man’s path is self-deception. He does not always correctly assess his own nature and powers. Therefore, he must search within himself so that there is not even a part of his personality left that will not be ‘sacrificed’ in the sense of closeness to G-d.

The Maharal of Prague (Tiferet Yisrael, Chapter 7) explains a wonderful point: The Seven Noahide Commandments are not just a list of laws, but a “shield suit” that keeps man from losing his Divine connection that connects him to the Creator. Man can “split” in all sorts of negative directions. The Seven Commandments are the necessary framework that keeps man from remaining “a man” – a being who is upright, balanced, and connected to his divine source. The Noahide people who fulfill these commandments do not depart from the divine order of the world.

When a Noahide fulfills the Seven Commandments out of vitality and joy, he radiates redemption around him. A mind filled with truth contains no room for fears. Doubts and fears dissipate on their own when the mind is saturated with the knowledge of G-d.

We live in a special era. The entire world is currently undergoing processes of preparation for redemption. A spiritual sacrifice might be dedicating time to study, or doing an act of kindness. When all private actions join together, this can undoubtedly have a transformative impact on the entire world.

Von Rabbiner Moshe Bernstein

Source: Likutei Sichos Vol. 1 page 205. Tiferet Yisrael, Chapter 7.





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