How Can I Confront Sacrifices?

How can modern day readers understand and relate to the concept of Korbanot, animal sacrifices? Are we meant to take away a spiritual meaning from the Biblical laws of Korbanot? Or are they just doomed to obscurity, to disuse, until we again have a Temple in which we can practice them? In a modern context, without the Temple, it is hard to know how to relate to these laws, which occupy large swathes of the biblical text that we read regularly in synagogue.

Such is the case with the text of Parshat Tzav. When reading the text of this parsha, the sacrificial rituals feel antiquated and, at times, even barbaric. And yet, Korbanot (sacrifices) were a staple of Israel's service to God. How could it be possible that something in the Torah is rendered meaningless to people today? Or is there a deeper meaning in the concept of Korbanot that can be learned?

Join us as we re-examine the Korbanot, and never read Tzav the same way again. For a deeper discussion, watch Rabbi Fohrman's video on Korbanot: How Can We Relate To Sacrifices Today?