Parashat HaShavua -Tzav. Sacrifices in Our Day and Age?

Parashat Tzav is one of many portions of the Torah where the commandments to give sacrifices to G-d are delineated and explained. In this age of animal rights it’s hard to feel comfortable with commandments that ask us to sacrifice an animal, and yet this is a very central piece in our obligations to G-d . How do we make sense of this in 2022?

If we start with the classic commentaries. Rambam (Maimonides) In Guide to the Perplexed (3,32) tells us that this is a concession to human nature

“שאי אפשר לצאת מן ההיפך אל ההיפך פתאום. ולזה אי אפשר לפי טבע האדם שיניח כל מה שהרגיל בו פתאום...והיה המנהג המפורסם בעולם כלו שהיו אז רגילין בו והעבודה הכוללת אשר גדלו עליה להקריב מיני בעלי חיים”

People can’t change their way of functioning overnight. Historically, the way to communicate with one's deity was by sacrificing different kinds of animals to them. So, says Rambam, Hashem is taking the default manner of worshiping and redirecting it to worship of G-d.

We might imply from this that in an age where this is a no longer the norm of religious behavior – we may no longer need sacrifices. . This indeed was Rav AY Kook’s approach to the Rambam. For Rav Kook believed that in messianic times we would certainly not need animal sacrifice as we would be infinitely more developed humans.

Ramban (Nachmanides) vehemently disagreed with Rambam (Maimonides). He cited the descriptions of Kayin and of Noach giving sacrifices in a time that predated idol worship! For Nachmanides the purpose of sacrifice was to bring us to repentance – when we saw the death of this animal it was a wakeup call to appreciate our tenuous existence and say to ourselves this could have been me. As was his wont, Ramban concedes that this was not a complete answer and ultimately, that there was an aspect of unfathomable mystery in these commandments .

In our time, with no Temple in which to carry out sacrifices, prayer and study , have taken the place of physical sacrifice. They are our ‘ virtual’ sacrifice.

In just one of many citations in the Talmud confirming this, Brachot 15 A tells us:

“תפילות כנגד תמידים תקנום”

Instead of our daily sacrifice we give our daily prayer – the implication being, that through this we are also taking stock and giving of ourselves.

But what about the future? Will the Messianic age mean a return to sacrifice? The answer is inconclusive but the Midrash in VaYikra Rabba (9.7) has a very meaningful perspective . All the sacrifices says the midrash will no longer be necessary with one exception – the thanks offering.

“כל הקרבנות בטלים לעתיד לבוא, חוץ מתודה”

In the times of the Messiah the other sacrifices will no longer have a purpose. We will not sin so we will not need to bring a Chatat , there will be no property to steal so we will not need an Asham. The one sacrifice that will always be meaningful is the Todah , the thanks offering , for it will never be obsolete - to give thanks