Connecting With God
Much has been written about the King James translation of the Bible. Strangely I haven’t heard any comments about the problems with the translation, the Hebrew words that have been given a Christian translation that don’t fit with the original Hebrew. So this week I would like to teach you the Original Hebrew for the word sacrifice. The word Korban has nothing to do with loosing something and every thing to do with achieving. Korban comes from the word karov- close. Chapter upon chapter of text, God commands the newly formed Jewish nation, encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai, concerning the rituals that will define the sacrificial rite in the Sanctuary.
No area of Torah law seems more alien to modern sensibilities than that of korbanot. As we confront the Torah’s sacrificial rite, we find ourselves at a total loss, unable to relate to these seemingly primitive rituals, wondering why an all-powerful, God would demand the offering of animals in His worship.
There are many attempts to address this question. One that piques my interest is written in a book whose author remains a mystery. He says: “ a sinner cannot purify his heart simply through a passive confession between himself and the wall. Such confession requires no real effort and, therefore, has minimal effect. If, however, the individual is forced to act, if he becomes obligated in a demanding series of atoning rituals; if he must select from his flock, bring his offerings to the Sanctuary and participate in the detailed sacrificial rite he will then become acutely aware of the extent of his sin and he will avoid such failure in the future.”
It might be difficult to imagine offering an animal ,however we are aware of the futility of empty words and speeches. We hear politicians, world leaders making impassioned speeches that lead no where. As we read these texts focus on the activities that moved the ancient priests and petitioners from thought to action and contemplate what we need today.
How do we reconnect with people, loved ones who have become distant. Internet pages display painful pleas from children looking for estranged parents, or siblings trying to find each other. It’s painful when emptiness fills our hearts. We struggle to complete the most basic tasks. When a meeting can take place we often arrange it around a table with lots of food.
Many korbanot were eaten by those that brought them and by the priests who were serving in the Temple that week. Only one type was fully consumed by the fire.
The ones that could be eaten might be described as Shared meals with God.
Faced with the naturally developing distance between man and his Creator, forced to address the separation from God that results from sin, the Torah proposes a path, astoundingly profound in its simplicity: invite God to your table.
We readily understand that sitting with friends and eating or drinking helps bring people together. A korban, deriving from the root word karov, “to draw near” is the mechanism through which an individual can begin to repair and re-establish his relationship with a personal God. Just as, in the human realm, a shared meal is a powerful relational tool, so too, a meal consumed with God’s symbolic participation can begin to address His estrangement from our lives.
Each korban became a potentially powerful rehabilitative tool. God’s presence as an invited, honoured guest was palpable and concrete. To the participants these observances were far from meaningless rituals. They were, instead, shared meals with God, the first steps back to a fuller awareness of the Divine in their lives.
Comments