How do we connect to the Avodah of the Korbonos in our day and age?
The Arizal taught us about 3 components of our soul, called Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. The Nefesh which connects to our Nefesh Habihamos/animalistic soul, is the part of us that is closest to sin. This is the part of us that has the capacity to pull us towards the temptations of the world. On the opposite side of the spectrum, is our Neshamah, which is lofty, pure and holy. When we live with our Neshamah, we live a higher life, and are unimpressed with the temptation around us, pursuing only the pleasure of connection with Hashem. Our Ruach stands in between the Nefesh and Neshamah.
The part of us that would require the tikkun of a korbon, therefore, is the Nefesh. This is also why the recitation of korbonos as part of davening Shacharis is at the beginning of davening, which is the part of davening that corresponds to the lower world, called the Olam Ha’asiya, the World of Action. It is here that we make mistakes, and it is here that we must correct those mistakes.
But how do we correct them without a Beis Hamikdash, without the ability to bring a korbon?
One way to bring a korbon in our day and age is to give something up from yourself, to make your own sacrifice by giving up something you want to hold onto. Giving up from our personal desires is the key to elevating our Nefesh, and atoning for its mistakes. The key is for us to give up one of our Nefesh’s desires that are special or valuable to it.
Of course our identity is not defined by our Nefesh Behamos, and many times we do live in the space of Ruach or Neshamah. But rather than ‘ignoring’ our Nefesh and trying to just connect with our higher soul, we must work on incorporating our Nefesh into our avodas Hashem. The way to do that is not by pretending it isn’t there – that we don’t have animalistic urges, but rather by breaking its dominance over us by training it to play a role in serving Hashem.
The ‘training exercise’ of our Nefesh is self-control and sacrifice. If the Nefesh pulls us to abandon our self-control and indulge in the physicality around us, we bring a korbon on behalf of our Nefesh by abstaining from our physical desires a little bit.
For example, if we find ourselves stuck in the physicality of eating, there are two ways we can elevate ourselves through eating. The first is to elevate the act of eating by eating with holiness and intention. When we think about Hashem while we eat, we elevate the sparks of G-dliness that are in the food. But another way we can elevate our eating – the way that will break our Nefesh – is simply by eating less! When we hold ourselves back from eating as much as we’d like to – obviously not in an unhealthy way – we are bringing a korbon, by sacrificing our desires.
(This is why the fast days are such an important avodah, as well as the concept of fasting as a form of teshuvah, and even the ‘taanus ha’Raavad’ which is the practice of leaving a bit of food on your plate and not finishing your entire meal.)
Take It To Go:
Our generation doesn’t have the same strength for adding extra fast days as a form of teshuvah. Hashem doesn’t ask us for superhuman sacrifices. But something to think about, is what kind of sacrifice can I bring? Can I muster the self-control to abstain from the gashmiyus around me, even a little bit, maybe even once throughout the course of my day?
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 30.
