Parashat Tzav - English

Rabbi Daniela Szuster

B´nei Israel Congregation,

Costa Rica

Korban Shelamim and our Difficulty in Saying Thank You

In this week’s parashah, as in the one we read last week, there is a description of the qualities of the different Korbanot (sacrifices) which had to be offered at the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Among them, there is one called Korban Shelamim, aimed at thanking God for people living through a particular situation.

According to tradition, this offering was usually made at times when someone had survived a dangerous event, such as having recovered from a serious illness, coming out of prison, crossing waters or surviving a wandering through the wilderness. This practice constitutes the biblical origin of the Birkat HaGomel prayer that we say today at our synagogues.


Our sages say, in the book Va-yikra Rabba: “In the time of the Messiah, all offerings shall be abolished, except the thanksgiving offering; all prayers shall be abolished, except the thanksgiving prayer” (Va-yikra Rabba 9,7). Why is this type of sacrifice different from the rest? What is it that makes it so special, seeing as how it will be the only one not abolished?

There are some who explain that most offerings had the purpose of amending something that we had damaged with our own hands; the guilt offering (asham) was brought for different kinds of transgressions, the sin offering (chatat) was brought to atone for the commitment of unintentional sins, and the burnt offering (olah), for evil thoughts. Nevertheless, the korban todah is different from all the others. This offering was brought spontaneously, through no transgression whatsoever; it was, rather, a pure offering. Perhaps this is why our sages say that, in the future, all offerings will be abolished except the Shelamim offering; the character of this sacrifice is unique and incomparable. Actually, the name for this Korban comes from the word Shalom or shalem, which means “be at peace” or “whole”, upright, with oneself. Just in times of peace and completeness can we appreciate our surroundings and be grateful for what we have.

We often complain and moan, for everything and about everything. This means that we feel we have the right to be given everything we want and choose. We deserve everything; we never think the opposite, in a humble way. We forget that we were made from dust, and to dust we will return. Everything we possess or receive should be cause for thanksgiving; everything that comes to our hands is a gift we are given.

When I think about this subject, I am reminded of the last episode in the Book of Jonah that we read on Yom Kippur. Jonah was in the wilderness, and suddenly, a castor-oil plant grew out of nowhere and gave him shade. He wasn’t grateful for this supernatural phenomenon, nor was he surprised; he acted as if this was something to be expected. But the next day, the castor-oil disappeared and Jonah got very angry, protested, and even said that his life was worth nothing. When the castor-oil plant appeared, Jonah enjoyed it without saying a word. But when it disappeared, although he hadn’t labored for it, nor reared it, he just complained.

How often do we act in a similar fashion! We do not give thanks for being alive and everything we have in our lives. But when we feel that we lack the least detail, we complain without hesitation. As if we were really worthy of being given everything we want.

On this Shabbat, I invite you to reflect upon the Korban Shelamim and how we usually behave. De we offer thanks for the gifts life gives us, or do we moan for what escapes through our hands and don’t possess?

Undoubtedly, a high spiritual level is required to be able to give thanks for what we have and not complain for what we lack. To that purpose, we need to develop our potential spirituality, so that we may be at peace with ourselves and with the world around us. Only then will we be able to really give thanks instead of whining, be humbler instead of arrogant and haughty, so that we may offer our most sincere Korban Shelamim.

Shabbat Shalom!