R. Hizkiah once, when in the company of R. Simeon, asked him what was the precise meaning of the term korban (offering). He replied: ‘As is well known to the Companions, it means their “drawing near”.1From karab, to draw near,. It refers to those holy Crowns which are all knit together and drawn near to one another until they all form a perfect unity to make whole the Holy Name. Hence it is written, “a korban to TETRAGRAMMATON”, meaning that the drawing near of those Crowns is to TETRAGRAMMATON to unify properly the Holy Name so that mercy should be shown to all worlds, and rigour should not be aroused. Hence the name TETRAGRAMMATON is used (in connection with the sacrifices), and not the name Elohim. ‘
Said R. Hizkiah: ‘How glad I am that I asked this question, so as to receive such an explanation. But is it not written, “The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, Elohim, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51, 18)?’
He replied: ‘It does not say here “offering” (korban), but “sacrifices” (zibehe). It is for this reason that the sacrifices were killed on the north side of the altar, because that is the side of Geburah, which is designated Elohim, the purpose being to soften and break the spirit of severity, so that mercy may obtain the upper hand. It is meet, therefore, that a man should stand by the altar with a contrite spirit and repent of his misdeeds so that that stern spirit may be softened and mercy prevail over severity.’
WHEN ANY MAN OF YOU OFFERETH AN OBLATION UNTO THE LORD. R. Eleazar said: The words “of you” are inserted here to show that the word “man” (adam) does not refer to Adam, who also brought a sacrifice when God created the world, as explained elsewhere.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘You are quite right.’
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ, הַאי דְּאִקְרֵי קָרְבָּן, קֵירוּב מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אוֹ קְרִיבוּת, מַאי קָרְבָּן. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא יְדִיעַ הוּא לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָּיא, קָרְבָּן מֵאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּמִתְקָרְבֵי כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא, וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן דָּא בְּדָא, עַד דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַד, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים, לְאַתְקְנָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ'. קָרְבָּן דְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין לַיְיָ' הוּא, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְיַחֲדָא לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכָחוּ רַחֲמִין בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין. וּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְרוֹי לְאִתְבַּסְּמָא כֹּלָּא.
R. Hizkiah once, when in the company of R. Simeon, asked him what was the precise meaning of the term korban (offering). He replied: ‘As is well known to the Companions, it means their “drawing near”.1From karab, to draw near,. It refers to those holy Crowns which are all knit together and drawn near to one another until they all form a perfect unity to make whole the Holy Name. Hence it is written, “a korban to TETRAGRAMMATON”, meaning that the drawing near of those Crowns is to TETRAGRAMMATON to unify properly the Holy Name so that mercy should be shown to all worlds, and rigour should not be aroused. Hence the name TETRAGRAMMATON is used (in connection with the sacrifices), and not the name Elohim. ‘
וְכָל דָּא בְּגִין לְאַתְּעָרָא רַחֲמֵי, וְלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא דִּינָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ לַיְיָ' הוּא, וְלָא לֵאלֹהִים. לַיְיָ': אֲנָן צְרִיכִים לְאִתְּעָרָא רַחֲמֵי, וְלָא לֵאלֹהִים, רַחֲמֵי בָּעֵינָן וְלָא דִּינָא. אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּשָׁאִילְנָא וְרַוַוחְנָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין, וְדָא בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה. אֲבָל הָא כְּתִיב (תהילים נ״א:י״ט) זִבְחֵי אֱלהִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, לֵב נִשְׁבָּר וְנִדְכֶּה אֱלהִים לֹא תִבְזֶה. זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים כְּתִיב, וְלֹא זִבְחֵי יְיָ'.
Said R. Hizkiah: ‘How glad I am that I asked this question, so as to receive such an explanation. But is it not written, “The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, Elohim, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51, 18)?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, קָרְבָּן אֱלֹהִים לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים. וְעַל דָּא שְׁחִיטָתָן בַּצָפוֹן, דְּהָא זְבִיחָה הוּא בְּגִין אֱלהִים, הַהוּא סְטָר גְּבוּרָה, דְּיִתְבְּסַם וְיִתְבַּר רוּחָא דְּדִינָא, וְיִתְחַלָּשׁ דִּינָא, וְיִתְגַּבְּרוּן רַחֲמֵי עַל דִּינָא. וְעַל דָּא זִבְחֵי אֱלֹהִים, לְתַּבְרָא חֵילָא וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, דִּכְתִּיב רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, לְמֶהֱוֵי הַהוּא רוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא נִשְׁבָּרָה, וְלָא יִתְגַּבָּר רוּחֵיהּ וְחֵילֵיהּ וְתוּקְפֵּיהּ. וּבַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי כְּדֵין, לְמֵיקָם עַל מַדְבְּחָא, בְּרוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה, וְיַכְסִף מֵעוֹבָדוֹי, בְּגִין דִּיהוֵי הַהוּא רוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא תְּבִירָא, וְכֹלָּא בְּגִין דְּדִינָא יִתְּבְסָּם, וְיִתְגַּבְּרוּן רַחֲמֵי עַל דִּינָא.
He replied: ‘It does not say here “offering” (korban), but “sacrifices” (zibehe). It is for this reason that the sacrifices were killed on the north side of the altar, because that is the side of Geburah, which is designated Elohim, the purpose being to soften and break the spirit of severity, so that mercy may obtain the upper hand. It is meet, therefore, that a man should stand by the altar with a contrite spirit and repent of his misdeeds so that that stern spirit may be softened and mercy prevail over severity.’
(ויקרא א׳:ב׳) אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ'. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הַאי קְרָא הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִכְתַּב, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ'. מַהוּ מִכֶּם. אֶלָּא לַאֲפוּקֵי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּהוּא אַקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְהָכָא מִכֶּם כְּתִיב, הַאי אָדָם, לַאֲפוּקֵי אָדָם אָחֳרָא, דְּלָא הֲוָה מִכֶּם. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, שַׁפִּיר קָאַמָרְת, והָכִי הוּא.
WHEN ANY MAN OF YOU OFFERETH AN OBLATION UNTO THE LORD. R. Eleazar said: The words “of you” are inserted here to show that the word “man” (adam) does not refer to Adam, who also brought a sacrifice when God created the world, as explained elsewhere.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘You are quite right.’