I have been answering questions for Mr. Huber’s World Religion class at Wabansee Community College. I recently got one about sacrifice in Judaism. Usually we think this is an outmoded form of Judaism. We don’t practice animal sacrifice any more. And yet. And yet….

This weekend in Judaism we began reading the Book of Leviticus which is all about sacrifices. It was the subject for my sermon yesterday. In three different scrolls we read about sacrifice–then the theme continues in the haftarah. We read about sacrifice in Leviticus. We read about the special offerings for Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh in Numbers. We went back to Exodus and read about the paschal sacrifice.

Judaism is a 5000 year tradition and as such there are multiple opinions about everything. There is even a joke about two Jews, three opinions. So what follows is my opinion and part of what I said yesterday. (And thanks, helping me to write my blog post as well!)

I am not quite sure what is meant by the student who asked “do you believe in sacrifices?” From the earliest time in the Bible, there were sacrifices. Abel offered a sacrifice. Cain thought G-d loved Abel more than Cain and so killed Abel. Noah offered sacrifices. Abraham almost offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Jacob made offerings. There is the paschal sacrifice that Passover is based on. Leviticus formalizes this. The Temple in Jerusalem is based on a sacrificial system and some Jews pray every day for a return to that system. So yes, Judaism believes in sacrifice.

But let’s look at this closer. The word sacrifice in English comes from the Latin and means “to do sacred, holy rites” or maybe to have a ritual. It also has a sense, a connotation of to give somethint up.  As in “I have sacrificed for my child.” or “It was a big sacrifice to give up chocolate for Lent.”

The Hebrew is a little different. Let’s start with the word avodah. It means sacrifice or service or work. We talk about “Al shlosha devarim, al haTorah, al ha’avodah, al gemilut chasadim. On three things the world stands. On Torah, on service, on acts of lovingkindness.” This word has fascinated me. When the Israelites were slave in Egypt, they were avadim. When they were freed, they became avadei Adonai, servants of the Lord, same root. In the daily service we say, “V’tahair libenu l’avdecha b’emet. Purify or cleanse our hearts so that we may serve You in truth.” Somehow these words are all related.

But there is another Hebrew word, Korban, for sacrifice. This word comes from the root “to draw close.” Ultimately what a sacrifice in Judaism is, whether an avodah sacrifice or a korban sacrifice, is to draw close to G-d. My professor, Dr. Nehemia Polen at Hebrew College in Boston, believe that the entire book of Leviticus is a reset button. The Israelites wanted to recapture the feeling that they had when they stood at the foot of Mount Sinai, or when the Sea of Reeds parted. They wanted to draw close to G-d.

After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE sacrifice was no longer an option in Judaism. So study and prayer replaced sacrifice. The Talmud teaches, “One time, when Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was walking in Jerusalem with Rabbi Joshua, they arrived at where the Temple now stood in ruins. “Woe to us” cried Rabbi Joshua, “for this house where atonement was made for Israel’s sins now lies in ruins!” Answered Rabban Yochanan, “We have another, equally important source of atonement, the practice of gemilut hasadim (“loving kindness”), as it is stated “I desire loving kindness and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6) Our own homes are little sanctuaries.

So ultimately sacrifices are a way to make us holy, kadosh, set apart. They are a way of enabling us to draw close to G-d. As such, they are still relevent, but not as animal sacrifices. Not planning a barbecue in the synagogue parking lot, as I often say. Instead, my sacrifices, my offerings, are study, prayer and deeds of loving kindness. I encourage you to join me. Our sacrifices are not something that we give up–it is a service of the heart, something that draws us closer to G-d and helps us build community.