This article was written by Yael Stochel, summer inchworm 2019
GrowTorah Core Value: Incubating Emunah, Stewarding the Earth
Lesson Title: The Significance of Salt
Hashem instructs Moshe regarding different types of korbanot to be offered in the Beit Hamikdash. Detailed laws include the instruction to always add salt to the korbanot before offereing them to Hashem. What is the significance of salt in korbanot, and how does salt play into our work in the garden?
מלח ברית [NEITHER SHALT THOU SUFFER] THE SALT OF THE COVENANT [… TO BE LACKING FROM MY MEAL OFFERING], because a covenant was established with the salt as far back as the six days of Creation when the lower waters (those of the oceans) received an assurance that they would be offered on the altar in the form of salt and also as water in the ceremony of “the libation of water” on the Feast of Tabernacles).
ולא תשבית מלח. לפי שהוא דבר המתקיים להודיע כי הקרבנות ברית לעולם לכפרה ולא לצורך הקב"ה שהרי אין לפניו לא אכילה ולא שתייה אלא לזכו' בהם את ישראל
ולא תשבית מלח, “and you must not omit salt;” the reason salt must not be omitted is that it is something that endures, and one of the most important symbolic features of animal sacrifice is to remind the Jewish people as well as individuals of the permanence of G–d’s covenant with us, and that it is not He who has to worry about being transient but we mortals. Seeing that He is not in need of food or drink, this legislation is clearly meant for the benefit of the Jewish people.
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
What are the possible explanations for the meaning of adding salt to the korbanot?
- endures/permanence, salt promise in creation...
What does salt represent?
אני סובר בו ענין שהמלח מים ובכח השמש הבא בהם יעשה מלח והמים בתולדותם ירוו הארץ ויולידו ויצמיחו ואחרי היותם מלח יכריתו כל מקום וישרפו לא תזרע ולא תצמיח והנה הברית כלולה מכל המדות והמים והאש באים בה
I am of the opinion that the significance is that the salt is water, which by the power of the sun that comes is made into salt, while the water saturates the Earth, impregnates it and makes plants flourish. Afterwards, salt cuts through every place that is not seeded and does not flourish. This covenant is a part of all of these processes, and the water and fire come in it.
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
How does Ramban's commentary offer an explanation for how salt can retain its significance despite not having a Beit Hamikdash now?
- connected to water cycle
- connected to planting/garden
Living the Lesson
(א) רְאֵה אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים כִּי מִי יוּכַל לְתַקֵּן אֵת אֲשֶׁר עִוְּתוֹ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, נְטָלוֹ וְהֶחֱזִירוֹ עַל כָּל אִילָנֵי גַּן עֵדֶן, וְאָמַר לוֹ, רְאֵה מַעֲשַׂי כַּמָּה נָאִים וּמְשֻׁבָּחִין הֵן, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָאתִי בִּשְׁבִילְךָ בָּרָאתִי, תֵּן דַּעְתְּךָ שֶׁלֹא תְקַלְקֵל וְתַחֲרִיב אֶת עוֹלָמִי, שֶׁאִם קִלְקַלְתָּ אֵין מִי שֶׁיְתַקֵּן אַחֲרֶיךָ
(1) Look at God's work - for who can straighten what He has twisted? (Ecclesiastes 7:13). When the Blessed Holy One created the first human, He took him and led him round all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him: “Look at My works, how beautiful and praiseworthy they are! And all that I have created, it was for you that I created it. Pay attention that you do not corrupt and destroy My world: if you corrupt it, there is no one to repair it after you.
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
Though we can no longer care for the Beit Hamikdash, how can we continue to honor our Brit with Hashem by caring for the world?
- conservation, respecting nature and animals...
Extra Sources
NEED TRANSLATION
Monogamous birds - analogous to relationship b/w Hashem and B"Y