Parshas Vayikra

Selfish Spirituality

This week's parsha, Vayikra, begins with G-d's explaining to Moses the procedure for bringing the voluntary olah (elevation offering):

"He called to Moses and Hashem spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying: Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them: When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem: from animals--from the cattle or from the flock shall you bring your offering. If one's offering is an olah from the cattle, he shall offer an unblemished male; he shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, voluntarily, before Hashem."¹

A few lines later, G-d tells us how he reacts to the olah:

"He shall wash its innards and its feet with water; and the Kohen shall cause it all to go up in smoke on the Altar--an Olah, a fire-offering, a "reach nichoach" (pleasing aroma) to Hashem."² [Reach = aroma; nichoach = pleasing].

Thus, the olah, more than any other offering, brings pleasure to G-d. Rashi explains why it is specifically this voluntary offering which provides Hashem with a pleasing aroma:

"'Nichoach'--[It is a source of] contentment before me, as I said [that the offering should be brought] and my will was done."³

In other words, the fact that G-d provides instructions on how to serve Him and then people actually do serve Him in exactly that manner, without even being obligated to do so, brings G-d great pleasure.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, however, points out that the parsha of Vayikra is not the first mention of "reach nichoach" in the Bible. (4) The first mention is much earlier in the book of Bereishis: "The waters dried upon the earth. . . . So Noach went forth. . . . Then Noach built an altar to Hashem and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Hashem smelled "reach hanichoach" (the pleasing aroma). . . ."⁵

The question posed by the Rebbe is thus why did Rashi not comment on the phrase "reach nichoach" the first time it is mentioned?

The Rebbe answers his own question by explaining that the two sacrifices were not exactly the same. The olah which Noach brought was not simply to carry out G-d's will. There was an element of thanksgiving to it, as Noach had just been delivered to dry land by G-d. The olah described in parshas Vayikra, in contrast, is for no ancillary reason but to carry out G-d's will. And it is specifically this which gives G-d pleasure.

It is noteworthy that there are many benefits to turning this world into a "dira bitachtonim," a dwelling place for G-d in the lower realms, i.e., rooting out false religions from the world. For example, Jews who turn gentiles to Noachidism will benefit as follows:

1. The charity of Noachides may be used to support Torah causes, whereas the charity of idol worshippers may not be so used;⁶

2. Noachides provide tremendous support for Jewish efforts to bring not-yet-observant Jews back to Torah Observance (since those Jews are the very ones who hold dear the opinions of the gentiles whose customs they are currently copying);

3. Noachides provide the support necessary to stop the funding of the PLO by the United States (since gentiles comprise over 97% of America) and thereby save Jewish lives;

4. Noachides help lower the intermarriage rate, since Noachides will abide by their biblical prohibition on marrying Jews;⁷

5. Noachides help remove the immodesty and other problems of general society, easing the obstacles faced by Jews, etc.

Similarly when gentiles lead other gentiles to Noachidism, they benefit, since

1. Noachides increase the blessings from G-d for their communities, just as the gentiles of Ninveh brought blessing to their community, and averted disaster, by doing "teshuvah," returning to G-d's Universal Law;⁸

2. Noachides build up communities for other Noachides, creating an infrastructure for proper marriage, prayer services, holiday observance, etc.

Of course, all of these benefits overlap so that both Jews and gentiles benefit from the eradication of false religions until, ultimately, all six billion people benefit from the final creation of G-d's dira bitachtonim. At this time the Messianic era will automatically be upon us, as the Alter Rebbe explains:

"Now this ultimate perfection of the Messianic era . . . is dependent on our actions and service throughout the period of exile for it is the mitzvah itself which creates its reward."⁹

Thus, since the Messianic era will consist of six billion people following Torah Law (the 613 laws for Jews and the 7 Universal Laws for Noachides), the creation of that era is dependent on efforts to turn all people to Torah Law now. But carrying out spiritual works, even for the purpose of ushering in redemption, still carries some form of selfishness.

The way of creating a dira bitachtonim that will bring G-d true pleasure is without considering any of the above-mentioned benefits. G-d receives pleasure when a person goes out to eradicate false religions for no reason other than that G-d wills it. And not only does He will it, but it is the entire purpose of creation:

"It is a well-known statement, our Rabbis declare¹⁰ that the purpose for which this world was created is that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a "dira bitachtonim," (an abode in the lower realms) . . . for such was His will--that He finds it pleasurable when the sitra achra (opposing side, i.e., evil) is subjugated [to holiness], and the darkness is transformed into light so that in the place of the darkness and sitra achra [prevailing] throughout this world, the Infinite light of G-d will shine forth with greater strength and intensity, and with the superior quality of light that emerges from darkness. . . . Through the superabundance of light which will shine forth upon the Jewish people, the darkness of the nations will also be lit up, as it is written, 'And nations will walk by your light'."^11,12

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¹Vayikra 1:2-3
²Id. 1:9
³Rashi to Vayikra 1:9 citing Toras Kohanim, 6:9
⁴Sicha (public address) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Parshas Vayikra, 5749 (1989)
⁵Bereishit 8:13-21
⁶Hilchot Melachim 10:10
⁷Devarim 7:3; Malachi 2:11; Ezra 9-10
⁸Yonah 3:10
⁹Tanya, Chapter 37
¹⁰Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 7:1
¹¹Yeshayahu 60:3
¹²Tanya, chapter 36
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