Opportunity for Korbanos

אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה’ (ויקרא פרק א’, פסוק ב’)

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה גְדוֹלִים נְמוּכֵי הַרוּחַ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁבְּשָעָה שֶבֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ קַיּיָם אָדָם מַקְרִיב עוֹלָה, שְׂכַר עוֹלָה בְיָדוֹ. מִנְּחָה, שְׂכַר מִנְּחָה בְיָדוֹ. אַבָל מִי שֶׁדַעֲתּוֹ שְׁפֵלָה מַעֲלָה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִילוּ הִקְרִיב כָּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כּוּלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר “זִבְחֵי אֱלֹקִים רוּחַ נִשְׁבָּרָה”. (סוטה ה:)

When a man brings a korban to Hashem (Vayikra 1:2)
Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi says, “Humble people are really great in the Eyes of Hashem. When the Beis Hamikdash stood, if a man would bring an Olah, he would get schar for an Olah. If he would bring a Minchah, he would get schar for a Minchah. But someone who is humble, is considered by the Torah as if he brought all of the korbanos.” (Sotah 5b)

The boys in Rav Nir’s class were super excited. Today their rebbi was taking them to volunteer for Irgun Ki Va Mo’ed, which supplied thousands of needy families with food for Yom Tov.

“This is going to be so much fun!” Shmulik said to his friend Yossi, as they took their seats on the bus. “It is such a zechus to be able to put food into the boxes for poor families. Just think, when they get the package and look inside, they will be so happy to see the apples, chicken, and matzah that I put inside!”

“I want the job of actually delivering the food. I can’t wait to see the faces of the people when they get their packages and realize that they don’t have to worry about how they are going to afford to buy food for Yom Tov!”

* * *

The bus pulled up in front of the massive Ki Va Mo’ed warehouse and the boys all walked inside. They could not believe the size of the enormous operation. Hundreds of tables were lined up in rows, as volunteers hurried around, bringing in food, filling boxes, and rushing them off to be delivered.

“Okay boys!” called Rav Nir. “Everyone line up and you will receive your assignments! Yanky and Moishy, you will be working at this table loading boxes. Eli and Chaim, I need you to help the workers unloading the boxes of matzos from the trucks. Menachem… where’s Menachem…? Menachem! Where did you find that cat??? Stop playing around and go wash your hands – I need you to help load the packed boxes onto the delivery truck!”

And so, Rav Nir went on assigning jobs to all of the boys.

“Okay, whom do we have left? Ah, Shmulik and Yossi – please take these brooms. I need you to sweep up any garbage you see – we need to keep the floors clean so nobody trips, chas veshalom.”

The boys all hurried off to their assignments and Rav Nir walked around, helping them and making sure everyone was doing everything correctly.

“Shmulik, Yossi,” Rav Nir said a few minutes later. “Why are you sweeping so slowly? And why do you look so sad?”

Indeed, while all of the other boys were working busily with huge smiles on their faces, Shmulik and Yossi looked miserable as they slowly walked around with their brooms.

“Rebbi,” said Shmulik. “I came to help poor families. But instead, we got stuck doing the boring work of a janitor.”

“Yeah,” added Yossi. “And I wanted to see the faces of the people as they received their food for Yom Tov. But what does sweeping do to help poor people? They don’t care if the warehouse floor is clean.”

“Imagine for a second that I said right now you could bring a korban to the Beis Hamikdash.” Rav Nir said.

“Oh that would be so much more exciting!” replied Shmulik.

“Well, actually you have the opportunity right now to bring all of the korbanos! Let me explain something to you. I know you wanted to do the more exciting jobs, but did you really do that because you want to do chessed? Keeping the floor clean is essential to allowing us to distribute food to poor families. I think what is really bothering you is that it just doesn’t sound as choshuv as what the other boys are doing. If that’s the case, then what you’re really looking for is your own kovod.

“Chazal teach us that being an anav – humble – is one of the greatest accomplishments we can achieve. And doing this less-glamorous job gives you an opportunity to work on your anivus, which is as great as bringing all of the korbanos combined!”

Shmulik and Yossi looked at each other for a moment as they thought about what their rebbi just said. Slowly, a smile came over their faces as they began sweeping with gusto, imagining that they were walking into the Beis Hamikdash with a whole herd of animals to be makriv on the mizbeiach!

Have A Wonderful Shabbos!

Takeaway: Even today we can get schar as if we brought all of the korbanos to the beis Hamikdash – by swallowing our pride.