Rabbi Freedman’s Shabbat Message

This week we begin reading the third book of the Torah.  Known in English as Leviticus, it has two Hebrew names.  The first isוַיִּקְרָ֖א   (Vayikra), so called because the book begins with the words וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה “And God called unto Moses”.  The second name, popular with the rabbis, is תּוֹרַת כּוֹהַנִים Torat Kohanim, meaning The Law of the Priests, a name which obviously alludes to the range of duties undertaken by the priests in Israelite society.  Many of these obligations involve the offering of sacrifices while others relate to matters of ritual purity – subjects that are covered extensively in this third book of the Torah.

Not unsurprisingly therefore, this week’s sidra mentions different sacrifices that were offered in the Sanctuary:

1. A Korban Olah (קָרְבַּן עוֹלָה) was a burnt offering. The name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning “to ascend”.  Completely consumed by fire on the altar, nothing of it was allowed to be eaten by the priests or the owner. This offering represented total, unreserved surrender and devotion to God.

2. The Korban Mincha (קָרְבַּ֤ן מִנְחָה֙) or Grain Offering was a sacrifice consisting of fine flour, olive oil, and frankincense, representing a “gift” to God; it was often brought by the poor. After burning a handful of this offering on the altar, the priests would generally be permitted to eat what was left over.

3. Korban Shelamim (קָרְבַּ֤ן שְׁלָמִים) were voluntary, celebratory offerings, often brought to mark special occasions, fulfil vows, or offer thanksgiving. It symbolized peace and fellowship as it was the only sacrifice that was to be shared between all the parties involved: namely God Almighty, the kohanim and the one offering it as a gift.

4. A Korban Chatat (חַטָּֽאת קָרְבַּ֤ן) was a mandatory offering brought to atone for particularly serious sins committed unintentionally or for the purpose of purifying an individual from certain ritual impurities.

5. A Korban Asham (אָשָׁם קָרְבַּ֤ן) was offered to atone for a range of sins—including unintentional sacrilege of holy property, various forms of theft, and where someone was in doubt about having committed a severe transgression. It signified repentance, often accompanied by restitution plus a penalty, helping to restore a connection with God.

Most interesting is an instruction regarding the Mincha offering, which the sages taught should also be applied to animal sacrifices, namely, to add salt to the sacrifice.

וְכָל־קָרְבַּ֣ן מִנְחָֽתְךָ֘ בַּמֶּ֣לַח תִּמְלָח֒ וְלֹ֣א תַשְׁבִּ֗ית מֶ֚לַח בְּרִ֣ית אֱלֹקֶיךָ מֵעַ֖ל מִנְחָתֶ֑ךָ עַ֥ל כָּל־קָרְבָּֽנְךָ֖ תַּקְרִ֥יב מֶֽלַח

You shall season all your grain offerings with salt; do not omit from your grain offering the salt of your covenant with God.  You shall offer salt with all your offerings.  (Leviticus 2:13)

Why was it necessary to place salt upon the sacrifice?

Rashi provides a rather strange answer.

מֶלַח בְּרִית.  שֶׁהַבְּרִית כְּרוּתָה לַמֶּלַח מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁהֻבְטְחוּ הַמַּיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים לִקָּרֵב בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ בַּמֶּלַח וְנִסּוּךְ הַמַּיִם בֶּחָג

Rashi explains that God made a covenant, or agreement with salt at the dawn of creation.  During the six days of Creation the waters were divided (see Genesis 1:7) – with some of the water becoming known as the lower waters i.e. the water in the seas and oceans, while the remaining water became known as the celestial or heavenly waters.  This is reflected in nature where we find water on and under the earth’s surface, but also droplets of water in the form of water vapour within the clouds.

In the Midrash, the ancient legends of the rabbis, it was said that the lower waters, generally found in the seas and oceans, were bitterly disappointed that they were not afforded the privilege of ascending heavenwards to be closer to God.  As compensation, God promised these lower waters that they would form part of the offerings on the altar, which when offered to God would ascend to heaven.

How does salt come into the equation?  It was explained that the lower waters on earth as they warm, naturally evaporate – and when that occurs, the bulk of these lower waters join the heavenly waters above.  However, this process of evaporation often leaves behind salt particles that had been in the water; that being so – it was the salt content of the lower waters that enjoyed the merit of becoming part of the sacrifice, which when burnt on the altar, ascended heavenwards to God.

Salt thus represents a yearning for closeness to God, which seems particularly apposite since the word קָרְבַּן korban – normally translated a sacrifice actually comes from the Hebrew verb קרב meaning to draw near.  The parallel is obvious – humans are physical beings existing in the terrestrial world, yet our souls yearn for a higher existence, one that is altogether more spiritual, closer to God’s demands and expectations.

Rashi of course is not alone in trying to explain why salt should be added to sacrifices.

For example, it is well documented that the people of Sodom were depraved and ultimately warranted destruction.  According to the Midrash they exhibited their dislike of strangers by refusing to share salt with them.  Offering salt therefore, became the standard test of hospitality and moral decency.  In fact it became so significant that not only was it offered with every sacrifice in the Temple, but with every morsel of bread eaten in our own homes to the present day.

Given that salt is commonly used as a preservative, many of the commentators suggest that the use of salt in the Temple illustrated the enduring relationship between God and the Jewish people.  Along the same lines, the Da’at Zekenim, a classic medieval commentary, explained that the inclusion of salt with each of the Temple offerings taught a significant spiritual message to the Israelites that the sacrificial ritual and its later manifestation, תְּפִלָּה or Jewish prayer – would be ‘preserved’ forever as a means of securing forgiveness from God.

The nineteenth century German commentator, Shimshon Raphael Hirsch saw salt as the symbol of eternity and moral steadfastness.  In his commentary to Leviticus 2:13, he wrote that salt represents the indestructible element in all existence, which for him represented the divine moral law that always resists decay.  For Hirsch, sacrifices without salt symbolised enthusiasm without commitment, ceremonial without an element of eternity.  Salt ensures that passion is grounded in everlasting covenantal loyalty.

The Polish commentator, Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 – 1619) known as the Kli Yakar offered a different interpretation based on the opposing nature of salt; the cool water from which it is derived is in sharp contrast to its stinging, often burning properties.  This is a reflection of the make-up of this chemical compound, a combination of the metal sodium and the gas chlorine – hence its scientific name – Sodium Chloride.  Said the Kli Yakar, in this regard salt reminds us of the two contrasting aspects of God’s nature – the gentle, forgiving quality of God’s mercy forever associated with His four-lettered ineffable Name – Hashem – The Merciful One and the stinging, harsh rebuke of God’s justice which is exemplified by the other Name of God – אֱלֹקִים Elohim – The Judge of all mankind.

In attempting to understand the reasons behind this strange command, it may also be helpful to document the history and usage of salt in human history.  The importance of salt to the human race may provide some insights into the reasons behind its use in the Temple and in contemporary Judaism.

The English language is rich with words and idioms relating to salt.  For example the word, salary came from the Latin salarium and in Roman times it referred to an allowance given to soldiers to buy salt.  Then there’s the word salad which is derived from the Latin salata (salted).  Few realise that that the word sauce is also connected with salt; originating from the Old French sausse, which came from the Latin salsa meaning salted; it refers to salt or brine mixed with liquid for the purpose of adding flavour to food.

Even the word sausage evolved from the practice of preserving chopped meat with salt in casings, which evolved into salsicus (seasoned with salt) and later into Old French saussiche before entering English.

Then there are the idioms – without need for any explanation, here are the most common – “salt of the earth”, “with a pinch of salt”, “worth their salt” and “rubbing salt on the wound”.  Even Shakespeare got in on the act when he wrote about Romeo’s tears and his unrequited love for Rosaline: “How much salt water thrown away in waste, to season love that of it doth not taste!“

There are many stories, legends and customs relating to salt, religious and otherwise.  Covenants in Biblical times were often sealed with salt.  This is referred to in Numbers 18:19 where the text refers explicitly to בְּרִית מֶלַח עוֹלָם – an everlasting covenant of salt.  Salt, as has been stated, signifies permanence and unlike organic matter that decays, salt preserves. Hence to make a covenant with man or God, salt would be exchanged just as nowadays there is a handshake or an exchange of signatures.  The use of salt was just another way of affirming that the agreement between the parties would be enduring and that the entire transaction was made in good faith.

In Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper,” Judas is portrayed as spilling a bowl of salt, which is recognised as a portent of evil and bad luck.  To this day, the tradition endures, among those who are superstitious, to throw a pinch of salt over the left shoulder to bring good luck.  Two cities are named after salt – Salt Lake City in Utah and Salzberg in Austria and I myself was raised in Epsom in England, a small country town most famous for Epsom Salts!

It was in the 1930’s that Mahatma Gandhi led the 240 mile “Salt-March” to protest the British monopoly on salt production and mobilize support for self-rule in India.  Music also reflects the importance of salt with John Lennon’s son, Julian composing and singing the rather depressing song – Saltwater.  As a precious and portable commodity, salt has long been a cornerstone of economies, in fact, researcher M.R. Bloch conjectured that civilization began originally along the edges of deserts because of the natural surface deposits of salt found nearby.  Since its discovery several thousand years ago, salt has profoundly affected human life, not just with food consumption and preservation, but also in the human, economic, mythological and religious spheres.

However, perhaps the most significant area where salt interacts with our species is in the field of medicine.  The truth is that all humans need some salt intake, but too much or too little can be catastrophic for the human body.  For example, sodium, a key element within salt, is an essential nutrient but too much sodium is unhealthy.  Among other things, high sodium intakes are known to raise blood pressure and this in turn increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, aneurism, kidney failure and dementia.  If left uncontrolled, it could even cause blindness or heart failure.

Having too little salt (sodium) in one’s diet can also cause major problems.  Low salt intake can result in a condition known as hyponatremia, which may result in symptoms like dizziness, nausea and confusion; in the most extreme circumstances it may even lead to coma or death.

So we see that salt, as beneficial as it is to humans, carries great risks if we consume too much or too little.  Maintaining the correct balance is everything.  This takes me directly to the comment of the Ramban on the instruction to add salt to the sacrifices:

אֲנִי סוֹבֵר בּוֹ עִנְיָן שֶׁהַמֶּלַח – מַיִם וּבְכֹחַ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ הַבָּא בָּהֶם יֵעָשׂוּ מֶלַח, וְהַמַּיִם בְּתוֹלְדֹתָם יְרַוּוּ הָאָרֶץ וְיוֹלִידוּ וְיַצְמִיחוּ, וְאַחֲרֵי הֱיוֹתָם מֶלַח יַכְרִיתוּ כָּל מָקוֹם וְיִשְׂרְפוּ, לֹא תִזָּרַע וְלֹא תַצְמִחַ

Salt is derived from water, and it is through the power of the sun which shines upon it that it becomes salt.  Now the nature of water is that it soaks into the earth and makes it bring forth and blossom; but after it becomes salt it destroys every place and burns it.  (Commentary on Leviticus 2:13)

The Ramban (Moses ben Nachman, 1194–1270) with the scientific knowledge available to him at the time considered that salt combined two opposing elements – the burning nature of fire and the life-giving properties of water.  The Torah itself mentions salt as a positive and negative factor.  In regard to the destruction of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife suffered terribly when she was turned into a Pillar of Salt – and yet that same salt has the potential to bring peace, blessing, harmony and forgiveness through the vehicle of the Temple sacrifices.

How true of life in general – we can use our voice for blessing or curse, we can use our eyes to see the best or the worst in others, we can utilise our resources for good or evil, and we can perform actions to create or destroy the lives of others – every individual human being is like a grain of salt – will that person bring healing to the world around them, or will they damage everything in their path?  The choice remains ours – salt is but the metaphor, a prompt, a guide.  Each of us can read the story – but who amongst us will act upon it?  That is the challenge of Vayikra.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi David Freedman