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Parshat
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Parshat
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A Student Publication of the Torah Academy of Bergen County
Parshat Tazria
3 Nissan 5763
April 5, 2003
Vol.12 No.25
In This Issue:
Chanan Strassman
Rabbi Chaim Jachter
The Missing Korban
by Chanan Strassman
Parshat Tazria, begins with the laws of
childbirth. Among these laws are the laws of which Korbanot a woman offers
after she gives birth to a child. In 12:6, the Torah says, “Upon the completion
of the days of her purity for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep
within its first year for an Olah, and a young dove or turtledove for a Chatat.”
However, there seems to be something missing here. As Rabbi Riskin points out,
there is no Korban Todah mentioned here. Why is the thanksgiving offering left
out? Is a woman not thankful when she has a baby?
Rabbi Riskin cites Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin that the answer can be derived
from a famous story in the Tanach. Elijah the Prophet challenged the prophets of
the Baal to a “battle of the Gods” on Mount Carmel. The prophets of the Baal
prayed to their god, but were left unanswered. However, upon calling out to
Hashem, a fire came from the heavens and consumed Elijah’s Korban. The prophets
of the Baal were executed and Elijah was a national hero. Jezebel, the
idolatrous Queen of Israel during that time, remarked that she would kill Elijah
the very next day. Why would Jezebel wait until the next day to kill Elijah
instead of doing it on the spot? The reason is simple. Because he was now a
celebrity, there surely would have been an uprising if Jezebel killed Elijah
right then and there. However, by the next day, everyone would have forgotten
the miracle Hashem performed for Elijah and everything would have gone back to
the way it had been beforehand. Then, Jezebel could kill Elijah without
inciting rebellion.
From this story, we see that it is within the nature of most people to forget
our feelings of thanksgiving. When God does something for us, it is usually
appreciated immediately and in the present time. However, as in the story of
Elijah, many times, it is soon forgotten. A good example would be the Chet
HaEgel. Hashem had just given Bnei Yisrael the greatest gift in the world, His
Torah. Yet, it did not take more than a short 40 days and 40 nights for Bnei
Yisrael to sin.
Similarly, the Korban
Todah must be eaten on the day that it is brought, at which time, the person is
still thankful. Therefore, it would make sense that the mother should bring a
Korban Todah immediately after the child is born, so as not to forget her
thankfulness and lose the opportunity to bring the Korban. However, we see in
12:4 that this is not possible. The Pasuk says, “For thirty-three days she
shall remain in blood of purity; she may not touch anything sacred and she may
not enter the Sanctuary until the completion of her days of purity.” In other
words, she may not bring a Korban until the days of her purity have passed.
Since she must wait a while before she may bring a Korban, the mother will
forget her feeling of thankfulness, thereby rendering her unqualified to bring a
Korban Todah. Therefore, the Korban Todah is not mentioned as one of the
Korbanot that a woman brings after giving birth to a child.
Staff at time of publication:
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus: Josh Dubin
Editors-in-Chief: Shuky Gross, Effie Richmond
Publication Editors: Sam Wiseman, Jerry Karp
Publishing Manager: Ely Winkler
Distribution Managers: Uriel Schechter, Simcha Haber
Business Manager: Andy Feuerstein Rudin
Staff: Orin Ben-Jacob, Moshe Rapps, Danny Shulman
Webmaster: Willie Roth
Faculty Advisor: Rabbi Chaim Jachter
This publication contains Torah matter
and should be treated accordingly.