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Thoughts are a sacred concept. They are private and knowable only to the beholder. Sometimes it can feel as though our thoughts are the only vestige of privacy we have left.
Penny For Your Thoughts
Sometimes it can feel as though our thoughts are the only possession we can call "truly ours". Our expressions may say one thing, our actions may say another, and our words may be mistaken and misquoted, but only our thoughts remain the true and sole property of the beholder.
We often presume that our thoughts are safe - they are “with us,” and “between me and God.” We even conjure the notion that so long as our words are pure, and our actions blameless, our thoughts are free to weigh all options, the good and the bad.
Believe it or not, Judaism has a rich tradition concerning a person’s thoughts that is rooted in the text of this week’s Torah portion.
In Parshat Tzav, the Torah discusses the five types of offerings that were previously introduced in Vayikra (Leviticus 1-6): The olah [elevation-offering], mincha [meal-offering], shelamim [peace-offering], chatas [sin-offering], and the asham [guilt-offering].
Why the seeming repetition? Previously, in Parshat Vayikra, the Torah addressed itself primarily to the people who bring those offerings; now, the Torah speaks to Aaron and his sons, and teaches them the additional laws that relate to their sacrificial service.
Parshat Tzav begins in Leviticus chapter 6:
Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the law of the elevation-offering: It is the elevation- offering [that stays] on the flame, on the Altar, all night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar should remain aflame on it.
As is the case with most of the Temple offerings (korbanot), the Torah often defines the purpose and/or motivation for the individual bringing the offering.
For instance, the Torah tells us that a chatas [sin-offering] is meant to atone for unintentional sins (Lev. 4:2). Shelamim [peace-offerings] are brought voluntarily by a person or a group of people who are moved to express their love of God, their gratitude for His goodness, and to enhance their closeness to Him (see article Shelamim).
Yet, for an individual bringing an olah [elevation-offering] the Torah provides no further detail other than the fact that the olah is meant to atone for him (Lev. 1:4).
But to atone for what? From the laws of chata’ot [sin-offerings] we learn that there is no “ritual” to atone for intentional sins (see article Chatas); only God can see into man’s heart and judge whether he has truly repented or not. With this being the case regarding the function of offerings as they relate to unintentional sin, for what else could the olah possibly atone for?
Interestingly enough, the ancient Aramaic translation of Leviticus 6:1 (Targum Yonatan) provides us with an explanation and the prevailing Jewish understanding during Temple-times:
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Command Aaron and his sons, saying: ‘This is the law of the burnt offering that is brought to make atonement for the sinful thoughts of the heart. It is a burnt offering that is made like the burnt offering on Mount Sinai. (Targum Yonatan: Leviticus 6:1-2)
Surprisingly, Targum Yonatan offers the missing explanation: The olah provides atonement for the thoughts or “errors” of the heart.
In Temple Times
In Temple times, the olah-offering was brought by individuals only for the specific purpose of atoning for impure thoughts.
The Midrash Rabbah records the teaching of R’ Simeon bar Yochai (Rashbi), one of the most prominent sages of the second century, who addressed the former practice and prevalent understanding of his day:
R’ Shimon ben Yochai said: The olah-offering is never brought for anything other than to atone for improper musings of the heart. (Midrash Rabbah 7:3)
If the notion that the olah atones for an individual’s erroneous thoughts was prevalent in Yeshua’s day, from where did Chazal derive support from their understanding? The Midrash goes on to say,
R’ Levi said: [This concept] is found in an explicit verse, “And the “Olah” is for your minds – it shall not be! As for what you say, etc.
The verse quoted by R’ Levi comes from a particular passage in Ezekiel 20:32, which was written at a time in Israel’s history when strong surrounding influence was luring the Jewish people into idolatry:
And what you have in mind shall never come to pass – when you say, “We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, worshiping wood and stone.”
During the time of Ezekiel, foreign influence was strong, and the idea of “just wanting to be like every body else,” was tempting and seemed convenient. However, this idea proved to have devastating consequences; as the verse boldly predicts, “what you have in mind shall never come to pass.”
With that being said, there is a shocking connection between the idea of “thoughts” and the “olah offering” that is only detected when reading the Hebrew text.
The literal translation of the verse is, As for what enters your minds – it shall not be, etc. However, the Hebrew word for “what enters” is the Hebrew word, ha’olah [העולה] – literally “the olah,” which can be also read as “the olah-offering.”
The wording of the passage presents fascinating insight into the function of the individual’s olah: The olah-offering is for what enters, i.e., what enters one’s mind.
It's The Thoughts That Count
Why is atonement necessary for improper thoughts? Aren’t improper actions more damaging to our neighbor? After all, our thoughts are private! It’s enough that we must guard our actions from sin!
One would think that improper actions are more egregious to God than improper thoughts. However, the procedure for the offerings demonstrates otherwise.
When examining the types of korbanot that are brought on behalf of individuals for personal atonement, the Torah provides two types of offerings: olah [elevation-offering] and chatas [sin-offering].
We have already established the primary difference between the two: The olah-offering is brought to atone for improper thoughts, whereas the chatas-offering is brought to atone for improper actions.
The other dichotomy that the Torah places between the two offerings are the parts of the offerings that are eligible for consumption: The olah is burnt completely on the Altar, whereas parts of the chatas are consumed by the Cohanim.
In essence, the olah [which atones for improper thoughts] requires an offering that is totally consumed by fire on the altar, something not required for improper actions. These procedures shed light on Torah’s perspective of “thoughts”. Improper thoughts seem to take precedents over improper actions.
Who can withstand such rigid scrutiny? Indeed, part of our apprehension to acknowledge the very concept is the universal understanding that it is far more difficult to eradicate improper thoughts than it is to undo improper behavior.
Consider sinful behavior, if a person sins, he can repent and refrain from repeating that sin again, thus eliminating the behavior one action at a time. However, wrongful thoughts are much more difficult to eradicate. By the time an individual has repented of a sinful thought, another one immediately takes its place.
Another reason so much precedent is placed on improper thoughts is the fact that so often our impulses don’t lead to actions. As is often the case, thoughts don’t lead to sin because people simply don’t have the capacity or wherewithal to do so. For example, one could harbor bitterness and hatred in his heart for his brother, but it will never lead to murder because practical circumstances prevent him from doing so. In another case, a man may set his eyes on a lovely woman without ever committing adultery. Even though the desire is in his heart, it will never be known to his unsuspecting spouse! Why doesn’t he carry out the impure desire of his heart? Perhaps he might be in a situation where he will be embarrassed should people see or hear of his deeds. Or perhaps he might not have the wherewithal to commit his sinful act. In truth, many conditions must be met before the sinful act can be carried out. For these and many more reasons, sinful thoughts don’t always lead to sinful actions.
Improper thoughts can bombard a person, to the point that evil thoughts run rampant even as an individual studies and prays! In truth, it is not so far fetched to think that a person who appears to be ostensibly righteous in deed, can have a heart and mind filled with corruption; no one will ever see. No one will ever know. But for the God who sees what is unseen and judges the heart, impure thoughts reflect the spiritual condition of the individual. Therefore, atonement is necessary for thoughts just as it is for deeds.
And because the root of every improper action is an improper thought, the atonement necessary for improper thoughts must be an olah – an offering totally consumed by fire. The Ramban states:
Since God alone was aware of the person’s sinful thoughts it is appropriate that they be atoned through the olah-offering, which is given to God alone, wholly consumed by the Altar’ s fire, with neither the Kohanim nor the owners sharing in any of its meat.
The Master spoke often about thoughts and the urgency with which they should be dealt:
Have you not heard that it was said to the first ones, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to a court of law”? Yet I say to you that whoever is enraged against his brother baselessly is liable to a court of law, and whoever says to his brother, “Reka,” is liable to a Sanhedrin, and whoever calls him a reprobate is made liable to the fire of Gehinnom. Therefore, if you are offering your sacrifice at the altar and remember that your brother has a dispute with you, leave your sacrifice there in front of the altar, and go, atone before the face of your brother, then afterward come and offer your sacrifice… (Matthew 5:21-24)
For Yeshua, the emphasis was always a matter of the heart. In his sermonic example in Matthew 5, it’s interesting to note that Yeshua draws a distinct parallel between the service of an individual’s korban and baseless hostility withheld in a man’s heart for his brother. Again, the issue always starts with the heart, which can explain why the korban olah (the offering that atones for improper thoughts) is the first offering listed in the order of korbanot presented in both Parshyot Vayikra and Tzav.
In Matthew 15:17-20, the issue concerning a person’s heart arises again, as Yeshua addresses the source of all impurity, this time being careful to specifically address the issue of “improper thoughts”:
Do you not yet know that everything that enters the mouth goes down to the stomach, and is poured out from there into the latrines? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts – murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person;
Again, no one sees our sinful impulses, or what is played out in the mind. Thoughts are free, and hidden from public eye. Which is another reason they are so difficult to eradicate.
How then does one encounter the vagaries of the mind? The following insights from (Sefer Nesivos Shalom) [as they are enumerated in Arscroll’s commentary to the Midrash Rabbah] can serve as a model:
A man has a large forest that he wishes to clear to build a city. If he cuts down and removes one tree at a time, his time and patience will run out before he has made any significant progress. The city will never be built. What does he do? He sets the forest ablaze. The roaring flames envelop the entire forest and burn it to the ground. Nothing is left but the bare ground, on which the city can then be built.
A Jew who fights evil thoughts is in a similar quandary. If he contends with one thought at a time, his mind will never be cleansed. What he must do, then, is build a roaring fire, a holy, Godly fire composed of Torah study and passionate service of God, which will consume any and all impure thoughts that might be lurking in his mind.
Parting Thoughts
2 Corinthians 10:5
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Parshat Tzav is always read in the synagogues the week before Passover. One of our obligations in preparation for Passover is Biur Chametz (the removal of Chametz or leaven) from our homes. However, it is important to understand that it’s not just our homes that need Biur Chamet - Biur Chametz is a practical application that carries a spiritual incentive.
Paul tells us that anyone who eats the bread and drinks the cup in an unworthy manner will bring upon himself judgment. Therefore, we should be examining ourselves as we enter the Passover season. Perhaps a good place for us to start is to examine our thoughts.
