Parashas Tazria

In this week’s parashah we learn that a woman who has given birth must bring two offerings: a sheep as an Olah (burnt-offering) and a bird as a Chatzas (sin-offering) (12:6). If the mother cannot afford a sheep, she may bring a bird as an Olah as well (12:8).

An Olah is generally brought for failing to fulfill a positive commandment, for improper thoughts, or by one who simply wants draw closer to Hashem; it is not an offering of atonement (see, for example, Makkos 17b, Zevachim 5a) , but one of uplifiting. The Chatas, however, is brought to achieve atonement for sins.

Considering that is it is brought to “cleanse” the person, would it not make sense to bring an animal – a more expensive and significant offering – for the Chatas?

These pesukim offer us some insight into the general dynamic of teshuvah and spiritual growth, beyond the context of a new mother bringing these offerings.

The person bringing a Chatas has already made an important first step – recognizing that he or she has sinned. They must bring an offering for atonement, but sometimes even a token offering is enough, just to concretize their sense of contrition. The person bringing the Olah, on the other hand, may have little or no inherent sense of remorse for their failings; they may think of  themselves as righteous, as people on the level of offering a sacrifice only for the sake of draw close to Hashem.

For a wealthy person, bringing an inexpensive bird may simply be an easy shortcut to achieve “spirituality,” and that would defeat the essential purpose of the offering. He or she must therefore bring a more expensive sheep, to demonstrate – even to themselves – their commitment and sacrifice. To a poor person, bringing even a bird is a challenge, and it is therefore sufficient.

There is another question however: In both pesukim, the Torah first mentions the Olah before the Chatas. However, when birds are brought for both offerings, the Chatas is actually sacrificed first.^* Why, then, does the Torah mention the Olah before the Chatas in that passuk?

In Tehillim (85:15), Dovid Hamelech enjoins us: סוּר מֵרָע וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב, abandon evil and do good. Ideally, a person life should follow the pattern of this verse in his life: first abandon evil and then do good. Thus the Chatas, which represents a person’s repentance from sin, precedes the Olah, which represents his actively pursuing good deeds.

However, the fact is that this is not always possible. If we were to wait until after we abandoned all sin before we pursued proper behavior, we may never come close to Hashem. Therefore, on a practical level, we often have to pursue our spiritual growth even before we have succeeded in fully cleansing ourselves of sin. Although the Chatas must be offered first, the verse is alluding to the fact that there are circumstances when our own personal Olah, our positive efforts toward spiritual achievement, must come before we have offered our Chatas, our full repentance for our past misdeeds.

May we all be zocheh to true and complete teshuvah and to draw close to Hashem.

Gut Shabbos.

* When an animal is brought for the Olah, it is brought first because an animal is more significant than a bird (Sifsei Chachamim).