The Weekly Shtikle - Vayikra

This past Wednesday, 2 Nissan, marked the yahrtzeit of my Bubbie. This week's shtikle is dedicated le'iluy nishmasah, Yehudis bas Reuven Pinchas.

In pasuk 3:1 we are introduced to the concept of the korban shlamim. Rashi explains the meaning of the word shlamim as coming from the word shalom, peace, that it puts peace between Man and his Master. However, the wording chosen by Targum Onkelos for shlamim is rather intriguing. In all instances it is referred to as nichsas kudshaya, meaning holy slaughtering, which clearly does not follow the simple translation. Why?

One sefer on Targum Yonasan ben Uziel suggested that it was to show that shlamim is excluded from the laws of kodshei kadashim and is therefore only referred to as kodesh. 

However, a friend of mine offered what I believe is a more insightful answer. In 17:1-5 we are taught that in the desert, slaughtering an animal for one's own pleasure as we do today, was forbidden. Rather, anyone who wanted to eat an animal was required to bring it as a korban shlamim. The purpose of this is clearly stated in 17:5 "So that B'nei Yisrael may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to HaShem..." The very essence of the shlamim was an animal that would have been slaughtered and eaten by its owner without any sanctification, but instead was brought to the mizbei'ach and made holy by being offered as a korban. This is in contrast with other sacrifices brought out of necessity. Since the shlamim represents the sanctification of what would otherwise have been mudane it is given the name nichsas kudshaya, holy slaughtering.

Have a good Shabbos. Mishenichnas Adar Marbim beSimchah (see Rashi, bottom of Taanis 29a)

Eliezer Bulka
WeeklyShtikle@weeklyshtikle.com

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