Hayom Yom 12 Adar 2 - Sacrifice the Evil Inclination, the animal soul

דעֶר אָנְהוֹיב פוּן פָּרָשַׁת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת אִיז The words that introduce the passages on the sacrifices אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה [literally mean], “A man who will bring from you a sacrifice to G-d... עֶס האָט דאָך געֶדאַרְפט שְׁטֵיין אָדָם מִכֶּם כִּי יַקְרִיב גו Seemingly, the word order should have been, “A man from [among] you who will bring a sacrifice to G‑d....” זאָגט דעֶר אַלְטעֶר רֶבִּי the Alter Rebbe explains: אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב, בִּכְדֵי אַ מעֶנְטשׁ זאָל וועֶרעֶן נעֶהנְטעֶר צוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ [Now, the verb used here for “bringing an offering” is יקריב, which shares a root with the verb meaning “to draw near.”] Accordingly, the Alter Rebbe explains: “‘A man who will offer,’ i.e., if a person is to draw near to G‑d, אִיז מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה', פוּן אַייךְ אַלֵיין דאַרף זַיין דעֶר קָרְבָּן the offering must come ‘from you’ — from one’s very self, מַקְרִיב זַיין זַיין אֵייגעֶנעֶ בְּהֵמָה from the animal within him; דעֶם יֵצֶר הָרָע וואָס וועֶרט אָנְגעֶרוּפעֶן נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית that is, he must sacrifice the Evil Inclination, which is [sometimes] called the animal soul.” Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English For questions and comments [email protected]