דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה’ מן הבהמה מן הבקר ומן הצאן תקריבו את קרבנכם
רש”י: אדם – למה נאמר, מה אדם הראשון לא הקריב מן הגזל, שהכל היה שלו, אף אתם לא תקריבו מן הגזל
Rashi: “Why does the verse use the word, “Adam”? Just as the first man did not offer sacrifices from that which was stolen, as everything was his, so too, you should not offer sacrifices from that which was stolen.”
We all have aveiros that we feel we do a pretty good job of avoiding, either because we recognize their severity and importance, or because we do not find them all that enticing them in the first place. But whatever the reason is, when we examine these aveiros from the perspective of kedusha, we often discover that there is more we can demand of ourselves.
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Rashi comments, quoting the Medrash, that one should not bring a sacrifice from that which was stolen, just as Adam HaRishon did not. At first thought, Adam HaRishon is a rather surprising source for this halacha. Why tell us to be like Adam, if the reason he did not bring a stolen korban was because it was technically impossible?
In truth though, that is precisely the point. From the perspective of kedusha, simply not stealing is not enough; theft should be unconceivable. Just as it was an impossibility for Adam HaRishon to steal, so too it should be an impossibility for you.
Similarly, we find in the words of Chazal that the righteous are “פושט ידיהם מהגזל” (lit. “pull their hands back from theft”). Why not say simply that they do not steal? The answer is that not stealing is an obligation for everyone, but only the righteous “pull their hands back” – distance themselves from theft completely, both in thought and action. Likewise in a general sense, the Rambam (Introduction to Avos) writes (regarding mitzvos that can be understood) that one righteous should desire to do good and abhor evil: “It is happiness for the Tzaddik to perform justice…” (Mishlei 21:15) This is, of course, an attribute of righteousness – not an obligation. With regards to bringing a korban, to kedusha, however, the Torah demands it of all of us.
Good Shabbos.
