The Far-Reaching Effects of Thoughts

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In this week’s parsha, we learn about the korban olah and the korban chatas. A korban olah, burnt entirely on the mizbe’ach, is brought only to atone for sinful thoughts (Vayikra Rabba 7:3). A chatas, however, is burnt partially on the mizbe’ach, with other parts eaten by the kohanim in purity. A chatas is brought to atone for severe sins such as Shabbos desecration (when done unintentionally).

This seems incongruous. A korban olah can never be eaten, not even partially, yet it comes to atone for seemingly light sins. The korban chatas, by contrast, atones for much more serious sins, yet parts of it may be eaten. Why should the korban olah be treated more severely than the korban chatas?

Moreover, in verse 6:4 it states that the chatas is offered in the northern section of the Mishkan “as is the olah.” Why should the laws of the chatas be presented as if they are dependent on the olah?

The Nesivos Chaim answers that in Torah, there is a major difference between deeds and thoughts. When it comes to engaging in the material world, even indulging in food, drink, etc., we are not commanded to separate ourselves, only to subject our consumption to the Torah laws. When it comes to the realm of thoughts, however, a Jew is commanded to keep his mind entirely pure. One should not allow his thoughts to wander into the realm of forbidden pleasures.

Therefore, an olah is burned entirely on the mizbe’ach, symbolizing that one must purge himself of sinful thoughts. He must “burn them entirely” out of his life. A chatas, which atones for sinful deeds, is different because we are allowed to eat; only we must do so in accordance with the laws of kedusha, just as the kohanim do when eating the chatas. Just as the kohanim have laws pertaining to how a chatas is eaten, we too have laws that govern our eating: shechita, separation of milk and meat, prohibition of pork, etc. Just as the kohanim eat with the required kavana, we too should eat leshem Shamayim.

As for why the location of the chatas is dependent on the location of the olah, the Shem M’Shmuel answers: North in Hebrew is tzafon, which also means “hidden.” A person’s thoughts are hidden, and therefore the olah is brought in the place whose name reflects hiddenness.

When the Torah links the location where the chatas is offered to that of the olah, this symbolizes that sinful actions are rooted in sinful thoughts. Had the sinner been able to correct his way of thinking beforehand, he would never have come to sin in the first place.

This is frightening. We see here that thoughts are judged with exceptional severity, and they can lead to the worst sins. What can we do to purify our thoughts?

The Ramchal (Eitz Chaim) writes that the best cure is to devote time to thinking about what our purpose is in this world. If we make this into a program, devoting time each day to thinking about why we are here and what Hashem wants from us, this will direct our thoughts in the right direction. The more this idea becomes rooted in one’s consciousness, the weaker will be the yetzer hara’s power to entice us.

Rav Dessler notes that the human mind never stops. Our thought processes are always at work. We can use this to our advantage by training ourselves to think good thoughts. The more we succeed in this, the more our good thoughts will take over and develop a momentum of their own.

A great deal can be accomplished by simply focusing our thoughts on a certain behavior we wish to correct. If a person finds it hard to overcome laziness and come on time to davening, he should devote thought to the importance of being on time, particularly for mitzvos. He should think as well about the shame of being lazy, of showing up late and the harm this causes him. Slowly but surely, such thoughts lead a person on the path of righteousness, giving him the strength to overcome his bad behaviors. Keep reviewing such thoughts until they become a part of you. The more you focus and concentrate, the more they will take effect.

Lastly, the Rambam (Issurei Bi’ah 22:21) states that sinful thoughts are found only in a mind that is void of wisdom. In other words, the way to banish sinful thoughts is to fill one’s mind with Torah learning instead.

Tosafos (Sotah 21a) asks: At some point one eventually closes his Gemara. Won’t one be vulnerable to sinful thoughts then?

Rather, we should make sure always to have some Torah thought handy to occupy our minds. It’s enough to have a short idea of mussar or halacha, or to mull over a question on the Gemara one is learning. Before we leave the beis medrash to venture out into the street, we should first prepare something so that our mind is occupied with Torah. We mustn’t leave our minds vulnerable, even momentarily.

Harav Yitzchak Ze’ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav, would recall how his father at times took leave of important guests and discreetly went to his sons, who were in another room, to discuss matters of Torah with them. Other times, when he and his brothers were learning with their father, in the midst of a heated debate in Torah, their father would send them out to attend to matters unrelated to Torah. This was in order to train them to continue thinking in Torah study even when busy with other things.

May we be zoche to have Torah in mind at all times!