Our Mission

G-d taught Moses the procedures for sin-offerings, which atoned principally for unintentional misdeeds. Special sin-offerings are prescribed when such sins are committed by the community’s leaders – the high priest, the Sanhedrin (high court), or the king. When the Sanhedrin issued an incorrect ruling that the community followed, the community had to bring a sin-offering.

He must do to the bull just as he would do to the sin offering bull [of the high priest]. He must do this to it to atone for them so they may be forgiven. 

Leviticus 4:20

The Torah does not completely describe the details of how the sin-offering brought by the community is handled, preferring instead to simply say that it should be treated the same way as the previously-discussed offering. Rashi tells us that this is because G-d does not wish to dwell on the wrongdoings of His people.

The Torah enjoins us to learn from G-d’s example.

Our love for our fellow should permeate us so thoroughly that when we do him or her a favor, we feel that we are doing it for ourselves rather than for someone else.

Similarly, anything that happens to another person, good or bad, should affect us personally.

And, following the example in this verse, we should recoil at the very prospect of saying something depreciative about someone else.

-- Daily Wisdom