Hi,

I don’t know if you’ve ever been approached by a Christian missionary.

For example, Jews for Jesus.

If you haven’t?

You’re very fortunate.

But maybe you have come across some of their literature.

… One of their arguments goes like this.

“The Jewish Bible says an offering is needed to atone for a sin.

And without a “blood sacrifice”, we can’t be forgiven.

Since there is no Temple today.  And no sacrifices?

We’re in real trouble!

But G-d, in His compassion, gave us a replacement.

The blood of His son”.  (G-d forbid!)

… I assume that you don’t find the logic compelling!

And there are dozens of reasons that this argument is wrong.

One of them?

Do you know what kind of sin needs an offering in the Torah?

An unintentional one!

You didn’t know something was forbidden.

If a person sins unintentionally… and the sin becomes known to him, he shall bring his offering… and he will be forgiven.  (Leviticus, 4:27-31) 

But for an intentional sin?

No offering helped. 

You needed to undo it the same we do it today.

By repenting!

So it’s not true that you can’t get forgiven without an offering!

… Forgiveness for an unintentional sin is an important lesson.

Something we can apply to our everyday lives.

Say I hurt someone’s feelings.  I didn’t mean to.  But I said something I shouldn’t have.

And I feel bad.  Wish it never happened.

But I say: What can I do?  It was an accident.

The Torah says that’s not enough.

I have to address it.  See what I can do to improve.

… Even if it was unintentional.

Because there was something I could have done.

And something I can do in the future.

I can work on caring more about the feelings of others.  On being more sensitive.

Because if we really care about something?

We’re much more careful about it.

And accidents are less likely to happen.

All the best,