Daf Yomi - Taanis 26 - Understanding Ma’amados

Understanding Ma’amados by Rabbi R. Karr

The Rama in safer Olas R’iyah says the main function of Korbanos is to teach man his mortality and show man the infiniteness of the entire universe. Korbanos show that there is no one but Hashem. Why do we burn a korban and offer an olah? It seems to be a strange gift to Hashem. Imagine I want to show my love for you by spending a lot of money on a gift and throwing it in the garbage!!! A Korban symbolizes the abolition af all that exists. Its not a negative act of desperation or destruction. Rather it is a positive act wherein I can dedicate all which I have to Hashem.

This was the function of the anshei ma’amad. They read the parshiyos of creation to teach that the world on existed and continues to exist in the merit of Korbanos (today we have Tephillos and study about the korbanos). They fasted! Why? They should have eaten because of the Yom Simcha of bringing a korban.. They daven one or two (Mussof /Niela) extra t’fillos. They were sh’luchim of all of Klal Yisrael for bring the Korban tomid.. They were elevated to the highest level of kodushah. Fasting therefore was a complement to their simcha. The fasting was indicative of their high spiritual level, as we see Moshe fasted while on Mount Sinai. To approach the Sh’khinah you must fast and elevate yourself. Extra t’fillos were a consequence of their high level of avodah and obligated them to a level of five t’fillos like Yom Kippur (based on the Ohr Hatorah: D’vorim)