Weekly Dvar Torah By Rabbi Yitzchak Gettinger

The end of the Parsha discusses the inauguration of the new Mishkan, and specifically the special offerings brought by the leaders of the twelve tribes to begin the service.  Although each of the leaders brought exactly identical Korbanos, the Torah still enumerates each detail of the twelve Korbanos in a lengthy and repetitious manner.  Why does the Torah need to individualize each of the Korbanos and not just succinctly say that each of the 12 followed with the same Korban?

There are two diverse schools of thought in how to approach this question.  One perspective is that the Torah is emphasizing individuality, because although the twelve Korbanos were physically matching, they were still twelve different and distinct offerings.  Two people can perform the same task or donate the same item, but since each individual is unique, their individualism pervades through their actions and creates a “how” that can be more important than the “what.”  Although it seems counterintuitive, similarities actually heighten differences, as the sharp and distinct nature of a person is only apparent when compared to someone quite similar, and yet different, than themselves. Part of the depth behind the deep differences that contrast Yaakov and Eisav is that they originated as twins, as if the stark divergence could only fork from a common road.

A variant approach to the question is based on the Midrash that teaches a Halachic novelty based on the likeness of all the twelve Korbanos.  In general, the rule is that a private offering is not prioritized over the Shabbos, and since bringing an offering requires a desecration of the Shabbos, (slaughtering and burning are forbidden on Shabbos) one cannot offer a private offering on Shabbos.  However, the Gemara derives from the Pasuk that a communal offering can override the Shabbos, and we therefore bring the slaughter the regular Korban Tamid and other communal Musafim despite its desecration of Shabbos.  How should these twelve identical offerings be considered- as private or communal offerings?  The Midrash says that although one would logically assume that they were each private offerings, brought for just one tribe, their perfect alikeness made them considered like one large communal offering.  When the seventh day of the inauguration came and the tribe of Ephrayim’s “turn” happened to coincide with Shabbos, their Korban was brought even though it caused desecration of Shabbos because it was considered to have communal status.  It is for this reason that the Torah specifically enumerates each tribe’s Korban, because they were really all part of one big Korban, and to list just one would be writing just 1/12^th of the actual Korban.  It was not repetition of the same Korban 12 times; it was the same recipe copied 12 times that defined the essence of the Korban.  Seen from this angle, the Torah is really emphasizing the power of a group, by teaching that although individuals can project their unique individualism upon others, they can also conform to others in uniform fashion that will connect to something greater than themselves.  The beauty in viewing both approaches together is that it provides a liberating vision of how the “I” and the “we” can co-exist in harmony, as even while “I” conform to the “we” in my group, “I” still remain unique and apart.