Today we will continue talking about the ‘Korbanot’ {קרבנות}(Hebrew for ‘sacrifices’) and now we {קרבנות תודה} will discuss ‘Koraban Toda’.
Most of you probably recognized the Hebrew word ‘Toda’ {תודה} as the word for ‘thank you’ in Modern Hebrew and that is exactly what it is – a ‘thanksgiving offering’.
This offering was part of ‘Korbanot Shelamim’ {קרבנות שלמים}(Hebrew for ‘peace offerings’) and its main purpose was to show gratitude to God for protecting and saving us. But that is a very general description and what exactly does it mean?
The answer lies in Psalms 107, which begins with the following words:
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble”. (Psalm 107:1-2)
After this opening statement, one can find there FOUR different life-threatening situations – wandering in a desert, recovering from an illness, staying in prison and crossing the sea – which are described and all end with the following verse:
“Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (Psalms 107: 8, 15 ,21,31)
Every day, when Jewish people are praying around the globe, they recite the following words: “And all living things shall forever thank You, and praise Your great Name eternally…”
One cannot really appreciate fully the concept in English translations but in the original Hebrew ‘living things’ is ‘Chay’im’ {חיים} – which means ‘life’. But there is a another layer of deeper meaning to this specific word and it is based on the FOUR Hebrew letters of the word ‘Chay’im’, in which each letter represents a different life-threatening situation – in accordance to what we just witnessed in Psalms 107:
‘Chet’ {ח} – for the Hebrew word ‘Chavoush’ {חבוש} which means ‘imprisoned’.
.'(Yod’ {י}– for the Hebrew word ‘Yisurin’ {יסורין}which means ‘ torments’ (usually from an illness’
.’Yod’ {י}(again) – for the Hebrew word ‘Yam’ {ים}which means ‘sea’
‘Mem’ {מ}– for the Hebrew word ‘Midbar’ {מדבר} which means ‘desert’.