I was struck by a verse I saw used for the first time regarding the "peace-offering" - that the sacrifice placed upon the altar is "food of the fire" (literally - "fire food") for G-d. The word the Torah uses for food - lechem - actually, as I understand it, means "bread" - which is even more confusing since we are also supposed to bring "meal-offerings" composed of flour, oil, and frankincense to G-d, while peace-offerings appear to be only cattle or sheep/goats.
I began to think of what this "food" is that we give to H' - and how we literally feed G-d. I have two very young children - is it like we are placing spoonfuls of korbanot from the altar and "airplaning" them to G-d? Or is it more of a a "put the plate down on the table and let G-d eat from it" scenario?
Of course, while, as a great Rabbi once said, the literal interpretation is the most radical (we bring sacrifices and G-d eats it as G-d's food), the verse is filled with extensive symbolic meaning. What is exactly this "food" or "bread" that we bring to G-d, and why is mentioned first in relation to the peace-offering?
The commentaries offer some extremely helpful guidance regarding a basic question - what exactly is a peace-offering? It is an offering brought simply in recognition of G-d's Mastery of the Universe and that all G-d does for us is in love and justice. When I am looking to give my thanks to G-d, of course verbal and non-verbal prayer and meditation, as well as public pronouncements of G-d's Greatness - are amazing, but a physical place to store and then burn -- all in an effort to "feed" G-d may even better. It is truly a physical manifestation of my deepest and most innermost feelings about G-d and all that HaKadosh Baruch Hu does for me and the entire universe.
With this in mind, why is "food" used in this context? One of my most fundamental, kabbalistic beliefs is that G-d created the world so that he could have a relationship to us. Huh? How did G-d's Desire for a relationship precede even the object of such relationship? How can I know I need or want something if I have no idea - no inkling- that such object exists? All I can say is that the laws of cause and effect, logic, and temporal linearity have no real meaning in the Divine realms. Therefore, I will again say that the reason for Creation is so that G-d could have a relationship with us (amongst an infinity of other reasons).
A peace-offering, therefore, is the most special offering we can bring to G-d because it is a pure expression of that relationship - not as a burnt offering, not as a sin offering, not even as a thanksgiving offering - although all of those are meritorious and such be brought willingly and according to the Torah. Rather, a peace-offering is simply a complete recognition of G-d's utter desire to be involved in my life and for me to be involved in G-d's Existence. And this relationship is, in some respects, what "feeds" G-d and what may "motivate" G-d to continue sustaining Creation. So, as the verses say, I think one can fairly imagine that in bringing this peace-offering, G-d does indeed take great pleasure in the korban and that we are engaged in a relationship with G-d.
Everything we do today, even without a peace-offering, can be symbolic of this recognition - especially in our mindful thoughts whenever we are doing something or something happens to us. And this pleasure that G-d feels in our relationship is returned a thousandfold to us in the form of bracha and material and spiritual success.
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