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Two-Line Torah: Vayikra 5776–Guilt and Forgiveness

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March 14, 2016

In Parashat Vayikra, God describes the laws of the “korbanot“, or animal sacrifices. God distinguishes between ascending, meal, peace, sin and guilt offerings, with special attention given to sins committed unintentionally.
 

Living on their own for the first time, college students will inadvertently make mistakes. They will likely experience their highest highs and their lowest lows in college. They will likely regret decisions they make or things they say that hurt others.
 

Just because we live in a time where animal sacrifice is no longer, atonement and forgiveness are lifelong element of the human (and Jewish) experience.
 

We must give students the opportunity to learn from their moments of “sin”. We must prepare them to manage relationships in the “real world” by exploring: How will we seek forgiveness when we have hurt others? How will we wrestle with our guilt and forgive ourselves?
 

Nicole Wasilus is the Assistant Director at the University of Delaware Hillel.