3 17 25 – Simple Salt

The introduction to the offerings (korbanot) covered a lot of territory, since none of them are really sacrifices but investments toward a more intimate walk with the Lord. The technical aspects of the Lord's commands regarding the offerings are daunting for our "temple-less" days, but we can make a simple acknowledgment of what we can understand: there is one lifestyle commonality with each korban—salt.

At first, salt seems like a trivial addition, especially since the offerings are put on the fire, but this little detail is revealed to be a powerful and transformative idea (Lev. 2:13):

And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
(Lev. 2:13)

As we should, let us ask the obvious questions that most inquiring minds know: salt is a mineral consisting of the two elements sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Salt crystals are obtained from the evaporation of seawater. It is definitely more than just a spice used to season food or enhance flavors. In the biochemistry world of our bodies, it is an essential ingredient for sustaining life and human health. The right amounts play a role in nerve connection, food digestion, nutrient absorption, maintaining water and pH balance in the body, and much more.

With those well-known uses within the body, what is their role in the offerings? And why did God command that no offering ever be brought to the altar without it (Lev. 2:13)? Metaphorically, the altar can represent the mouth of God, where the offerings are consumed and enjoyed by the One who dwells in His house. Similarly, but not to the same extent, Job knew the tasty role of salt very well (Job 6:6):

Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
(Job 6:6)

Salt enhances and preserves flavor in the context of the offerings brought to the Lord. Salt can be seen as symbolizing the idea of enhancing and preserving the relationship between the individual and the Lord. Just as salt brings out the best in food, Torah's goal is for our offerings to bring out the best in our relationship with the Lord. One of the most important characteristics of salt is that it remains constant and unchanging over time. It is used as a preservative to prevent decay and spoilage, and thus it represents the concept of permanence and preservation. On a simple level, bringing an offering to the Lord with salt is an expression of our desire for our connection with the Lord to be enduring and everlasting. At the same time, salt also cleanses; it is actually a purifying agent. Thus, salt as an accompaniment to the offering demonstrates that we are seeking spiritual purification and cleansing, preparing ourselves to come closer to the Lord in a state of purity through salt. As a transformative power, its service reminds us of the goal of finding one's essence. These are some initial ideas of the meaning of salt in the offerings.

But looking again at Leviticus 2:13, we see that the Torah—God's instructions—refers to this commandment to use salt with an unusual expression, calling it the "salt of the covenant" of your God.

What is the "covenant of your God" referring to, and why did He make a covenant specifically through salt? Again, starting on a simple level, we can see an idea of permanence and the eternal nature of God's promises. Salt is an essential expression of God's eternal nature of the covenant between God and His people. Just as salt never spoils or loses its flavor, the covenant with God has everlasting and enduring qualities. And since salt does not decay, its ability to preserve food without spoiling is a clear metaphor for the eternal and unchanging covenant—transcending time and space—that exists between Israel and God, who is Himself eternal and unchangeable.

May we take the eternal qualities of our God that He placed inside of us and shake them into the world around us, because salt does not do any good in the salt shaker.

Shalom,
Alan

Last night's Zoom call: "The Offerings of Leviticus 1–5 Are Not Sacrifices, but Investments to Draw Near to God Who Dwells Within the Tabernacle. What Does That Look Like Today?" Answers inside :-) 
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/jjrBnUmr7MGFrx0H6UMkg8gPukU5xpC8WiGose5xuDGscW4bxpokUnmozLwesFzw.jzzKm4RqDz023JwT

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