Parshas Tzav: Rav Shimshon Pincus - Korban Todah, A Very Public Thank You
Unlike the other Korbanos that are brought mainly for Hashem, A Korban Shlamim is brought when a person wants to have a feast but also wants to include Hashem. The meat is divided between Hashem, the Kohanim, and the owner, and all this meat will be eaten over two days. The Korban Todah is a kind of Korban Shlamim, but it differs in that it must be consumed the day it is brought and before the next morning. Also, there are 40 breads that need to be consumed during this short period.
Rav Shimshon Pincus explains the reason for these differences. "The Korban Todah is not just any feast, it is a feast of gratitude to Hashem for a salvation you received. It is not enough to be thankful in private, you must very publicly thank Hashem. It is an opportunity to extend the greatness of Hashem to others and it should not be missed. The strict time limit for finishing the meat and the great abundance of bread means that the host will need to invite many people to his party in order to finish it."
So when it comes time to make a party and say Thank You to Hashem, you may be the host, but Hashem makes the menu, and you need to make sure to finish it all up.
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