Hashem Wants You

In this week’s parshah of Vayikra, the Torah says, "Adam ki yakriv mikem korban laHashem" – “When a person from among you brings a sacrifice to Hashem.”

There’s a deeper message here. The verse could have simply said, "Adam ki yakriv korban laHashem" – “When a person brings a sacrifice to Hashem.” Why does it add the word mikem – “from you”?

I once heard from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlit"a, a powerful explanation from the Sfas Emes. He teaches that the ultimate korban is not the animal offered on the altar, but the inner self of the person bringing it. What Hashem truly wants is you — your heart, your sincerity, and your dedication.

Hashem wants you. More than any external act, He desires a personal, internal offering — mikem, from within you. He wants us to serve Him with our unique strengths, talents, and potential. We must each ask ourselves: What am I giving of myself to Hashem?

Adam ki yakriv mikem — when a person brings from within — that is the most profound korban of all.

Let me share a true story that beautifully illustrates this idea:

Over a century ago in Vienna, there lived a young Jewish girl with a stunning voice. She was deeply talented, with the potential for worldwide fame. But she was also a frum girl, and a career in professional singing didn’t align with her values.

One day, a well-known music agent heard about her talent and offered her a lucrative contract and a path to stardom. Excited, she brought the offer to her parents. They were deeply concerned. A life on the stage could pull her far from her roots and her Yiddishkeit. They urged her to turn it down — but she was resolute. She was ready to chase fame and sign the deal.

In desperation, her father took her to the Kapytshnitzer Rebbe, Rav Yitzchok Meir, who was visiting Vienna at the time. The Rebbe looked at the girl and gently asked, “Why do you want this so much?”

She answered honestly, “Because I want to be famous. I want the world to know who I am.”

The Rebbe closed his eyes and sat in deep thought. After a few moments, he opened them and said, “Every Jewish mother dreams of raising a child who will illuminate the world. I promise you: if you give up this opportunity, you will be blessed with a son who will bring true light to the world — not with music, but with Torah. He will become one of the greatest halachic authorities of his time. Your fame will come — not through applause, but through eternal impact.”

The girl was deeply moved. She walked away from the contract — from the fame, the dream, and the spotlight — and chose a different path.

She later married and had a son named Shmuel. That child grew up to become Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner zt”l, the renowned Shevet Levi, one of the most respected poskim of the generation.

Why did she merit such greatness? Because she gave mikem — from herself. She offered her dreams to Hashem. That was her personal korban.

This is what Hashem wants from each of us. Not just what we do or what we give, but who we are willing to become. Hashem wants our essence — our heart, our struggle, our commitment.

Let’s take a moment to reflect. What are we offering from within? How can we grow closer to Hashem by giving mikem — from ourselves?

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