If we overcome our personal frailties and reach out to G-d in prayer and to our fellow humans in kindness, then we approach eternal and Divine values.
Thus, to be ideally human is to strive toward Divinity, and such striving is well within our means.
Oseh shalom bimeromav, hu yaaseh shalom aleinu veal kol Yisraeil, veimeru: amen.
Sin and Guilt
All of chapter four focuses on the unwitting violation of G-d's commandments by the priests, the congregation, the ruler, and the people of the land. For each group the sacrifice required was less demanding, moving in descending scale from the priests to the "common people."
Each offense had in common the fact that the sin was "unwitting" and was directed against "any one of those which the L-rd has commanded not to be done." These were sins of commission, committed in violation of some command of G-d. Such overt sin, however unwitting, required the sin offering for atonement.
For ancient people everything was divided into ritually "clean" and "unclean" categories. Anything repulsive, abnormal, or distorted was likely to be regarded as unclean. Anything that stood outside the direct realm of G-d, such as other deities or demons was "unclean." Nonhuman powers hostile to persons in covenant with G-d were also "unclean," as were animals, foods, and practices of non-Israelite source. So, if any person violated the laws of "clean and unclean" by touching an unclean thing, whether nonhuman or human, he had sinned against G-d, and a sin offering was required.
Oaths and vows are taken seriously in the Tanach. Once made they must be fulfilled, or the person was guilty of sinning against G-d. Perhaps it was this seriousness that led the writer of Ecclesiastes to say: "When you make a vow to G-d, do not delay to fulfill it. For He has no pleasure in fools; what you vow, fulfill. It is better not to vow at all than to vow and not fulfill" (5:3-4). Consideration for persons of lesser means is exemplified here as in previous passages. Confession was presupposed prior to offering the sacrifice.
Shalom U'Bracha (peace and blessings),
Thomas
