אור החיים — אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה'

Q — In the homiletical layer, why does the verse phrase the offering as 'אדם כי יקריב מכם' — 'a person who brings near from you' — rather than simply 'a person who brings an offering'?

A — Or HaChaim reads 'יקריב' as 'draws near' and 'מכם' as 'by virtue of you [Israel].' Even one as exalted as Moshe could draw close to the Shechinah only as Israel's emissary: all of God's speech to him was 'for the sake of Israel.' The proof is that during the 38 years Israel was in disfavor after the spies, the divine glory withdrew and God did not speak with Moshe. So 'יקריב מכם' teaches that any individual's closeness to God flows 'from you' — from the collective merit of Klal Yisrael.