Weekly Reading Insights: Vayikra
5776

Overview of the Weekly Reading


To be read on Shabbat Vayikra, Shabbat Zachor - 9 Adar II 5776 /March 19

Torah:Leviticus 1:1-5:6 ; Maftir: Deut. 25:17-19, Haftorah: Samuel I 15:1-34 (pre-Purim)
Vayikra, 1st out of 11 in Leviticus, 24th overall, 19th out of 54 in overall length.

Discussion of how to bring burnt offerings of cattle, smaller animals and birds. Different types of meal offerings: burnt, baked, pan fried, deep fried, and the offering of the first grain of the season. A discussion of other types of offerings: Peace offerings could be of cattle, sheep or goats. Sin offerings are brought as an atonement. The sin offering for the high priest, then for the community, for the king or for an individual. Sins that the Torah delineates specifically as requiring a sin offering, in which cases he can choose between smaller animals, birds or a meal offering. Details about guilt offerings brought because of errors, doubtful situations or dishonesty or theft. 


An essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent

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We experience the Torah in small chunks. There are 5 books, 54 portions, each portion is divided into chapters and verses. But on another level the Torah is one unified entity, teaching us without any relation to the different divisions we use. The Lubavitcher Rebbe gives an example of this connecting the end of last week’s Torah portion, Pekudei which is the last portion of the 2nd book of of the Torah, Shmos with the beginning of this week’s portion, the first of the 3rd book of the Torah, called Vayika. The last section of Pekudei speaks about the divine cloud filling the Tent of Meeting. That verses say that Moshe could not come to the Tent while the divine cloud covered it and the divine presence filled it. The verse says (40/38), And Moshe could not enter the tent. We have a dichotomy here. The cloud was a visual sign of Gd’s presence. Yet it denied Moshe access. In essence the cloud was an example of concealment, holding Moshe back from communicating to Gd. The beginning of the next section, already in the next book, Vayikra begins with the words (1/1), And Gd called to Moshe. Calling someone is an example of revelation. If we follow the verses, this revelation followed the concealment in the previous verses. And like a peekaboo game, the revelation that follows a concealment is a substantially more powerful an experience than an independent isolated revelation.

The idea of a revelation that follows concealment in the Jewish man/Gd matrix, is called teshuvah, return. Teshuvah happens when a person allows himself to become distant from Gd. That is the concealment. And teshuvah means he or she returns to their rightful place of relationship to Gd, revelation. And like the immense difference between the darkness of concealment and the brightness of revelation, so also the light of teshuvah is something way beyond the darkness that preceded it, to the point that even purposely done negative deeds can be transformed to something positive, to merits. Darkness transformed to light.

This is the truth of the call that comes after the concealment. Whether between people or between a person and Gd, it is not just pushing away and removing the darkness but to make the darkness itself shine. To make night shine like day!

This is the teaching to each of us. No matter what difficulty we find ourselves in, never give up. Realize this is an opportunity. Through the darkness we have an opportunity to achieve an even greater revelation.

This also answers another gnawing question. Previous generation had so much more light. And they did not bring the redemption, they were so far away. How possibly can we, in this dark and confused generation bring the complete redemption?

And the answer is in the question. Sleep is strongest just before the dawn. Then is the most crucial time to strengthen ourselves, not to doze for even an instant. Rather, wake ourselves up to received the bright new morning, until the whole world will turn the night into day. (Toras Menachem vol 19, page 126.)

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul

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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.


FROM THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org

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Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more,
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one sample:

The Zohar
Elation Elevation

From the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; translation and commentary by Shmuel-Simcha Treister, based on Metok MiDevash

All service of G-d should be performed with joyfulness and heartfelt desire, in order that the worship should be complete. However, a person who has sinned before his Master and then brings a sin offering to rectify this, needs to feel broken and remorseful in spirit.

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