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Weekly Reading Insights:
Vayikra
5783 |
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Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat Vayikra,
3 Nissan 5783 / March 25
Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:26; Haftora: Isaiah 43:21-28, 44:1-23
Vayikra is the 1st Reading out of 10 in Leviticus and it contains 6222
letters, in 1673 words, in 111 verses.
A 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
(for
a free weekly email subscription, click
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This week's Torah portion, Vayikra,begins with the words "And G d called
to Moses" - revelation. Very close to the end of last week's Torah reading,
the end of the book of Shemot/Exodus, speaks about the cloud that covered the
Sanctuary making it impossible for Moshe to enter - concealment.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught that this is an example of one of life's formulas
that, whether we like it or not, each of us experiences the constant dichotomy
between Divine concealment expressed as life's difficulties, and revelation,
which is the light bursting through, G-d showing us the way.
The Degel Machaneh Ephraim, written by Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudikov, the Ba'al
Shem Tov's grandson, connects this to Tractate Avot (Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the
Fathers 6:2): "Each and every day, a divine voice calls out from Mt. Moriah
saying, 'Woe to the people because their actions are an affront to the Torah!'"
This divine voice is each person's thoughts of teshuvah, the return to
spiritual sensibility that sparks the heart of each of us every day. Whoever
opens themselves, and is sensitive enough to hear it, to understand and respond,
is on the level of Moshe, to whom "the voice would reach out only to him".
Whoever ignores this inner voice that sparks in his/her heart, risks becoming
cold and deaf to its message and influence.
Vayikra's second verse is, "When a person brings an offering from his own"
[in Hebrew, mikem]. Mikem can also be translated as "from
himself". The Temple in Jerusalem no longer stands. The whole purpose of
the offerings, even when the Sanctuary stood, and more so now when each person
is themselves a sanctuary and our daily prayers are in place of the offerings,
is to offer ourselves to G d. We must sacrifice the animal part of ourselves
- our evil inclination, which is referred to as our natural or "animal
soul" - as an offering on the altar, the grand stage of life. (Likutei
Torah)
The third verse has the word l'riztono, which is usually translated as
"willingly". When a person brings an offering to the Sanctuary, it
should be "willingly before G d". The Maggid of Mezritch, the protégé
and main student of the Ba'al Shem Tov, explains it differently. When a person
offers him/herself, it should be l'ritzono, which can also mean, should
offer "his/her own will". What is the most valuable element of ourselves
that we can offer to G-d, that opens the channels for us to connect to the Divine
and reach the highest levels of holiness? Our own will. This is explained by
the Sages: "Fulfill His will as you would your own will, so that He may
fulfill your will as though it were His will. Set aside your will because of
His will, so that He may set aside the will of others before your will."
( Pirkei Avot/Ethics of Our Fathers 2:4)
The Maggid illustrated this with a story. Once in mid-winter, Napoleon was sleeping
in a tent on the battle front. He had a few blankets to keep him warm. Suddenly,
he woke with a terrific thirst but did not want to go out into the cold. He
said to himself, "If I, Napoleon, am so lazy, what is the difference between
me and everyone else?" So he jumped out of bed and walked across the camp
for a drink. When he reached the water barrels, he changed his mind. He said,
"For a little thirst I got out of bed and walked all this distance?! Can
I not even control a little thirst? What is between me and everyone else?"
He did not drink and returned to his tent. "This example," said the
Maggid, "is what we call breaking one's will so we can offer it to G-d!"
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
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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
Specifically, for an overview
of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists,
and more, click to Vayikra
one sample:
Mystical Classics
Fixing
an Imperfect World
From Shenei Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
"
Adam ki yakriv/for when a man shall offer"
The laws pertaining to sacrifices,
as well as those pertaining to rehabilitation from different skin diseases and
other impurities, are all reminders of the first sin committed by Adam and the
resultant diminution of man's stature in the universe. Thus, Leviticus provides
us with the general rectification of all humanity.
To continue, click
here.
For a free email subscription to our weekly
anthology, click
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For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the our
weekly Kabbalah magazine

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