Vayikra
Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26
Précis: The Third Book of the Torah, Vayikra (“And He called”) is usually called “Leviticus” in English, from its Septuagint (Greek) name, which in turn is based on the fact that much of the Book concerns ritual sacrifices performed under the auspices of the Levites.The introduction to this Book in Etz Hayim reminds us that the “central concern” of the ancient Israelites was “how they were to express their loyalty” to Adonai. This loyalty was expressed through a sacrificial system and by acting as we believe God would act: to be "holy." This parasha begins the specific discussion of various kinds of “korbanot” (sacrifices).
Leviticus 1:2 “Whenever any man of you presents an offering of cattle to Adonai, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock.”
With its detailed description of the various sacrifices, Leviticus describes a kind of Judaism practiced before Judaism morphed into the rabbinic form of our religion which has existed for more than 2,000 years (far longer, indeed, than the era of animal sacrifices!) The Hebrew word for sacrifice, “korban,” comes from a root suggesting “to draw close” so we can at least understand what this system was all about, even as we reject the manner of drawing close to God chosen by our ancestors. Since the beginning of rabbinic Judaism, there have been significant and continual changes and modifications to Jewish practice. Yet, we continue reading this Book every year; why does a review of abandoned rituals retain any relevance?
One key to Jewish survival over the millennia has been our willingness to examine our sacred texts, draw lessons from them, and interpret them in a way that has meaning in our contemporary lives. We don’t jettison our ancient texts even if they are no longer part of how we live. We honor their existence and we revere the centuries of commentary which have allowed us to be part of a transformation of our faith from bloody entrails to sublime thought.
Traditional Jews believe that rabbinic Judaism grew directly from the biblical founders through the “Oral Law” which they believed was transmitted from God to Moses and ultimately to the great Sages. Others believe that the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period (in the first two centuries of the Common Era) added an entire new way of preserving the essential moral and theological concepts of the faith. The authors of Mishna and Talmud rejected the idea that they were themselves creating anything “new;” they were simply explaining how the commands of the Torah were to be followed in new places and times.
We stand witness to the fact that our Jewish practice has been transformed time and again, and still remains linked to an ancient heritage. The rituals described in Leviticus differ remarkably from our modern understanding of Judaism, yet both share a common goal: how are we “to draw near” to God, and how are we to live a life infused with holiness?
