Vayikra
Lev. 1:1 - 5:26
Précis: The title of the Third Book of the Torah, Vayikra (“And He called”) is usually translated as “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 and its emphasis on holiness.
As noted in the introduction to this Book in the Plaut Commentary, much of this “holiness” is expressed in terms of rituals which ceased to exist with the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E. The word generally used in English for the ritual offerings in the Temple is “sacrifice,” but there is a deeper meaning to be found in the Hebrew word, korban, from a root meaning “to draw closer.” The system of “sacrifices” (“korbanot”) was designed to allow the Israelites to “draw closer” to the Ineffable.
As the synagogue became the center of Jewish religious life, prayers were inserted seeking the restoration of sacrifices at the Temple. These remain in traditional liturgy today, as a daily reminder of our ancient ritual life and its core intent of drawing closer to God.
Lev. 4:22 “When a chieftain incurs guilt by doing unwittingly any of the things which by the commandment of Adonai his God ought not to be done, and he realizes his guilt…he shall bring as his offering a male goat without blemish.”
This verse is unusual for many reasons, but perhaps the most salient factor is the use of the word “when” instead of the usual construction of such verses, which begin with “if.” In other situations, the text states, “If an individual sins.” Why does the text assume that a ruler (or leader) will sin?
The Italian commentator the Sforno explains that powerful people are more likely to be observed sinning, and therefore must be more careful about their conduct. Another interpretation is that a leader is more likely to sin because of the obvious temptations that leadership can offer. One suggestion (in Etz Hayim) is that the leader must make so many decisions, that it is almost impossible to avoid harming the innocent. The Talmud tells us to consider ourselves fortunate when a leader atones for sin (BT Hor. 10b), for if the people see the ruler atoning for sin, they would be more likely to atone themselves.
That brings us to today, when our leaders rarely, if ever, admit error, let alone atone for it. Our divisive politics seem to prevent our acknowledgement of the teachings of millennia of Jewish thought, both in the United States and in Israel. Would that it could be otherwise.
