18 Lessons
Vayikra The Leader Sinned
The very possibility to demand of a king to acknowledge his sin is a great novelty. All the more so, we would never expect that there would be someone with permission to rebuke the king or to demand of him to admit that he sinned.
Vayikra A Soul who Sinned against … Hashem?
most the entire Sefer Vayikra and, deals with mitzvot between man and Hashem. The p’sukim in the end of the Parshah, in contrast, deal with matters between man and his fellow man, and the Torah still calls it a ma’al baHashem. In addition
Parashat Hashavua The Ability to Give Up – part I
The new sefer begins: “He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (Vayikra 1:1). This opening to Vayikra, which Chazal called, The Torah of the Kohanim, highlights once again the greatness of the spirit of Aharon HaKohen, Moshe’s older brother. One would think that since the main topic of the sefer is the commandments relating to the Mishkan and the service performed in it, about which Aharon was in charge, that the matter would be addressed to Aharon. However, it was actually told to Moshe! Yet, we find no hint in the Torah that Aharon had any jealousy toward his younger brother due to the latter’s greater prominence. To the contrary, when Aharon found out that he would be accompanying Moshe in a junior role, Hashem reports: “He will go out to greet you, will see you, and will be happy in his heart” (Shemot 4:14).
Parashat Hashavua Sinning against those Closest to us and Sinning against G-d
At the end of the parasha, the Torah brings the following case: “If a person sins and acts deceitfully against Hashem, by denying his friend’s (claim) regarding an article that was deposited by him…” (Vayikra 5:21). The opening words of the pasuk imply that the sin is within the realm of “between man – and G-d.” However, the specific description is of a sin between man and man. Chazal sensed the seeming contradiction. We will bring Rabbi Akiva’s explanation in Midrash Halacha, cited by Rashi.
Parashat Hashavua Closeness
There are so many types of korbanot (sacrifices or offerings; it is a word that cannot be accurately translated along with its nuances). Some are private, and some are communal. Some are for sins, and some are to celebrate holidays. Some are to offer personal thanks, and some deal with complex personal situations of a variety of types (sota, metzora, nazir).
Vayikra “I Swore to Tell the Truth”
In the midst of a parasha dealing with korbanot, it is strange to find the following pasuk: “Should a soul sin and hear the voice of a curse and he is a witness, either he saw or he knew, if he does not say, he will bear his sin”.