Parashat Vayikra

Torah Portions

In Vayikra (“He Called”), the first Torah portion in the book of Leviticus, God tells Moses about the sacrifices offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Among these are sacrifices entirely burnt on the altar, meal offerings made of flour and oil, peace offerings, and sacrifices brought for sinning inadvertently.

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The Burnt Offering

TANAKH

The olah, or burnt offering, is the first type of sacrifice discussed in the book of Leviticus. Parashat Vayikra outlines the requirements and procedures for offering a burnt offering.

If your offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you shall make your offering a male without blemish. You shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before יהוה. You shall lay a hand upon the head of the burnt offering, that it may be acceptable in your behalf, in expiation for you. The bull shall be slaughtered before יהוה; and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The burnt offering shall be flayed and cut up into sections…

Leviticus 1:3-9

The Art of Meal Offerings

TANAKH

In addition to animal sacrifices, the book of Leviticus details how to offer meal offerings, which were usually grain-based offerings. Parashat Vayikra describes different types of meal offerings.

When you present an offering of meal baked in the oven, [it shall be of] choice flour: unleavened cakes with oil mixed in, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. If your offering is a meal offering on a griddle, it shall be of choice flour with oil mixed in, unleavened. Break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a meal offering. If your offering is a meal offering in a pan, it shall be made of choice flour in oil.

Leviticus 2:4-7

Restitution and Atonement in Vayikra

TANAKH

The Torah instructs that those who commit sins involving deceit, such as fraud or robbery, must make reparations to their victims. Parashat Vayikra details how to go about the process of obtaining forgiveness in these cases.

When a person sins and commits a trespass against יהוה —by dealing deceitfully with another in the matter of a deposit or a pledge, or through robbery, or by defrauding another, or by finding something lost and lying about it; if one swears falsely regarding any one of the various things that someone may do and sin thereby— when one has thus sinned and, realizing guilt, would restore either that which was gotten through robbery or fraud, or the entrusted deposit, or the lost thing that was found,…

Leviticus 5:21-26

The Humble Aleph

COMMENTARY

The Hebrew letter "aleph" is the last letter in the word "Vayikra," and in the Torah, it appears smaller than all the other letters. Kitzur Ba'al HaTurim, an abbreviation of a commentary authored by 14th-century rabbi Jacob ben Asher, explores the significance of this small aleph.

And He called. The א of ויקרא is written as a small letter because Moshe wanted to write ויקר (and it happened), the way it is written regarding Bilaam, which implies God appeared to him only as a chance occurrence. God, however, told him to write the א which indicates His love, but Moshe made it small.

Kitzur Ba'al HaTurim on Leviticus 1:1:1

Why Did God Command Sacrifices?

COMMENTARY

Maimonides maintained that God's instructions to offer sacrifices were connected to the fact that nations surrounding the Israelites worshipped animals. Ramban, in his 13th-century commentary, challenges Maimonides' approach and offers his own explanation about the purpose and meaning behind sacrifices.

A BURNT-OFFERING. “[He shall burn it] with the intention that it should be a burnt-offering [and not an offering of another category]. ‘ISHEIH’ (A FIRE-OFFERING). When he slaughters it he should slaughter it with the intention of [burning it by] fire, [as will be explained further on]. Wherever the word isheih occurs, it is an expression of fire. PLEASING — it is pleasing to Me that I have commanded and My will was done.” This is the language of Rashi.
Now the Rabbi did not explain what is meant by “the intention of [burning it by] fire…

Ramban on Leviticus 1:9:1

Timely Observance of Commandments

MIDRASH

In certain contexts, the Torah offers different options for how to offer a sacrifice depending on what the person sacrificing can afford. The Sifra, an ancient midrash on the book of Leviticus, points out how this concept highlights the importance of fulfilling commandments promptly.

1) (Vayikra 5:11) "And if his hand does not attain to two turtle-doves or to two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering wherein he has sinned, a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering.": R. Yehudah says: Beloved is a mitzvah in its time. For he brings a tenth of an ephah immediately, and we do not wait for him until he becomes wealthy and brings a lamb or goat-kid.

Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura DeChovah, Chapter 19 1

The Symbolism of the Shelamim Offering

COMMENTARY

One of the sacrifices described in Parashat Vayikra is the shelamim offering, often translated as peace offering. Ralbag, a 14th-century Jewish philosopher and commentator, explores the symbolic connection between the shelamim offering and the concept of shalom, or peace.

And if a shelamim offering is his offering. After explaining the law of the mincha (meal offering), it comes to explain the law of performing the shelamim offering, and it has been called shelamim, derived from shalom (peace), meaning that it will come after there is peace between the person and God, and it is for this reason that the owners, the priests, and God all eat from it together at the same table—because the blood and organs go to the altar, the chest and the leg to the priests, and the skin and meat to the owners…

Ralbag Beur HaMilot on Torah, Leviticus 3:1:1

The Mystical Covenant of Salt

KABBALAH

Kabbalistic sources describe salt as a mystical element that symbolizes the eternal covenant and sustains the world. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, delves into the role of salt in the meal offering.

R. Aha said: ‘It is written: “Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meal-offering; with all thine oblations thou shalt offer salt.” Salt was to be used because it softens bitterness, and so mankind cannot do without it. Salt is the covenant upon which the world is established: hence it is called “the covenant of thy God”.’ R. Hiya said: ‘It is written: “For God is righteous, he loves righteousness” (Ps. 11, 7). This is the salt in the sea, and he who separates them brings death upon himself…

Zohar, Vayechi 66:666-668

Direct Involvement in Sacrificial Rituals

TALMUD

The method of pinching the nape of a bird for sacrifice, as described in Parashat Vayikra, requires the priest's direct involvement. This talmudic text outlines the specific requirements for bird sacrifices, highlighting the priest's role in performing the ritual by hand.