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vaYikra (Leviticus) 9:1
1st Aliya
And it was on the eighth day, that
Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Yisra'el.
Previously HaShem spoke through Moshe
primarily to the Children of Yisra'el as to how and type of offerings they were
to present as a sacrifice, now HaShem speaks to Aharon and his sons and teaches
them the additional guidelines that relate to their part as the Kohanim.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 9:17
2nd Aliya
And he brought forward the meal
offering, filled his palm with it, and caused it to [go up in] smoke on the
altar, in addition to the morning burnt offering.
HaShem instructs Moshe in the Kohanim and
the Kohen Gadol for the priestly meal-offerings. The meal-offerings will
be offered on three different occasions. Each Kohen must offer it once in
their lifetime as in the first time he performs a Temple service; the Kohen
Gadol must make the offering when he takes office and every day thereafter.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 9:24
3rd Aliya
And fire went forth from before
the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar, and all
the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their faces.
An individual that survived a
life-threatening crisis, they are to bring a thanksgiving-offering to express
their gratitude to HaShem; and a public recognition praise-offering to HaShem,
Who saved them from the crisis of the circumstance in life.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 10:12
4th Aliya
And Moses spoke to Aaron and his
surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the meal offering that is left over
from the Lord's fire offerings, and eat it as unleavened loaves beside the
altar, for it is a holy of holies;
HaShem instructs Moshe to encourage Aharon
and his sons to serve HaShem in the role as the priestly men for the Children of
Yisra'el. After all it was Moshe who felt unworthy to serve HaShem in his role
as the leader and mediator between G-d and His children.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 10:16
5th Aliya
And Moses thoroughly inquired
insistently
concerning the sin offering he goat, and behold, it had been burnt! So he was
angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's surviving sons, saying: "Why did you not
eat the sin-offering in the place of holiness, for it is most holy; and HaShem
gave it to you to gain forgiveness for the sin of the assembly and to atone for
them before HaShem?..."
Moshe erred because he became angry. Had it
not been for his anger, he would have analyzed what happened and realized that
the Kohanim had acted properly. The Torah does not omit the shortcomings of the
greatest people, because we must learn from their errors just as we learn from
their virtues.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 11:1
6th Aliya
And the Lord spoke to Moses and to
Aaron, to say to them: "Speak to the Children of Y'israel saying, These are
creatures that you may eat from among all the animals that are upon the earth."
The Torah stresses the reason for "kashrus"
in very clear and powerful terms: By observing the advice of HaShem one can pull
themselves up the ladder of holiness; by ignoring this advice, one gradually
builds a barrier that blocks out the comprehension of holiness.
vaYikra (Leviticus) 11:33
7th Aliya
But any earthenware vessel, into
whose interior any of them falls, whatever is inside it shall become unclean,
and you shall break [the vessel] itself. Of any food that is edible, upon which
water comes, shall become contaminated; and any beverage that can be drunk, in
any vessel shall become contaminated.
Only a vessel used for a productive purpose
can become contaminated. Earthenware vessels are unique in three respects; 1)
They become contaminated only through their interior, but not if tumah
(contamination) comes in contact with an outside wall; 2) they become
contaminated when the tumah merely enters the interior, even if t does not come
in contact with the surface of the vessel; 3) earthenware cannot be purified
through immersion in a mikveh.
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