Inner Dimension Parasha Teaching

vaYikra

Leviticus 1:1--5:26

1st Aliya

1:1--1:13

2nd Aliya

1:14--2:6

3rd Aliya

2:7--2:16

4th Aliya

3:1--3:17

5th Aliya

4:1--4:26

6th Aliya

4:27--5:10

7th Aliya

5:11--5:26

 

Haftarah

Isaiah

43:21--44:23

 

Glossary of Names

Adonai--the Lord

 

Aharon----Aaron

 

aliyah--go up

 

asham--quilt-offering

 

b'nei Yisra'el--the children of Israel

 

chatta't--sin-offering

 

esheh--fire-offering

 

koban--offering

 

Miryam--Miriam

 

Moshe---Moses

 

Ruach haKodesh--Holy Spirit

 

Ohel Mo'ed--Tent of Meeting

 

Y'isra'el---Israel

 


vaYikra (Leviticus) 1:1...

1st Aliya

HaShem called to Moshe, and He spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying:

The Ramban states: The awesome and greatness was the glory of G-d that covered the Tabernacle that even Moshe was afraid to enter. Consequently, G-d "called" Moshe to reassure him that the Ohel Mo'ed was built to benefit him and b'nei Yisra'el, not to exclude them, but for Him to be close to them.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 1:14...

2nd Aliya

If one's offering to HaShem is an elevation-offering of fowl, he shall bring his offering from turtledoves or from young doves.

Fowl-offering may be either male or female, and they may have a blemish on their body. But not acceptable if a limb is missing. Turtledoves are acceptable once they mature and doves only when they are young. Just a note that the entire service is performed on top of the Altar, at the south east corner.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 2:7...

3rd Aliya

If your offering is a meal-offering in a deep pan, it shall be made of fine flour mixed with oil.

The pan used for this offering was narrow and deep. The oil would remain in concentrated form allowing the fried offering to remain soft. The fine flour mixing steps consist: first, oil poured into a vessel, next the fine-flour was poured on top the oil. The next step was to pour oil on top of the fine-flour and mix loosely. Finally, oil was poured on the mixture.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 3:1...

4th Aliya

If his offering is a feast peace-offering, if he offers it from the cattle--whether male or female--unblemished shall offer it before HaShem.

The peace-offerings were brought voluntarily by an individual or as a group who are moved to express their love to HaShem, their gratitude for His goodness and mercy. Sforno explains the peace-offering was brought as a tribute to HaShem, Blessed is He, when the individual moved to make an offering there was a recognition the ways of His goodness and His constant goodness to all.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 4:1...

5th Aliya

HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying:

The Torah now lists offerings that are required in order to atone for sins. In the previous three chapters the offerings were brought individually voluntarily in order to elevate oneself spiritually. The previous mentioned offerings could not atone for sins that were committed intentionally. No offering was sufficient to remove the stain of such sinfulness. On the other hand, if the sin was committed accidentally and without intent, no offering was needed.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 4:27...

6th Aliya

If an individual person from among the people of the land shall sin unintentionally, by committing one of the commandments of HaShem that may not be done, and he becomes guilty.

In the type of sin for which an individual requires atonement and in service of their sin-offering, an ordinary Jewish man or women and even a non Jewish individual were classified as a king. The difference the king brought a male goat and everyone else brought female goat and/or sheep.

vaYikra (Leviticus) 5:11...

7th Aliya

But if his means are insufficient for two turtledoves or for two young doves, then he shall bring, as his gift-offering for that which he sinned, a tenth-ephah of fine flour for a sin-offering; he shall not place oil on it nor shall he put frankincense on it, for it is a sin-offering.

HaShem showed mercy to the poor and assigned a very inexpensive offering to them so that they could afford to obtain atonement. But if a rich individual brings this same type of offering, not only does it not atone for them, they are guilty of the sin of bringing unsanctified objects into the Temple Courtyard.
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