About this episode
This episode discusses the book of Leviticus and its significance in Jewish rituals and teachings.
We begin a new book this Shabbat, Va-yiqra [Leviticus], which is also the name of the parashah [Leviticus 1:1-5:26]. The rabbis call the book torat kohanim. In his JPS Commentary, Baruch Levine discusses the double meaning of the phrase: it is both the teaching for the priests and the teaching of or by the priests. The book is at once an instruction manual for priests and a distillation of priestly teaching. While many people find this book inaccessible, I love it! In particular, our parashah deals with the principal sacrifices brought by the individual: the olah [burnt offering], minhah [grain offering], zevah sh’lamim [sacred gift of greeting], hatta’t [sin offering], and asham [guilt offering]. The welter of details can be offputting, but they also remind us of the need for proper performance of rituals. There is a prescribed order; they do not happen by chance. And it is these rituals, I would argue, that make Judaism distinctive from other religions. Our thoughts and prayers are with the soldiers of the US Armed Forces and Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm’s way. Shabbat Shalom.
Topics covered
- Judaism
- sacrifices
- rituals
- Leviticus
- religious teachings
Keywords
- Va-yiqra
- torat kohanim
- olah
- minhah
- zevah sh’lamim
- hatta’t
- asham
- sacrifices
- ritual performance
- Judaism
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Parsha Talk Vayikra 5786 2026, Va-yiqra [Leviticus, parashah
Places: Judaism
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