Parashat Vayikra
First Aliya - 13 p'sukim - 1:1-13 [SDT] Note that it does not say "And G-d called to Moshe", but rather "And He called..." Vayikra is not a fresh beginning; it is the continuation of P'kudei. At the end of P'kudei, Moshe was temporarily out of touch (so to speak) with G-d. Here G-d reestablishes contact with Moshe by calling to him and then speaking to him. Notice the unique wording in this first pasuk of Vayikra; the method by which G-d communicated with Moshe was different from the prophets and all others. First among the korbanot that the Torah presents is the OLAH (of a bull), the offering that is completely consumed on the Mizbei'ach. A common procedure in the bringing of many korbanot is leaning upon the animal before it is slaughtered. Many details of korbanot have psychological effects upon the one who brings the korban. The contact with the animal gives the korban-bringer a sober realization of the tenuousness of life (his own, not just the animal's). After slaughter, the blood of Sh'chita is collected in a sacred vessel and is then brought to the Mizbei'ach to be poured on it. This procedure is essential for (all) korbanot. The OLAH is skinned (the skin is a gift to the kohanim) and cut into pieces which are placed on the fire of the Mizbei'ach and there completely consumed (except for the skin). Male sheep and goats can also be brought as OLAH. The procedures are similar, but not identical. [SDT] Sacrifices from the cow family are considered to be atonements for the Sin of the Golden Calf. That with which the People sinned can now be used for sacred purposes as a redemption, atonement and Tikun - repair. We often find that the bull is the first presented, discussed, offered, etc. This lends credence to its roll as atonement for the Golden Calf. It is the father trying to clean up his son's mess. [SDT] The OLAH is considered by the Talmud to be an atonement for improper thoughts. The CHATAT - sin offering - is brought for (some) improper deeds. The Olah is presented first because it is most often the case that improper thoughts precede (and lead to) improper deeds, rather than the other way around. [SDT] The opening command concerning Korbanot is, "A person (singular) who offers from among you a sacrifice... they (plural) shall offer their sacrifice." Toldot Yitzchak (a Torah commentary written by R. Yitzchak Caro, uncle of the M'chabeir and the one who raised him) suggests that since an individual doing a mitzva can have a positive effect on all of Klal Yisrael and the whole world, then his individual sacrifice is really ours, hence the switch to plural. Editor's addition: Furthermore, there are aspects of Korbanot that relate to the community, even if the korban at issue is a private one. The wood for the fire, the salt of each korban, the kohanim performing the Avoda - these are all communal aspects that make one's korban, our korban. [SDT] The Ba'al HaTanya explains the wording, "A person who brings from you a korban to HaShem, from the animal..." as the requirement of a korban-bringer to sacrifice the animal within himself upon the Mizbei'ach. The act of a Korban must be personalized and internalized for it to have the effect of bringing us closer(this is the root meaning of KORBAN-KAROV) to G-d. Baal HaTurim says that G-d put Moshe's name before His own in the opening pasuk of Vayikra, to tell us all of the close personal relationship that He had with him. Baal HaTurim also points out: 9words in the opening pasuk of the Book of Korbanot, and 9 words in ANOCHI... He who learns Torah is considered as if he brought all the Korbanot.
[SDT] Note that the bird offering is called OLAH LA'SHEM, a Burnt Offering to G-d. Although no one eats from an animal OLAH, the skin is a given to a kohen as one of his gifts/dues. The dove is completely consumed on the Mizbei'ach. It is the only korban that is COMPLETELY to HaShem. The Torah next describes the MINCHA (not to be confused with our afternoon davening), a meal offering. It consists of flour and oil with a bit of frankincense (L'vona) and differing amounts of water. (Water as an ingredient is not mentioned in the Written Word, but is part of our Oral Tradition.) Three types of MENACHOT are described in this portion. They differ in the method of preparation - baking, pan frying, etc. - but all contain the same ingredients. [SDT] Until this point in Vayikra, the Torah has described four different types of voluntary offerings, each one less expensive than the one before it. The bull is most costly, sheep and goat cost less, but more than a dove. And a flour and oil offering is the least expensive. The person who brings the korban is referred to as ADAM, a human, the first time, and then with the pronoun he, him, his (she, her, hers). Only with the flour & oil offering is the bringer referred to as NEFESH, a soul.This says Rashi, refers to the poor person, who is the one who would most likely bring the Mincha. It might not cost a lot, but the poor person puts his soul into his modest korban.
MITZVA WATCH No korban may be offered without salt [118]; every korban must be salted [119]. (An example - there are others - of a commandment being given in the positive form as well as a prohibition. Fast on Yom Kippur. Don't eat or drink. Do not offer anything without salt. Salt all offerings. Each form of the mitzva - the ASEI and the LO TA"ASEI - teach us something different and affect the attitude and kavanot of the particular mitzva. A fifth type of MINCHA is next described. This one is made in a deep vessel, sort of like deep frying. [SDT] Our table is like the Mizbei'ach. A famous saying with many different manifestations. We salt our HaMotzi bread because we are expected to add an element of spirituality to an otherwise very mundane act of eating. Salt is a preservative and salt does not spoil. As such, it represents an element of the eternal in this temporal world. This explanation would apply to the korban as well as to our everyday minhag regarding salt.
Sometimes, goats and sheep are lumped together as TZON, animals of the flock. They are referred to as B'HEIMA DAKA, the smaller livestock, as opposed to CATTLE. In the case of Korbanot, there are differences between the two and therefore, they have to be treated separately.
For example... A person is basically Shomer Shabbat, but never knew that you cannot water grass on Shabbat. Nice hot summer Shabbat afternoon, the person "has mercy" on his yellowing lawn and turns on his sprinklers. When he learns of his mistake, he is required to bring a Korban Chatat (in the time of the Beit HaMikdash). [SDT] When a leader of the people shall sin... ASHER NASI YECHETA. The initials of this phase spell ANI (I, me!) What is likely to lead a leader astray? His focusing on himself and his losing sight of his responsibilities to the community he leads.
Clarification... If a person sees brown leaves on a house plant and pinches them off to enhance the growth of the plant on Shabbat, he has violated a Rabbinic prohibition. (This Rabbinic prohibition is based on the fact that the act is essentially the same as, and for the same purpose as, pruning leaves on a bush growing in the ground. Pruning is a Torah prohibition. The ban on doing the same with house plants is one of many protective measures of the Sages to protect the Torah from violation.) When the person learns of his error, no Korban is required because the act was not a Torah violation. But doing the same with one's rose bushes in the back yard IS a Torah violation and would require a CHATAT. Another category of sacrifice is the KORBAN OLEH V'YORED [123], a sliding-scale guilt offering. An example of a sin requiring this korban is suppression of testimony or lying under oath about it. Testifying is an obligation [122]. The form that the korban takes depends upon the financial means of the sinner - goat/sheep or doves. With birds, the kohen must be careful not to sever the head when he performs M'LIKA, the bird-korban equivalent of Sh'chita [124]. [SDT] The main animal for a communal CHATAT (as in the Musaf of Rosh Chodesh and Chagim) or an individual CHATAT, is the goat. This brings to mind the use of the goat by Yosef's brothers to deceive their father by dipping Yosef's coat into goat's blood. The CHATAT for all times contains a reminder of the terrible behavior of brother to brother.
The ASHAM for sacrilege is a ram. In addition, the violator, who has used the sacred for his own benefit, must make restitution and add one-fifth of the value as a penalty [127]. (Actually, one fourth is added, that amount that becomes one fifth of the total amount - 100 worth of use + 25 penalty = 125 total payment, the addition of 25 being one fifth of the 125.) A variation of the ASHAM is brought when one is not sure if he violated the particular prohibition or not. The Conditional Asham is a ram [128]. The thief is commanded to return that which he stole [130]. The bringing of the ASHAM for all the specific types of violations is a positive mitzva [129]. Thus the Torah ends its introduction to the different types of korbanot. [The Vayikra Homepage]
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