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The Ethics of Leviticus<\/b>\nRabbi Dr. Abba Engelberg
\nKodesh Press<\/p>\n
The Ethics of Leviticus<\/b>
\nRabbi Dr. Abba Engelberg
\nKodesh Press<\/p>\n
\u201cA book on Leviticus?\u201d I hear you ask. \u201cWhy is he reviewing a book on Leviticus in August? We don\u2019t read Leviticus until the spring!\u201d<\/p>\n
First off, Torah is \u2013 or should be \u2013 evergreen. As an editor, I encourage writers to say, \u201cIn Exodus 23, we read…\u201d or \u201cIt says in parshas VaYishlach…\u201d rather than \u201cIn this week\u2019s parsha\u2026,\u201d which unnecessarily locks a piece into a particular time frame. Similarly, we should allow ourselves to learn lessons from Rus even when it\u2019s not Shavuos and from Yonah even when it\u2019s not Yom Kippur.<\/p>\n
When it comes to Sefer VaYikra<\/em> \u2013 the Book of Leviticus \u2013 the tendency to avoid is perhaps exacerbated because many people are intimidated by it even in its proper time frame in the seder haparshiyos<\/em>. The name Leviticus comes from the rabbinic title of the book, Toras Kohanim<\/em>. These names translate as \u201cthe laws of the priests\/Levites,\u201d reflecting the fact that much \u2013 though not all \u2013 of this sefer<\/em> revolves around the Temple service. To many, the laws of sacrifices and ritual impurity seem irrelevant. We no longer offer sacrifices, which have been succeeded by prayer, and we do not observe most forms of tumah<\/em> and tahara<\/em>, so we don\u2019t understand these things and we don\u2019t see the need to.<\/p>\n The first problem with such reservations is that the Book of Leviticus contains much more than just korbanos<\/em> and various forms of tumah<\/em>. Among the other topics in Sefer VaYikra<\/em>, you\u2019ll find the laws of sexual propriety (chapter 18), Shabbos and holidays (chapter 23), shemittah<\/em> and yoveil<\/em> (chapter 25) and the first tochacha<\/em>, God\u2019s rebuke to us should we fail to obey His Torah (chapter 26). While there\u2019s precious little narrative in this particular book, we do have the incident in which two of Aharon\u2019s sons perished (chapter 10). And how can we overlook Leviticus 19:18, \u201cyou shall love your neighbor as yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n The second problem with people\u2019s reticence is the assumption that we have no practical use for studying korbanos<\/em> and tumah v\u2019tahara<\/em>. And that\u2019s where The Ethics of Leviticus<\/em> begins. As the author states later, in his commentary on shemittah<\/em>, the more clearly moralistic laws \u201cserve as a reminder that many of the seemingly arbitrary laws have ethical facets and ramifications.\u201d<\/p>\n Rabbi Dr. Abba Engelberg is a graduate of the Telshe Yeshiva and a RIETS musmach<\/em>. Additionally, he has a PhD from NYU and has served as a chaplain with the rank of colonel in the US Air Force. He also has four decades\u2019 experience as a professor in the Jerusalem College of Technology. In this work, he examines the ethical implications of the mitzvos<\/em> and narrative in Sefer VaYikra<\/em>. (This book is the third in a series, the earlier installments \u2013 which I have not seen \u2013 focusing on Genesis and Exodus.)<\/p>\n The Ethics of Leviticus<\/em> hits the ground running by discussing the rationale underlying korbanos<\/em> as posited by the Rambam. After a thorough introduction to these concepts through the Rambam\u2019s lens, Engelberg then contrasts them with the very-different approach of the Ramban, as well as outlining the historical consequences that resulted from this difference of opinion.<\/p>\n What was the sin of Nadav and Avihu, and did they deserve to die for it? What exactly is ritual impurity and what do we learn from it? What does it mean to be holy and how can we strive to achieve such a lofty goal? These are just some of the questions addressed in this volume.<\/p>\n Engelberg doesn\u2019t just pose a question and then answer it with the position of one mefaresh<\/em>. Rather, he presents multiple perspectives from both historical and modern authorities, resulting in a well-rounded examination of each subject. For example, the discussion of the concepts underlying tumah<\/em> invoke not only the position of the Rambam (a 12th<\/sup>-century Rishon) but also the thoughts of Rav Hirsch (19th<\/sup>-century Germany) and Rav Soloveitchik (20th<\/sup>-century US). A discussion of the chronology of the tochacha<\/em> in Bechukosai and its relation to the tochacha<\/em> in Ki Savo starts in the Midrash then weaves its way through the ibn Ezra, Ramban and Abarbanel.<\/p>\n Aside from the thoughtful analyses of topics arranged by sedra<\/em>, The Ethics of Leviticus<\/em> includes a number of useful appendices on subjects ranging from the varying opinions regarding the timeline of the two Temples to the Queen Heleni of Adiabene and her son, King Munbaz.<\/p>\n As per its name, much of Leviticus revolves around laws that are unique to kohanim<\/em> and Leviim<\/em>. In his opening pages, Engelberg, citing Rav Dovid Zvi Hoffman (19th<\/sup>-20th <\/sup>century Germany), reminds us that \u201cthese rituals obviously pertain to the entire nation\u201d as a kohein<\/em> is \u201cno more than the emissary of the common man for performing the Temple service.\u201d We are each enjoined to be holy and, in fact, \u201ca nation of priests\u201d (Exodus 19:6), with the result that Leviticus is truly meant for us all.<\/p>\n The Ethics of Leviticus<\/em> will enhance one\u2019s appreciation for a sefer<\/em> of Chumash that is perhaps undervalued, or at the very least approached by many with some degree of\u00a0 trepidation. Read it chapter-by-chapter over the course of ten weeks in the spring to illuminate your review of the weekly Torah portion or enjoy it at any time of year because Torah-study is always good.<\/p>\n Rabbi Jack Abramowitz is Torah Content Editor at the Orthodox Union. He is the author of six books, including\u00a0The Tzniyus Book<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0The Taryag Companion<\/a>. His latest work,\u00a0The God Book<\/a>, is available from\u00a0OU Press<\/a>\u00a0as well as on\u00a0Amazon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Ethics of Leviticus Rabbi Dr. Abba Engelberg Kodesh Press \u201cA book on Leviticus?\u201d I hear you ask. \u201cWhy is he reviewing a book on Leviticus in August? We don\u2019t read Leviticus until the spring!\u201d First off, Torah is \u2013 or should be \u2013 evergreen. As an editor, I encourage writers to say, \u201cIn Exodus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":384,"featured_media":62212,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\n
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