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פָּרָשָׁה וַיִּקְרָא
Parsha 24. Vayikra |
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This week’s commentary from First Fruits of Zion (Messianic) |
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| This Week’s Reading Schedule | |
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Sunday Review and meditate on last week’s Parsha Monday Rishon [1st]: 1:1-13 Sheni [2nd]: 1:14-2:6 Tuesday Shlishi [3rd]: 2:7-16 R'vi'i [4th]: 3:1-17 Wednesday Chamishi [5th]: 4:11:26 Shishi [6th]: 4:27-5:10 |
Thursday Shvi'i [7th]: 5:11-6:4 Maftir [Concluding]: 6:5-7 Friday Haftarah: (Selections)[GN] Yesha‘yahu (Isaiah) 43:21-44:23 Ketuvei HaShalichim (Apostolic Writings) Basar: The Gospel Matthew 5:23-30 Kepherim: Letters (optional) Romim (Romans) 8:1-13 Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 10:1-14; 13:10-16 |
Listen to Parsha Vayikra read from the CJB
1. The Five Major Offerings (1:1–7:38)
a. Laws for the People (1:1–6:7)
i. The elevation-offering (1:1–17)[GN]
(i) 1 ADONAI[GN] called to Moshe,[1a] and said to him from the Tent of Meeting,[1b] 2 “Speak to the children of Isra'el, and tell them, ‘When any of you brings an offering[2] to ADONAI, you may bring as your offering an animal from the herd or from the flock.
3 “‘If one’s offering is a elevation-offering[3] from the herd, he is offer a male without defect. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, to be accepted before ADONAI. 4 He is to lay his hand[4] on the head of the elevation-offering, so it may be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 5 He is to kill the bull before ADONAI.[5] Aharon’s sons, the cohenimpriests, are to present the blood and splash it on all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 Next, he is to skin[6] the elevation-offering and cut it into pieces. 7 The sons of Aharon the cohenpriest are to prepare a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.[7] 8 Then Aharon’s sons, the cohenim, are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood that is on the the altar. 9 The entrails and the legs are to be washed with water, and the cohen is to burn all of it on the altar as a elevation-offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to ADONAI.
10 “‘If one’s offering is a elevation-offering from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he is to offer a male without defect. 11 He is to slaughter it on the north side of the altar before ADONAI, then Aharon’s sons, the cohenim, are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 12 He is to cut the animal into pieces, incuding its head and fat, and the cohen is to arrange the pieces on the burning wood that is on the altar; 13 but the entrails and legs are to be washed with water. Then the cohen is to offer the whole animal and burn it on the altar. It is a elevation-offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to ADONAI.
(ii) 14 “‘If one’s offering to ADONAI is a elevation-offering of birds, he is to make his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons. 15 The cohen is to bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 Then [the cohen] is to remove its crop and feathers,[16] and throw them down ono the east side of the altar, in the ash heap. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings without tearing it apart, and burn it on the altar, atop the burning wood. It is a elevation-offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to ADONAI.
1a. The latter chapters of Exodus relate that the Tabernacle had been built and become a fitting place for the Shechinah, God’s Presence, and for the sacrificial service. So great and awesome was the glory of God that covered the Tabernacle that even Moshe was afraid to enter. Consequently, God “called” to Moshe to reassure him that the Tabernacle had been built to benefit him and his people, not to exclude them (Rambam, et. al.) The Sages expound that this summon to Moshe is mentioned to teach that whenever God wished to impart a new command to him, He first summoned him lovingly, saying “Moshe, Moshe.” In reply, Moshe would say “הִנֶּ֣נִּֽי (Hinneni), here I am at your service.” As this verse implies, the call came exclusively to Moshe. God’s voice is powerful enough to shatter trees and be heard throughout the world, but it was the Divine will that it be heard only by Moshe. (Rashi; Sifra) [R' Moshe Feinstein, The Chumash] [BACK]
1b. “This was the moment when God wanted to impress upon Israel that they, not Moses, had the responsibility to be worthy of receiving prophecy. It was the first revelation in the new Tabernacle, which had been built with their contributions as the place where God’s Presence would rest among them. Now it was important for them to be made aware of their responsibility to maintin a high level of holiness. Thus, the verse’s emphasis that this prophecy was given in the Tent of Meeting.” (Be'er Titzchok, The Chumash) [BACK]
2. The root of the word קָרְבּן (qorban, offering) is קָרְבּ (qorb, coming near), because an offering is the means to bring ourselves closer to God and to elevate ourselves (R' Hirsch). For this reason, the common translation, sacrifice, does not adquately capture the essence of the word. (The Chumash) [BACK]
3. “Elevaton offering” translates the single word עֹלָ֤ה (olah, ascent), following the example of the ArtScroll Chumash, which contains a detailed explanation of the translation choice.
עֹלָ֤ה — Elevation-offering. An olah-offering may be brought by someone who has intentionally committed a sin for which the Torah does not prescribe a punishment or who failed to perform a positive commandment, by someone who had sinful thoughts that have not been carried out in deed, and by anyone who ascends to Jerusalem for the Three Pilgrimage Festivals. Similarly, it may be brought by anyone who wishes to raise his spiritual level.
There are various versions of the translation of olah, a word whose root, עלה, connotes going up. According to Rashi and Radak, olah means an offering that is completely burned [apparently because it goes up in flames to God].
Ramban, Ibn Ezra, and R' Bachya hold that the name refers to the sin for which one generally brings the offering. It atones for sinful ideas or thoughts, which come up in a person’s mind or imagination.
R' Hirsch comments that the offering’s name reflects its purpose, which is to raise its owner from the status of sinner and bring him to a state of spitirual elevation.
Tanchuma (Tzav I) states that it is called olah because it is superior [עליונה] to all other offerings [because it is voluntarily brought and is offered on the Altar in its entirety].
Our translation, elevation-offering, is literal and allows for all the above conotations.
See also “The Five Major Offerings” [BACK]
4. Throughout the Scriptures, the “laying on of hands” is shown to be very important. It indicates an identification with the recipient, or a transferrance of one kind of another. In this instance, it indicates the transferrance of guilt from the offerer to the offering. In the days of the Apostles it often signified the transferrance of power (as in healing or in the anointing of Ruach HaKodeshthe Holy Spirit) or of authority (as in the ordination of elders and deacons). [BACK]
5. Note that it is the individual, not the cohen, that is to actually slaughter the animal. It is to be done under the supervision of the cohen. The cohen would provide an extremely sharp knife to reduce the suffering of the sacrificial animal as much as possible, and hold a bowl to catch the animal’s blood. Likewise verse 11. [BACK]
6. The hide is not considered holy, and is divided amont the cohenim on duty that day. [BACK]
7. The fire of the alter was to be kept perpetually burning (Lev. 6:12). [BACK]
16. or crop [alimentary canal] with its contents [BACK]
Other commentaries on Leviticus 1
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Pulpit Commentary
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
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ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!
