The Pshat Heard 'Round the World

Usually, the division of the aliyot in a parashah, while driven by a number of factors, is decided by where it ends. There is a fairly iron-clad principle to end an Aliyah on a positive note, and not on a negative note. This week’s parashah gives us plenty of opportunities to do so, since many of the sub-sections end on a positive note. That being the case, one would think that the fifth aliyah would encompass all of the sin-offerings ( Chatat ), covered in Vaykra, chapter 4, while the sixth aliyah would open with the beginning chapter 5, which deals with the guilt-offerings ( Asham ). But, instead, the fifth aliyah ends with 4:26, leaving two last Chattat offerings to be read with the Asham offerings. Why? Here’s an idea: all the animals offered in the fifth aliyah as it stands are males, and all the animals offered in the sixth aliyah are females. On the fifth and sixth days of creation, animals and humans - male and female - were created. When they sinned so egregiously ...

The various sacrifices presented in Parashat Vayikra are well-organized, making it easy not only to remember them, but also to reflect upon their deeper meaning. The following table makes this structure immediately apparent: Chapter Type of Sacrifices Presented 1 Olot – Burnt Offerings 2 Menachot – Grain Offerings 3 Shelamim – Peace Offerings 4 Chata’ot – Sin Offerings 5 Ashamim – Guilt Offerings Of course, things are not entirely this simple. Grain offerings include both those which are effectively identical to Burnt Offerings, as well as those which are similar to Peace Offerings and Sin Offerings. And some of the Guilt Offerings may well be considered forms of Sin Offerings. The differences between the various offerings draw our attention and produced deep insights into the meanings of the offerings. I was particularly intrigued this year by the fi...

Quick - which sacrificial offering is more hamur (serious, substantial, and therefore, sacred): an asham (guilt-offering) or a chattat (sin-offering)? Conventional wisdom - and the order in which they are presented in this week's parashah tell us that it's the chattat, Thats the offering one brings for committing a serious transgression - such as eating a chunk of forbidden fat or chametz, violating Shabbat - unvittingly. The penalty for intentional violation of such prohibitions can be as serious as death, and unwitting violation cannot be let go with nothing. Lack of mindfulness about one's actions is in itself an indictment. Thus, the Torah prescribes the bringing of a particular offering as part of the process of atonement. There is much behind the symbolism of the act of bringing a sacrifice that time and space and mine (my limited one) does not permit us to explore here, but suffice it to say that the chattat is part of a reconciliation with Hashem, coming o...

This is an extract of something I said at a Sheva Berachot this last week. We begin reading Chumash Vayikra this week, and we are launched into the world of sacrifices. The word "sacrifice" come from a Latin root meaning "to make holy". The Hebrew word is korban , meaning something that effects closeness, something that helps one draw close to Hashem. Ultimately, the best way to draw close to Hashem is to give Hashem our everything (apologies to Tom Paxton). And in fact, some have written that the religious motive behind sacrifice is giving up our lives to Hashem, ALMOST. That is, we use a surrogate, an animal from our flock, to stand for ourselves - see Ramban's understanding of korban . There is a curious prohibition regarding sacrifices. We are forbidden to offer to Hashem leavening or fruit presereves/honey. Rambam sees this prohibition as directed toward stamping out all vestiges of idolatry. Others add that symbolically, leavening and honey are sy...