[Par-reg] Intro to Sefer Vayikra

Thu Mar 14 08:56:05 EDT 2013

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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          SEFER VAYIKRA - INTRODUCTION

     Most of us find Sefer Vayikra rather
boring - at least

until we reach Parshat Kedoshim.

     In our series on Sefer Vayikra we
attempt to make the

study of this book a bit more exciting, not
only by analyzing

its specific laws, but also by paying careful
attention to its

structure and theme.

WHAT MAKES SEFER VAYIKRA UNIQUE

     Before we begin our study, we must first
clarify how (and

why) Sefer Vayikra is 'structurally'
different from the other

books of Chumash.

    In general, when we study Chumash, we
encounter two basic

types of passages.  They can either be:

  1)  narrative - i.e. the ongoing 'story' of
Chumash; or

  2)  commandments - 'laws' that God commands
Bnei Yisrael

     Up until Sefer Vayikra, Chumash has
essentially been

narrative, i.e. the story of how God chose
the Jewish nation,

took them out of Egypt and gave them the
Torah.  For example,

Sefer Breishit begins with the story of
Creation and continues

with the story of God's 'bechira' (choice) of
Avraham Avinu

and his offspring to become His nation.  The
few mitzvot that

we do find in Sefer Breishit (e.g. 9:1-7,
32:32) are presented

as part of that ongoing narrative.

     Similarly, Sefer Shmot begins with the
story of the

Exodus and Bnei Yisrael's subsequent journey
to Har Sinai.

Surely, we find numerous mitzvot in Sefer
Shmot; however, each

set of laws is imbedded within the ongoing
story.  For

example, the laws of Pesach (12:14-20) are
presented as part

of the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim, and the
Ten Commandments (&

the laws of Parshat Mishpatim / see
20:1-23:19) constitute an

integral part of the story of the covenant
between God and His

nation at Ma'amad Har Sinai.  [Note from
24:3-7 how those laws

become the Sefer Ha-brit.]

     Sefer Vayikra is radically different, as
it not only

begins with a set of commandments [mitzvot],
the entire book

(with the exception of two short narratives)
is a collection

of various mitzvot!  In other words, the
ongoing narrative of

Chumash that began in Sefer Breishit and
continued with Sefer

Shmot does not continue in Sefer Vayikra.
Instead, that

narrative resumes in Sefer Bamidbar - with
the story of how

Bnei Yisrael prepare to leave Har Sinai
(after the Mishkan has

been built).  Sefer Vayikra appears to stand
alone, as it

constitutes a book of laws, spanning a wide
range of laws

(mostly relating to the Mishkan and "kedusha"
[holiness]).

     As Sefer Vayikra is a book of laws (and
not a story), our

shiurim will focus on which specific types of
laws are found

in this book, as well as the significance of
their order and

progression.

THE LONE NARRATIVES

     Before we discuss the mitzvot, we should
mention the two

narratives that we do find in Sefer Vayikra:

     The first is that of the mishkan's
dedication ceremony -

chapters 8 thru 10, including the story of
the seven day

"milu'im" ceremony and the special korbanot
that were offered

on the 'eighth day' ["yom ha'shmini"],
followed by the story

of the tragic death of Nadav and Avihu.  In
our study of that

narrative, we will show how that story
actually 'belongs' at

the end of Sefer Shmot, while suggesting a
reason why it was

recorded in Sefer Vayikra instead.

     The second is the brief story of the
"mekallel", who was

executed for blaspheming God (see 24:10-23).
We will show how

that story actually forms an introduction to
a certain set of

mitzvot.  In other words, when we do find a
narrative in Sefer

Vayikra, we will explain how and why it was
included to

provide us with a better understanding of the
commandments

that follow that story.

TORAT KOHANIM

     If our above assumption (that Vayikra is
essentially a

book of laws) is correct, then it is very
understandable why

Chazal refer to Sefer Vayikra as "Torat
Kohanim" [the law

guide for the priests].  At first glance, it
certainly appears

that most of its laws are targeted for those
who officiate in

the Bet ha-Mikdash.  [See first Ramban on
Vayikra.]

     Likewise, this also explains why the
laws in Vayikra

should progress in thematic order, and not
necessarily in the

chronological order of when they were first
given.

  [Note how the laws (given earlier to Moshe)
in Parshat Behar

  (see 25:1) are recorded much later than the
laws given to

  Moshe from the ohel mo'ed in Parshat
Vayikra (see 1:1).]

     Even though the name 'Torat Kohanim'
implies that the

mitzvot of Sefer Vayikra will relate
primarily to mishkan

related laws, nonetheless we do find numerous
laws that

discuss other topics  (e.g. Parshat
Kedoshim).  Furthermore,

we will also find many other laws regarding
the mishkan in

other books of Chumash, especially in Sefer
Bamidbar.

Therefore, it would be difficult to conclude
that Sefer

Vayikra deals exclusively with mishkan
related laws.

     So what makes Sefer Vayikra unique?

     To answer that question, we will search
for a central

theme that will thematically connect all of
the mitzvot in

Sefer Vayikra and explain their progression.

THE THEME OF SEFER VAYIKRA

     To accomplish this task, we will follow
a methodology

that begins by first identifying 'units'.
Usually, each set

of mitzvot can be categorized as belonging to
a single topic -

thus forming a 'unit'.  After identifying
these units, we will

discuss the logic of the progression from one
unit to the

next.  By doing so, we hope to be able to
answer such

questions as:

  .  Why does the sefer begin with the laws
of korbanot?

.    Why are the korbanot outlined twice (in
Vayikra & Tzav)?

.    Why does the book abruptly switch topics
in the middle of

       Acharei Mot, from the mishkan to
'arayot' [in chapter 18]?

.    Why does the sefer include Parshat
Kedoshim, which has

       little - if anything - to do with
korbanot, but a lot to do

       with the laws that were already
discussed in Parshat Mishpatim?

.    Why does Vayikra conclude with the laws
of 'shmitta' and

       'yovel', that discuss how we are not
permitted to work the

      land once every seven years?

     In the shiurim to follow, we will
attempt to answer these

questions (and more).

A SPECIAL BOOK

     In closing, one general remark
concerning the

relationship between Sefer Vayikra and our
study of Chumash

thus far, and hence the importance as the
'central' book of

the 'Five Books.

     In Sefer Breishit we saw how God entered
into a covenant

with Avraham Avinu in order that his
offspring ['zera'] would

become a nation dedicated to the
representation of His Name.

To facilitate that goal, God entered into a
covenant with the

Avot, promising both a special Land
['aretz'], and a long

historical process to become that nation
(i.e. 'brit bein ha-

btarim' / see Br. 15:6-18).

     Sefer Shmot began as God began His
fulfillment of that

covenant by redeeming Bnei Yisrael from
Egypt, and giving them

the Torah at Sinai - i.e. the laws that would
help establish

this special nation.  The unfortunate events
at chet ha-egel

constituted a 'breach', raising the question
if this special

relationship could continue.

    Fortunately, God declared His attributes
of mercy, thus

enabling Bnei Yisrael an avenue for
repentance, as reflected

in their collective effort to construct of
the mishkan.  The

return of God's Shechina to the mishkan at
the conclusion of

Sefer Shmot served as a climax, for it showed
that this

covenantal relationship had returned to its
original level.

     It is precisely at this point - when
God's Shechina

returns - where Sefer Vayikra begins.  Before
Bnei Yisrael

continue their journey towards Eretz Canaan
(as will be

discussed in Sefer Bamidbar), God commands
them with an

additional set of mitzvot that will not only
provide a guide

for how they can use the mishkan, but will
also facilitate

their becoming God's special nation - a
"mamlechet kohanim ve-

goy kadosh" (see Shmot 19:5-6).

     In this sense, Sefer Vayikra constitutes
more than simply

a technical list of the various rituals
performed in the

mishkan.  As we will show, the laws of Sefer
Vayikra will

focus on the very nature of Am Yisrael's
relationship with

God, at both the individual and national
level.

     In our shiur this week on Parshat
Vayikra, we will focus on

the first unit of laws in Sefer Vayikra, that
deals primarily

with 'korbanot' [sacrifices], to show how
those laws relate to

this general theme.

                    Till then,  shabbat
shalom,

                              menachem

FOR FURTHER IYUN - A FEW IMPORTANT
CLARIFICATIONS

A.  RAMBAN'S SHITTA

     Despite our observation that Sefer
Vayikra is basically a

book of mitzvot, it is important to note that
a brief

narrative introduces each set of mitzvot.

     For example, most mitzvot begin with the
classic header:

          "And God spoke to Moshe saying..."

          ["va-'yedaber Hashem el Moshe
leimor.."]

               [see 4:1; 5:14,20; 6:12 etc.]

     Sometimes, God directs His dibbur to
Aharon, as well:

"And God spoke to Moshe and Aharon saying"
(see 11:1, 13:1).

     In some occasions, the opening phrase
may even tell us

where these mitzvot were given to Moshe.  Two
classic

examples:

     1)  In the ohel mo'ed -

"And God called to Moshe and spoke to him
from the ohel mo'ed

saying: speak to Bnei Yisrael..."  Vayikra
(1:1);

     2)  At Har Sinai -

          "And God spoke to Moshe at Har
Sinai saying..." (25:1).

      [the first pasuk of Parshat Behar/ see
also 7:37-38,

      16:1, 26:46, and 27:34.]

     Therefore, 'technically speaking,' one
could still

consider Sefer Vayikra 'narrative-based,' and
perhaps even a

continuation of Sefer Shmot.  In other words,
Parshat Vayikra

opens with the first dibbur that Moshe
received from the ohel

mo'ed, once the mishkan was completed (see
shiur on Parshat

Pekudei); and then records the mitzvot Hashem
issues from that

point onward.

     [This is more or less Ramban's shitta,
who maintains

     'yesh mukdam u-me'uchar ba-Torah'.  See
the lengthy Ramban

      on Vayikra 25:1 (till the end)!]

     In truth, however, the two examples
mentioned above could

demonstrate quite the opposite, i.e. that the
mitzvot in Sefer

Vayikra are not presented in chronological
order.  According

to 1:1, the first set of mitzvot is
transmitted from the ohel

mo'ed, and thus this dibbur must have
occurred only after the

mishkan was built.  However, the mitzvot in
chapter 25 were

given on Har Sinai (see 25:1), and therefore
must have been

given before the ohel mo'ed (1:1) was built!
[See also 26:46

& 27:34.]

     Further proof may be drawn from Parshat
Tzav.  Although,

as mentioned, the first set of mitzvot in
Sefer Vayikra was

given from the ohel mo'ed (chapters 1->5, see
1:1), the Torah

tells us that God taught Moshe the next set
of mitzvot

(chapter 6->7 / Parshat Tzav) on Har Sinai
(see 7:37-38) -

before the mishkan was built!  Nevertheless,
Sefer Vayikra

juxtaposes them, evidently because of their
thematic

connection (i.e. they both discuss the laws
of korbanot).

   [Note that Ramban on 7:38 seems to
disagree.  Iy"h, his

    shitta will be discussed in greater
detail in our shiur on

    Parshat Tzav.]

B.  SIGNIFICANT HEADERS

     As noted above, a brief header
introduces each set of

mitzvot.  In most cases, these introductions
make no mention

of where these mitzvot were given to Moshe,
only that "God

spoke to Moshe saying..."

    When the Torah does offer this
information, the commentators

will always find significance latent within
the Torah's

specification in this regard.  (For example,
see 25:1 - Rashi,

Ramban, & Chizkuni.)

     Similarly, certain parshiot in the
middle of the sefer,

such as the laws of Yom Kippur (16:1/
"acharei mot..."), were

given in the wake of a certain event.  These
laws must have

been given to Moshe only after the mishkan
was constructed,

while other laws may have actually been given
earlier, on Har

Sinai, but recorded only later on in Sefer
Vayikra.

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