LEVITICUS VI:1-VIII:36
THE KOHEN’S HERITAGE
The central theme of these chapters is the figure of the Kohen, the priest who will officiate at the offering of the sacrifices. In later stages, after the conquest of the Promised Land during the period of the Beit HaMikdash, the Kohanim caste conducted the cult that centered on the precincts of this Holy House. While the title of Rav, “teacher,” depends on the sustained study of the Holy Scriptures—and especially the Oral Torah represented by the Talmud—Kehuna, the condition of Kohen, has a genetic origin. The descendants of Aharon (Aaron), the brother of Moshe (Moses), have the right to the Kehuna by birth.
Moreover, the Kohen cannot renounce his priestly nature, a condition which is affected only by certain biological defects or by the forbidden marriage contracted by his parent. The Torahforbids the Kohen to marry, for example, a divorced woman. In the case of the Kohen Gadol, chief of the Kohanim, this prohibition includes the widow. Whoever descends from such a forbidden union receives the designation of Kohen Chalal, disqualified from officiating. Likewise, the descendants of this Chalal will be qualified.
As Rachel Lifshitz points out, the Kohen had privileges and obligations. Especially during the existence of the Beit HaMikdash, the Kohen had a privileged position that included obtaining some parts of the animal offered free of charge and receiving the contribution called Terumah, which even the other members of the tribe of Levi had to offer. Although the Torahdoes not stipulate the amount of the contribution, the Talmudsuggests an amount of not less than one-fiftieth of the annual income.
The Mishnah teaches that the Kohen Gadol was held in the BeitHaMikdash during the 7 days prior to Yom HaKippurim (Day of Atonement) so that he could review the order of the sacrifices or that day. Obtaining divine forgiveness depended on the activities of the Kohen Gadol, who could not deviate from the order that the Chachamim had established according to their interpretation of the sacred text. This was necessary, because there had been situations of Kohanim who were not learned in the tradition. Moreover, the Chachamim wanted to ensure that the Kohen would follow the opinion of the Perushim(Pharisees) and not that of the Tsedukim (Sadducees) in cases where there was divergence of opinion.
The Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) only on Yom HaKippurim to ask for divine forgiveness for his personal sins, the mistakes of his relatives and the entirenation. Today, after the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, this holy day is celebrated primarily through prayers and abstention from food and drink.
During the period of the Beit HaMikdash‘s physical existence, worship centered on the offerings made by the Kohen Gadol, the drawing of lots for animals to select the “scapegoat” who would symbolically bear the sins of the Jewish people. The crucial moment, however, was when the Kohen Gadol entered the interior of the Kodesh HaKodashim. The people waited anxiously to see if the Kohen Gadol would come out of the compound alive, a sign that their requests for forgiveness had been accepted.
After the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, the Kohen has been limited to certain privileges such as officiating at the Pidyon Haben, the redemption of the firstborn, being called to the first section of the Torah reading and reciting the “threefold blessing” during the repetition of the Amidah.
Perhaps above the figure of the Kohen, the Rav, the Talmid Chacham, the teacher, has special relevance in the present. In the absence of the Beit HaMikdash, the study of the Torah and the Talmud has gained supremacy, and the study has become the preferred vehicle for ensuring the continuity and spiritual development of Judaism.
MITZVAH: ORDINANCE OF THE TORAH IN THIS PARSHA
CONTAINS 9 POSITIVE MITSVOT AND 9 PROHIBITIONS
131. Leviticus 6:3 Lifting up the ashes (from the Altar).
132. Leviticus 6:6 Daily light the fire on the altar.
133. Leviticus 6:6 Do not quench the fire of the altar.
134. Leviticus 6:9 Eat the remainder of the Mincha offering.
135. Leviticus 6:10 Do not leaven the remainder of the Mincha offering.
136. Leviticus 6:13 The Daily Mincha offering of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest).
137. Leviticus 6:16 A Kohen’s Mincha offering Is not consumed.
138. Leviticus 6:18 The procedure with the Chatat (sin) offering.
139. Leviticus 6:23 Do not eat the meat of the Chatat offering whose blood is sprinkled within (the sanctuary).
140. Leviticus 7:1 The procedure with the Asham offering (Guilt).
141. Leviticus 7:11 The procedure with the Shelamim (peace) offering.
142. Leviticus 7:15 Do not leave any meat of the Toda(thanksgiving) offering after the time allotted for consumption.
143. Leviticus 7:17 The obligation to burn the remnants of the sacred offerings.
144. Leviticus 7:18 Do not eat from the Pigul offering, an offering for wrong intentions.
145. Leviticus 7:19 Do not eat the flesh of sacred offerings that are declared unclean.
146. Leviticus 7:19 The obligation to burn sacred flesh made unclean.
147. Leviticus 7:23 Do not eat Chelev (forbidden fat from the offering).
148. Leviticus 7:26 Do not ingest the blood of any animal or bird.
