VAYIKRA_LEVITICUS I-V

Kohen and Korban are the fundamental themes of Vayikra, the third book of the Tora. Unlike the mystery that usually involves the performance of priests who practice some idolatrous cult, the Tora describes in detail how the Mishkan that served as a model for the Beit HaMikdash should be built and what elements should be included inside. 

It also specifies the vestments of the Kohen, the priest who will officiate the offerings, and the nature of these offerings. In this way, the Tora moves away from the occult, from the mystery, to point out that the worship of the one God is not based on chance, craving, or the emotional disposition of the deity. The rules are clear, and the Decalogue, The Ten Commandments, proves it.

It is appropriate to emphasize that the Korban, as its name implies, had the purpose of cementing the rapprochement between the person and God, between the person and his family. The word Korban comes from the Hebrew root, meaning to approach, to come near. 

For example, the Passover holiday, which is now represented primarily by Matza, had a fundamental element at the time of Beit HaMikdash, which was the Korban Pesach, “the Passover sheep.” The famous Afikoman, which consists of half of the middle Matsa that is saved from being used at the conclusion of the festive meal, in olden times consisted of a piece of the meat of the Korban Pesach. No other celebration insists on family unity around a table, such as the Passover Seder. Even though other sacrifices culminated in the entire family sharing Korban meat. On the one hand, there was the person’s approach to God, to Jewish tradition. But at the same time, the union between the different members of the family was being fostered.

The case of Korban Chatat was different because only the Kohen could benefit from the flesh of this offering of atonement. In this case, it should be noted that the Korban could not be used as a remedy for sin; that is, through the offering, the person could always obtain Divine forgiveness after committing a misdeed. It should be emphasized first that the Korban could be offered only in case of an involuntary or unconscious fault, never to cleanse the sin done with intent. 

Second, Korban Chatat had to be preceded by repentance, teshuvah. Without acknowledging guilt and a firm decision to avoid sinning again, the sacrifice was ineffective on its own. To repair the error, a physical act is insufficient because sin is the result of moral failure; it arises due to the person’s disinterest in the welfare of the neighbor, of the lack of will and character not to fall into temptation. 

The offering of the Korban becomes a symbolic way to assume responsibility for actions. At the same time, the practical process of redemption has as its starting point the act of contrition, intellectual reflection about what happened, empathy for the suffering of others, and awareness of the harm caused to others.

The idea of the offering for the idolatrous world obeys other parameters that usually have to do with the conquest of the will of the deity. Its purpose is to influence the decisions of occult powers. It is the bribe that should serve to alter the decision of the totem.

The offering as a tool for approaching God and as a symbolic instrument for recognizing error are ideas belonging to patriarchal monotheism. It is hypothesized that there is no such thing as a perfect personality because even the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, had to apologize for his mistakes. The biblical Moshe cannot undertake the conquest of the Promised Land because he disobeyed God’s word at some point.

Why didn’t God create a universe free from sin? The Divine intention included this notion because the history of mankind begins with the sin of the first couple. Considering sin is necessary for repentance, we can perhaps conclude that error stimulates the moral growth of man, who must overcome his evil inclination. In doing so, he comes to know himself better, creating a platform from which he can reach a higher level of spirituality.

MITSVA: TORA ORDINANCE IN THIS PARSHA

CONTAINS 11 POSITIVE MITZVOT AND 5 PROHIBITIONS

1. Leviticus 1:3 The sacrifice Olá (fiery offering).
2. Leviticus 2:1,5,7 The Mincha offering (vegetable offering).
3. Leviticus 2:11 Do not offer leaven or honey on the Altar.
4. Leviticus 2:13 Do not offer sacrifice without salt.
5. Leviticus 2:13 Obligation to salt the offering.
6. Leviticus 4:14 Offering of the Sanhedrin (court composed of 71) if they err in a judgment.
7. Leviticus 4:27 Chatat (sin) offering of the individual who unintentionally violated a prohibition that, if committed with intent, would be punished with Karet.
8. Leviticus 5:1 Obligation to bear witness.
9. Leviticus 5:1,6 Variable offering for sinning.
10. Leviticus 5:8 Do not separate the head of the bird offered Chatat.
11. Leviticus 5:11 Do not pour olive oil on the Mincha of a sinner with no intention of erring.
12. Leviticus 5:11 Do not put incense in the Mincha of a sinner without intent to err.
13. Leviticus 5:15,16 The obligation to add one-fifth of the value of what is ingested from sacred food or having derived some benefit from its use.
14. Leviticus 5:17,18 The Asham talui sacrifice, doubtful guilt offering.
15. Leviticus 5:21 The Asham vadai sacrifice, offering of certain guilt.
16. Leviticus 5:23 Return stolen goods.