Shabbat Shalom from Rabbi Eitan Weiner-Kaplow
Shabbat
Vayikra
Torah:
Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26
Haftarah:
Isaiah 43:21 - 44:23
“Give unto
God”
Dear Friends,
This week’s torah portion, Vayikra, opens the book
of Leviticus and is all about sacrifice - rules and regulations for making
offerings of livestock and produce to God at the mishkan, the tent of meeting.
It is all about how our ancestors gave back to God some of the best gifts that
God had bestowed upon them. Perhaps this
can best be explained by citing the verse from the Talmud Book Pirkei Avot or
Ethics of the Sages, Chapter 3, section 8: “Tein
lo mi’shelo she’ata v’shelach shelo - Give unto God that which is God’s, for
you and all that you have is God’s.”
Our ancestors also knew instinctively that by giving a korban (Hebrew meaning ‘draw close), one
would grow closer to God and rise in spirituality, holiness, wisdom and
understanding.
What about us?
What korbanot or sacrifices
will we offer that will allow us to draw close and ascend in holiness before
God? What precious time will we
‘sacrifice’ that we may study and learn?
What precious resources will we ‘offer’ toward aiding our community and
all in need?
The Book of Leviticus challenges each one of us to
make sacrifices - not the reluctant and begrudging kind - rather, the kind that
will enable us to give back to others and allow ourselves to grow in awareness
and purpose. As you grow Jewishly, what
are your sacrifices? As you act
Jewishly, what can you offer to bring greater holiness and connection to our
world?
Shabbat Shalom,
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