Now if his hand cannot attain two turteldoves or two young pigeons, (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra Now if his hand cannot attain two turteldoves or two young pigeons, He is to bring as his offering for what he sinned a tenth of an efah of flour for an offense-offering; he is not to put on it any oil, He is not to place on it any frankincense, for it is an offense-offering   A tenth of an efah– A person's consumption for a single day. (Ibn...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra And if his hand cannot attain two turtledoves or two young pigeons, He shall bring as his offering for what he has committed A tenth of an epha of fine semolina as offense offering. (Vayikra 5:11)   The root reason for the precept: We have already said (Mitzvah 95) that the purpose of the sacrifice is to remind the sinner and to help him recall through action that he has sinned, and that he should ask...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra When a person presents an offering of meal to the lord, His offering shall be of choice flour. (Vayikrah 2:1)   When a person presents an offering – The term 'soul' in respect to a voluntary offering is used only in conjunction with the flour offering. Who customarily brings a flour offering? A pauper. Said the Holy One, Blessed Be He: His offering is accepted as if...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra When a person from you brings a sacrifice to the Lord; from animals, from cattle or from the flock you shall bring your sacrifice. (Vayikra 1:2)   Adam – Why is this term used here? Just as Adam, the first man, never offered sacrifices from stolen property, since everything was his, so too, you must not offer sacrifices from stolen property. (Rashi Vayikra 1:2, based on Judaica Press translation)   Adam includes converts who...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra But if he cannot afford two turtle doves or two young doves, then he shall bring as his sacrifice for his sin one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall not put oil over it, nor shall he place frankincense upon it, for it is a sin offering. (Vayikra 5:11)   Rabbi Yehuda said: Beloved is a mitzvah performed at its proper time, for he brings a tenth of an...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra AND IF HIS OFFERING IS FROM THE FLOCK FROM SHEEP OR FROM GOATS AS A BURNT OFFERING HE SHALL SACRIFICE IT AN UNBLEMISHED MALE. AND HE SHALL SLAUGHTER IT ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE ALTAR, BEFORE THE LORD. AND AARON'S DESCENDANTS, THE PRIESTS, SHALL DASH ITS BLOOD UPON THE ALTAR, AROUND. (Vayikra 1:11-12)   It is better to listen to the reason they give for them , that since human...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY TO THEM: WHEN A MAN FROM YOU BRINGS A SACRIFICE TO THE LORD; FROM ANIMALS, FROM CATTLE OR FROM THE FLOCK YOU SHALL BRING YOUR SACRIFICE. (Vayikra 1:2)   Adam ki yakriv mikem you brings]: This may be read as allowing for human sacrifice, since it could have been formulated less ambiguously as Adam mikem ki yakriv. However, Scripture has...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parshat Vayikra IF HIS OFFERING TO THE LORD IS A BURNT OFFERING OF BIRDS, HE SHALL CHOOSE HIS OFFERING FROM TURTLEDOVES OR PIGEONS. (Vayikra 1:14)   From turtledoves or pigeons Rabbi Abahu said: A person should always belong to those who are chased rather than to those who give chase, for the turtledove and pigeon are the most hunted of birds, and Scripture allows them on the altar. (Bava Kama 93a)   From...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Vayikra SPEAK TO THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE, AND SAY TO THEM: WHEN ANY OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING OF CATTLE TO THE LORD YOU SHALL OFFER YOUR OFFERING FROM THE HERD OR FROM THE FLOCK. (Vayikra 1:2))     The Sacrifices: Of You? Of Animals? What does it say previously about this matter? When one has thus sinned and, realizing his guilt, would restore that which he gained through robbery (Vayikra 5: 23) and afterwards, This...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Vayikra The Sacrifice Symbolizes The Way One Approaches God Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Come and see how God is considerate of Israel's possessions – He said to them: If one is obliged to bring an offering, if the offering is to be an olah – a burnt offering – let him bring from his cattle – "If his burnt offering is a burnt offering from the herd (Vayikra 1:3); and should he not find from the herd, let him...