March 27, 2009 (Rabbi Popky)
“Don’t Have a Cow” - Finding Meaning in VaYYiqra (Leviticus)
Even though the Book of Leviticus was traditionally the first book taught to little children (“Let those who are pure come and study the laws of purity.” - Leviticus Rabbah 7:3), most people roll their eyes when we come to this section of our yearly Torah cycle. The minutiae of animal sacrifices, purity laws, priestly rules, and votary pledges rarely engage us in the same way as the dramatic stories of Genesis and Exodus. Nonetheless, Sepher VaYYiqra (the Book of Leviticus) is a central text in understanding Jewish spirituality and religious feeling. Although it speaks through the technical language of priestly legislation, it “represents a concept of sacred living in which rituals and ethical elements are combined to create human beings who are aware of their duty to God and to others.” (Reuven Hammer, Entering Torah).
Let’s take one example from this week’s parashah, VaYYiqra, to demonstrate how the seemingly arcane details of bringing offerings to God can reflect important religious ideas.
Parashat VaYYiqra outlines the different sacrifices, why they may be offered, of what they may be composed, and how they should be presented. In the descriptions of the olah, the burnt offering that is completely consumed on the altar, we are told that the animal may be a bull from the herd, a goat or a sheep from the flock, or a turtledove or young pigeon. Later, when the parashah outlines the zevah shelamim, the sacrifice of well-being, it also explains that the offering may be from the herd, or from the flock. Finally, when the parashah describes the hattat, or purification offering, it again presents a number of alternatives: a sheep or goat, turtledoves or pigeons, or even flour. Now why should there be so many alternatives in what may be offered for each sacrifice?The answer is found in the text itself as it describes the alternatives for the hattat: But if his means do not suffice... (Lev. 5:7, 11). The alternative offerings allow people of different means to participate in the relationship with God, whether offering thanks or seeking expiation and purification. One’s financial conditions do not determine one’s status before God. Indeed, the sacrifices are the first example of a “sliding scale” payment in Jewish history! (The hattat was known in rabbinic literature as a korban oleh v’yored, “the ascending and descending offering.”) Certainly the equality of all in accessing God remains an important value in our tradition, and is a particularly important idea in these difficult economic times.
So don’t have a cow (or a sheep or a bird) as we approach our reading of VaYYiqra. Look deeply into the text to see the ideas and values behind the technical language. As the great anthropologist Mary Douglas remarked, “The more closely the text is studied, the more clearly Leviticus reveals itself as a modern religion, legislating for justice between persons and persons, between God and His people, and between people and animals.” (Leviticus As Literature)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Charlie Popky
Even though the Book of Leviticus was traditionally the first book taught to little children (“Let those who are pure come and study the laws of purity.” - Leviticus Rabbah 7:3), most people roll their eyes when we come to this section of our yearly Torah cycle. The minutiae of animal sacrifices, purity laws, priestly rules, and votary pledges rarely engage us in the same way as the dramatic stories of Genesis and Exodus. Nonetheless, Sepher VaYYiqra (the Book of Leviticus) is a central text in understanding Jewish spirituality and religious feeling. Although it speaks through the technical language of priestly legislation, it “represents a concept of sacred living in which rituals and ethical elements are combined to create human beings who are aware of their duty to God and to others.” (Reuven Hammer, Entering Torah).
Let’s take one example from this week’s parashah, VaYYiqra, to demonstrate how the seemingly arcane details of bringing offerings to God can reflect important religious ideas.
Parashat VaYYiqra outlines the different sacrifices, why they may be offered, of what they may be composed, and how they should be presented. In the descriptions of the olah, the burnt offering that is completely consumed on the altar, we are told that the animal may be a bull from the herd, a goat or a sheep from the flock, or a turtledove or young pigeon. Later, when the parashah outlines the zevah shelamim, the sacrifice of well-being, it also explains that the offering may be from the herd, or from the flock. Finally, when the parashah describes the hattat, or purification offering, it again presents a number of alternatives: a sheep or goat, turtledoves or pigeons, or even flour. Now why should there be so many alternatives in what may be offered for each sacrifice?The answer is found in the text itself as it describes the alternatives for the hattat: But if his means do not suffice... (Lev. 5:7, 11). The alternative offerings allow people of different means to participate in the relationship with God, whether offering thanks or seeking expiation and purification. One’s financial conditions do not determine one’s status before God. Indeed, the sacrifices are the first example of a “sliding scale” payment in Jewish history! (The hattat was known in rabbinic literature as a korban oleh v’yored, “the ascending and descending offering.”) Certainly the equality of all in accessing God remains an important value in our tradition, and is a particularly important idea in these difficult economic times.
So don’t have a cow (or a sheep or a bird) as we approach our reading of VaYYiqra. Look deeply into the text to see the ideas and values behind the technical language. As the great anthropologist Mary Douglas remarked, “The more closely the text is studied, the more clearly Leviticus reveals itself as a modern religion, legislating for justice between persons and persons, between God and His people, and between people and animals.” (Leviticus As Literature)
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Charlie Popky