Each week we will discuss that week's Torah portion

Parashat Vayikra 5784 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא

23 March 2024 / 13 Adar II 5784

D’var Torah on YouTube

Parashat Vayikra is the 24th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

Torah Portion: Leviticus 1:1-5:26; Deuteronomy 25:17-19

In Vayikra (“He Called”), the first Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus, God tells Moses about the sacrifices offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Among these are sacrifices entirely burnt on the altar, meal offerings made of flour and oil, peace offerings, and sacrifices brought for sinning inadvertently. [1]

Triennial year 2

1: 3:1-5 · 5 p’sukim

2: 3:6-11 · 6 p’sukim

3: 3:12-17 · 6 p’sukim

4: 4:1-7 · 7 p’sukim

5: 4:8-12 · 5 p’sukim

6: 4:13-21 · 9 p’sukim

7: 4:22-26 · 5 p’sukim

maf*: Deuteronomy 25:17-19 · 3 p’sukim *Shabbat Zachor

Commentary and Divrei Torah

Sefaria  OU Torah  Jewish Theological Seminary  American Jewish University

Haftarah for Ashkenazim*: I Samuel 15:2-34 · 33 p’sukim Shabbat Zachor

Hertz Chumash: pp. 415 – 419 Triennial Year 2 (Full Kriyah pp. 410 – 423) pp.856 - 857

Artscroll Chumash: pp. 552 – 561 Triennial Year 2 (Full Kriyah pp. 544 – 567) p.1066

Etz Chaim Chumash: pp. 592 – 599 Triennial Year 2 (Full Kriyah pp. 585 – 605); pp. 1135 - 1136

The book of Vayikra/Leviticus starts out describing the four sacrifices or offerings (burnt, peace, sin and error). It discusses how they are performed, and which animals are suitable to use. It also describes the purposes.

The concept of the sacrificial cult has drawn many reactions from contemporary Jews. There are some of us who look forward to the restoration of the Temple and continuing this practice. Many others see it as barbaric and not just left in the past but forgotten altogether.

It would seem that most sacrificial services in the Temple were big Barbeques with some prayers. Most of us today eat meat, so what’s the problem? That, however, doesn’t seem to allay people’s distaste. However, it’s the actual practice of performing a sacrifice killing an innocent animal that has people upset.

Dr. Hertz comments in his Humash that most ancient cultures performed animal sacrifices, but they were accompanied but various rites involving magic practices and the like. By stripping those pagan rituals from our commandments and involving prayers to Hashem, our ancestors gave it new meaning.

But even more than that, consider that this was a way of weaning our people an society as whole away from this brutality. Consider as well that this was just one step forward. Today without a Temple we do not have altars so no sacrifices. Our worship is now all prayers. Perhaps after two thousand years of such—as tradition tends to become law—we have passed the point of using sacrifices in worship and our next Temple will reflect this and be a big synagogue.

Shabbat Zachor 2024 / שַׁבָּת זָכוֹר 5784

Shabbat of Remembrance 🕍

Shabbat Zachor for Hebrew Year 5784 begins at sundown on Friday, 22 March 2024 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, 23 March 2024. This corresponds to Parashat Vayikra.

Shabbat Zachor (“Sabbath [of] remembrance שבת זכור) is the Shabbat immediately preceding Purim. Deuteronomy 25:17-19, describing the attack by Amalek, is recounted. There is a tradition from the Talmud that Haman, the antagonist of the Purim story, was descended from Amalek. The portion that is read includes a commandment to remember the attack by Amalek, and therefore at this public reading both men and women make a special effort to hear the reading.