Torah Portion

Vayikra

ויקרא

Leviticus 1:1-5:26
Isaiah 43:21–44:23

YHWH’s Simulated Speech: The Priestly Interpretation of Prophecy

YHWH’s Simulated Speech: The Priestly Interpretation of Prophecy

The use of the unusual verb מִדַּבֵּר, middabber in Numbers 7:89 suggests that YHWH does not speak to Moses in the literal and simple sense.

Prof.
Benjamin D. Sommer
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On Sacrifices and Life: Wholeness Dismembered but Re-membered

On Sacrifices and Life: Wholeness Dismembered but Re-membered

A burnt offering, must be whole (תמים), after which it is dismembered (נתוח) and offered to YHWH. In the wake of the loss of my parents, I have come to appreciate how this process mirrors the creation story and life.

Prof. Rabbi
Wendy Zierler
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Asham of False Oaths: Why Does the Offender Confess?

Asham of False Oaths: Why Does the Offender Confess?

Drawing on biblical and ancient Near Eastern evidence about the consequences of swearing falsely, I suggest a new understanding of the asham case (Lev 5:20-26) involving property violation and a subsequent false oath.

Dr.
Yael Landman
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Leviticus’ Rhetorical Presentation of the Sin and Guilt Offerings

Leviticus’ Rhetorical Presentation of the Sin and Guilt Offerings

The transition from the chatat (חטאת) sin offering in Leviticus 4 to the asham (אשׁם) guilt offering in Leviticus 5 is sudden, even seeming to collapse them into one offering. The history of these offerings, when and why they were introduced into the Temple service, sheds light on the interpretation and structure of these chapters.

Prof.
James W. Watts
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Is There a Symbolic Meaning to the Awkward Syntax of Leviticus 1:1?

Is There a Symbolic Meaning to the Awkward Syntax of Leviticus 1:1?

“And He called to Moses and YHWH spoke to him” וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר יְ־הוָה אֵלָיו —Leviticus 1:1. Why is YHWH, the subject of this verse, missing from the opening phrase, and appearing only after the second verb? Traditional and critical scholars struggle to explain this syntactic problem.

Dr.
Elaine Goodfriend
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Mitzvah Piety and the Need for Individual Atonement

Mitzvah Piety and the Need for Individual Atonement

In the Priestly texts, observing the divine commandments became an end in itself while the unique meaning or purpose of the particular mitzvah took on less significance. Concomitantly, Priestly authors asserted the need for personal atonement through a chatat (sin offering) for even unintentionally violating God’s commandments.

Prof. Rabbi
David Frankel
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“The LORD Spoke to Moses” – Does God Speak?

“The LORD Spoke to Moses” – Does God Speak?

Even those who categorically deny that God has form, is composed of matter, is visible, or is subject to the constraints of time and place, cannot seem to relinquish the notion that God speaks precisely as described in the Bible.

Prof.
Baruch J. Schwartz
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Expiating with Blood

Expiating with Blood

Is the book of Leviticus primitive? I believe so, though an analysis of the meaning of the word kipper suggests that these sacrificial laws may be more relevant than we often realize.

Dr.
Yitzhaq Feder
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On the Problem of Sacrifices: Maimonides’ Ladder of Enlightenment

On the Problem of Sacrifices: Maimonides’ Ladder of Enlightenment

Maimonides, in his Guide of the Perplexed, portrays sacrifices as a ruse to repudiate idolatrous practices prevalent at the time. In Mishneh Torah, however, Maimonides states that the messiah will rebuild the Temple and restore sacrifices just as they once were. How are Maimonides’ two works reconcilable?

Dr.
David Gillis
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Vayikra

ויקרא

Leviticus 1:1-5:26

וְסָמַךְ יָדוֹ עַל רֹאשׁ קָרְבָּנוֹ וּשְׁחָטוֹ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

ויקרא ג:ב

He shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting

Lev 3:2

Leviticus

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