Parsha #24 Vayikra (He Called) Vayikra (Leviticus) 1:1-5:26 (6:7)

Haftarah: Yesha’yahu (Isaiah) 43:21-44:23

B’rit Hadashah: Romans 8:1-13; Messianic Jews  (Hebrews) 10:1-14; 13:10-16

Parasha:

It was only after the completion of the Mishkan that YHVH instructs Moshe regarding the various sacrifices in this Parsha. YHVH tells Moshe what a person who brings a sacrifice to YHVH must do.  The “Olah” sacrifice, a “Burnt Offering” is brought from a perfect, unblemished, healthy animal, which may be a male bull, goat, or sheep. There are many works available on the typology of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) but few if any on the typology of the Offerings.

The procedure of the “Olah” offering is as follows:

1.        Smiha: The owner of the animal leans his hands upon the head of the offering, and declares why he is bringing this sacrifice.  

2.        Shehita: the owner ritually slaughters the animal.

3.        Zirka: The blood of the animal is collected in a sacred vessel and sprinkled on the Altar.

4.        Hafshata: The animal is then skinned.

5.        Nitoa: The animal is cut up into sections.

6.        Meliha: Salt is sprinkled heavily on all the sections.

7.        Hakrava: The sections of the animal are brought up to the Altar and put onto the fire until they are burnt.

If the Olah is a turtledove or young dove for those that can’t afford the above-mentioned animals the procedure is slightly different.

The (5) Principles offerings are:

1.        Olah – “Burnt Offering”

2.        Minha – “Meal or Meat Offering

3.        Shlamin – “Peace Offering”

4.        Hatat – “Sin Offering”

5.        Asham – “Guilt-Trespass Offering

The above offerings represent the following:

1.        The “Olah Offering” for total consecration of the offerer’s life to YHVH.

2.        The “Meal or Meat Offering” as a token of the offerer’s life to his fellow man

3.        The “Peace Offering” to symbolize the fellowship between YHVH and His people

4.        The “Sin Offering” is brought to atone for personal of congregational sin

5.        The “Guilt Offering” is brought for sins not considered as serious as the “Sin Offering.” Swearing falsely, etc. 

These five principle offerings are given described in Lev. 1-7 and are thought to have been used in the same order as given there and reproduced here.

What we have seen in the (4) foregoing Parshas of Sh’mot is YHVH bringing together the material and spiritual into One, Echad. It is a blueprint for our service to Him, and in this Parsha we learn the whole purpose for the construction of the Mishkan. It is found in the word Korban, which means sacrifice in Hebrew; Korban is related to the word Kiruv meaning, “close.”  First, we must build the Tabernacle according to the Pattern (Torah) YHVH has given us.  Then we are to draw “close” to Him through the Written and Living Torah, Yahshua. Only through both can we draw closer to Him with our physical and spiritual selves. Even now you and I are constructing our Tabernacle within our material selves by being doers of His Torah through the power of the Ruach haKodesh that was sent on Shavuot to empower us after Yahshua’s ascension. YHVH wants to live within His people Yisrael, but we cannot change the pattern He has given us. We cannot abandon or abridge His Torah to suit our own desires if we truly want to have YHVH live in our bodily Tabernacle. If we obey His Torah and carry the Testimony of His Messiah Yahshua we can truly bring the material and spiritual together as ONE-Echad, He in us and we in Him.  

Halftarah Connection: (Yesha’yahu 43:21-44:23)

In this week’s Parsha we are told of the different sacrifices we can bring to G-d. In the Halftarah the prophet Isaiah tells the people not to think that they can atone for their sins by mechanically bringing sacrifices. Their sacrifices must be accompanied by true repentance. Isaiah tells B’nai Yisrael it is better to listen to G-d, not sin, and act according to His Torah than to bring sacrifices without the proper attitude of heart.

Think About it:

1.        Why did YHVH Elohim first call Moshe before speaking to him?

2.        The Hebrew word “korban” “sacrifice” is derived from the root karov, “close.” What does this teach us about the purpose of the offering?

3.        Why is the Cohen Gadol’s sin offering similar to that of the congregation, while a prince’s sin offering is similar to that of a common man?

Wisdom of the Sages:

Vayikra “And He called…(1:1)

Why is the last letter in the Hebrew text, an Alef smaller that the others letters? The Ba’al Ha’turim says that the small Alef symbolized Moshe’s humility. Even though YHVH would always call to him, Moshe perceived himself as being very small.

 “And if he will bring a peace offering…” (3:1)

Why is this particular sacrifice called a “Peace Offering”? Everyone enjoys this offering: The inner organs of an animal are placed on the Altar of YHVH, the breast and thigh go to the Cohen, and the one who brings the sacrifice gets the skin and the rest of the meat. According to the Sages since everyone gets a portion, it brings peace. [E-mail me to receive a paper on the meaning of the (5) offerings in the Mishkan and their typology for believers.]

Why is the “Olah” the first offering mentioned? One of the reasons for bringing this offering is to atone for impure thoughts. Rabaynu Bahi’ay explains that since thought precedes actions, an offering brought because of a thought should be mentioned before and offering brought because of and action.

Gematria:

M’solta U’m’shamna, “From its fine flour and oil” (2:2) When someone sins and brings a sacrifice, he is hoping that YHVH will accept this offering in place of his soul. The Meal Offering consists of fine flour and oil. The word Shamna, “it oil,” has a numeric value of 395. This is the same numeric value as the word Neshama, “soul.” From this we see that YHVH considers the Meal Offering to be a sacrifice that redeems the soul. [E-mail me to receive a paper on the meaning of the (5) offerings in the Mishkan and their typology for believers.]

Shalom and Brachas,

Rabbi Davis