Parasha Vayikra
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — A year ago when we read this parasha that begins the book of Leviticus, we were in the beginning of anxious physical separation from each other. This year many of us are vaccinated and are beginning to be physically closer with others, B’H, with proper precautions of course. What sacrifices we’ve made over the past year!
With the opening words of Parashat Vayikra God calls out to us, “And He called to Moses, and the Lord spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When a man from [among] you brings a sacrifice to the Lord; from animals, from cattle or from the flock you shall bring your sacrifice.’” Interestingly in the daily Ashrei prayer, we read, “The Lord is close to all who call upon God, to all who call to God with sincerity.” He calls out to us in Vayikra and we call out to him in Ashrei, and both ways, we draw close with each other.
Yes, we can delve into all of the different types of animal and meal sacrifices and offerings we learn about in this parasha, including the “olah” or “ascending offerings,” the “minchah” or “meal offerings,” the “shelamim” or “peace offering,” the “chatat” or different types of “sin offerings,” and the “asham” or “guilt offering.” But perhaps there’s more to this than digging deeply into something that, on the surface, doesn’t resonate comfortably with us. What does make sense to us, especially now however, is connecting with Hashem.
When seen through the correct spiritual lens, sacrifices, from the array listed in Vayikra to the seemingly bothersome and emotionally difficult sacrifices we’ve made in self-quarantining, isolating, and the myriad of steps we’ve taken to place our health and safety as top priorities in life, may well be about connecting to Hashem. When viewed properly, the seeming decline we’ve been living through over this past year may not have been a setback at all, but rather a remarkable opportunity to bring us into more rewarding and meaningful encounters with each other, to help refine the nature of our collective humanity, and IY’H, bring us closer with Hashem.
Maimonides tells us that Hashem planned for us to move from animal sacrifice to prayer when we were ready to let go of the need for a concrete connection to Hashem. He teaches us that closeness to Hashem is about comprehending spiritual knowledge, which is a form of intimacy with Him. We can celebrate much progress that has been made in dealing with COVID, and if we are wise, we will use this to celebrate how we’ve been enabled to come closer to Hashem during this time, with our sacrifices and prayers.
Nearly everyone has experienced some level of emotional and mental distress over what has been happening with COVID over the past year. We all would be wise to answer the call of Vayikra. Staying positive during a crisis such as we have been facing takes courage, some say it’s taken “living in a bubble.” The parasha tells us that the power of sacrifice brings a mindset to never give up, to always come closer with others and to avoid despair. Sacrifice, after all, means a willingness to flexibly give up something we hold dear to show our commitment to something else.
We can feel the gratitude that comes with sacrifice. Indeed, our prayers, our modern-day sacrifices, are filled with deep gratitude. We thank Hashem from the moment we open our eyes in the morning with Modeh Ani. From the blessings we say every morning thanking Hashem for His myriad of gifts to Birkat Hamazon for our food, blessings when seeing beauty, coming upon a wise person, hearing thunder, seeing an unusual creature, for our good health, when completing a journey, for our parents and children, for our learning and our accomplishments, often things we take for granted, we recognize the Hand of God continually in the divine gifts of our life. The parasha tells us that rituals and sacrifices are a pipeline to Hashem. We need this reminder, this conduit, now, perhaps more than ever in our blessed lives.
Our rabbis in Midrash Rabbah tell us kol ha’neshama is better read as kol ha’neshima, with each breath we are wise to praise God. Let’s use our breath, our Heavenly endowment, never taking even one breath for granted, to sing the praises of Hashem, especially during this threat to our health and wellbeing. When we use our prayers, our gratitude, our contemporary sacrifices in this manner, we see His hand in our lives. Vayikra, “And He called…” and He is calling to us through our COVID19 challenge. Let’s call out and draw close with Him and do so with thanks and sacrificial prayer. Let’s all learn, as one, to develop a path of kind closeness with each other and to create a positive relationship with Hashem and with the world in which we are blessed to live.
Shabbat Shalom
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com