This Shabbat we begin the third book of the Torah Leviticus, or Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָ֖א) in Hebrew. In cheder, the traditional Jewish elementary school, students began their studies with the book of Leviticus. This was because the primary concern of Leviticus is the sacrificial service, ritual purity and holiness. So our sages said, “the pure (children) begin their studies with the pure (Leviticus). Ritual purity was a primary concern of this book, as it was considered to be essential for the sacrificial service and the human relationship with God. So Leviticus has much to say about how to become and remain ritually pure.
Today, as we collectively seek to combat the coronavirus, we are more concerned with physical hygiene (washing hands properly, decontaminating things touched by others, sterilizing surfaces and so on) but we may have lessons to learn from our ancestors. Their focus on and attention to ritual details had a higher purpose in mind: their relationship to God.
So does our social distancing. We keep apart not just for our own benefit, but for the good of society as a whole, to slow the spread of this virus.
What we are going through today reminds us that we are all interconnected with one another. In this way, we are reminded of our holiness and our dependence on each other, just as our ancestors were 2,000 years ago. Vayikra means to be called, as God called Moses to tell the Israelites to be holy. Today, our society calls us to be holy in order to save lives.
Vayikra – Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 – Parshat Ha Shavua for Shabbat, Saturday, March 28, 2020
March 28, 2020 by Dean Kertesz •
This Shabbat we begin the third book of the Torah Leviticus, or Vayikra (וַיִּקְרָ֖א) in Hebrew. In cheder, the traditional Jewish elementary school, students began their studies with the book of Leviticus. This was because the primary concern of Leviticus is the sacrificial service, ritual purity and holiness. So our sages said, “the pure (children) begin their studies with the pure (Leviticus). Ritual purity was a primary concern of this book, as it was considered to be essential for the sacrificial service and the human relationship with God. So Leviticus has much to say about how to become and remain ritually pure.
Today, as we collectively seek to combat the coronavirus, we are more concerned with physical hygiene (washing hands properly, decontaminating things touched by others, sterilizing surfaces and so on) but we may have lessons to learn from our ancestors. Their focus on and attention to ritual details had a higher purpose in mind: their relationship to God.
So does our social distancing. We keep apart not just for our own benefit, but for the good of society as a whole, to slow the spread of this virus.
What we are going through today reminds us that we are all interconnected with one another. In this way, we are reminded of our holiness and our dependence on each other, just as our ancestors were 2,000 years ago. Vayikra means to be called, as God called Moses to tell the Israelites to be holy. Today, our society calls us to be holy in order to save lives.