YISD 0301_5785

(1) ‘VAYIKRA’ (AND HE CALLED). This book is the law of the priests and the Levites. In it G-d explains matters concerned with all the offerings and watching over the Tabernacle [that it should not become defiled]. This is because one book [i.e., the second book of the Torah] was dedicated to the Egyptian exile and the redemption therefrom, and He completed it with an account of the building of the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of G-d which filled the Tabernacle, therefore He now commanded Moses about the offerings and about watching over the Tabernacle, in order that the offerings effect atonement for [the children of] Israel, and that their sins should not bring about the removal of the Divine Glory. Thus He commanded the priests that come near unto the Eternal that they sanctify themselves, warning them against defilement of the Sanctuary and its hallowed offerings, and also that they are not to break through to come up unto the Eternal, just as He said, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the ark-cover which is upon the ark, that he die not; for I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover, which is similar to the warning [given at the Revelation] lest they break through unto the Eternal to gaze, and many of them perish. After that He set limits to the Tabernacle, even as He had marked off Mount Sinai when the Glory of the G-d of Israel was there. (2) Thus the greatest part of this book deals with the offerings, the laws of the offering itself and of those who perform its rite and of the place where it is to be brought; some commandments are also mentioned incidentally to those dealing with the offerings. Thus at first He commanded concerning the freewill offerings, and prohibited the eating of fat and blood on account of [mentioning] them. Following that He commanded concerning the offerings that are to be brought upon committing a sin, and incidentally to these He mentioned the laws of forbidden foods; for they defile the person, and he who eats them or touches them must not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the Sanctuary, and if he does go in there [or eat of the hallowed things] while in a state of uncleanness, he has to bring the offering of higher or lower value which He had already mentioned. After that it was necessary to mention the law of the leper and the ordinances of the woman in childbirth and of the zav and zavah, in order to tell that they must bring an offering [at the end of the period of their uncleanness], and to warn them further concerning their uncleanness — as He said at the end [of these laws], Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile My Tabernacle that is in the midst of them. As a result of mentioning these laws, He warned afterwards about those persons with whom it is forbidden to have sexual relations, since association with them defiles, and their sin is called “defilement” and brings about the removal of the Divine Glory, and exile. Besides, he who commits any of these sins [of forbidden sexual relations] unwillfully, must bring the sin-offering which He mentioned already in the verse, And if anyone sin through error. Following that He mentioned the commandment of the Sabbath and the appointed seasons of the Eternal on account of the offerings [which are brought on those days], just as He said, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal etc. to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal. In most of the sections of this book He speaks with reference to the priests: Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons; Command Aaron and his sons. In the section of Kedoshim however, there are some commandments addressed to the children of Israel, but most of them are mentioned because of some connection with the offerings or matters similar to them. I will explain them in their place with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He.

(2) Speak to the Israelite people, and say to them: When any of you presents an offering of cattle to יהוה: You shall choose your offering from the herd or from the flock.

(11) It shall be slaughtered before יהוה on the north side of the altar, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar.

(1) ה׳ spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a person unwittingly incurs guilt in regard to any of ה׳’s commandments about things not to be done, and does one of them—