Tent

Parashat vayikra

This Shabbat we begin reading the third book of the Torah, Leviticus.  Leviticus contains many of the laws and precepts of Judaism. It also contains a description of the system of sacrifices which was, for the Israelite community of the time, the primary way of worshipping God. In Hebrew this book and its first portion are called Vayikra meaning, "And [God] called." The parasha opens with God calling to Moses and explaining the various sacrifices. We should note that the Book of Exodus which we completed last week finished with the completion of the Mishcan - the desert Temple in which the sacrifices were to be offered.  To a great extent, Leviticus is its instruction manual.

Five different sacrifices are described: the burnt offering--olah; the meal   offering--minchah; the sacrifice of well being or peace offering--zevach shelamim; the sin   offering--chatat; and the guilt offering-asham.  

Olah means "that which goes up." The entire animal except for the hide was   burnt on the altar. The olah had to be male without blemish and could be a   bull, a sheep, a goat or birds, depending on one's financial means.

The minchah was an offering of unleavened flour in the form of cakes or   wafers. Part of it was burnt on the altar and the rest given to Aaron and his   sons. Because of the time of the day on which this sacrifice was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem our Afternoon service is still called Minchah in Hebrew.

The zevach shelamim offering, the sacrifice of well being or peace offering could be a male or female cow, sheep, or goat. A   part of it would be burnt on the altar, a part given to Aaron and his sons, who acted as the priests and the rest would provide a festive meal for the one bringing the sacrifice and   his or her guests.

The olah, minchah, and zevach shelamim were voluntary sacrifices.

The chatat or sin offering was brought by an individual or a community which had

unknowingly sinned regarding one of the commandments.

These sins included:   failure to testify in a court case, touching an unclean animal or carcass, coming in contact with human uncleanness, or failure to fulfill an oath. If the offering was made by the whole community or an anointed priest a bull had to be sacrificed. If it were a tribal chieftain a male goat was brought as the sacrifice. If it were a ordinary Israelite a female goat or sheep was offered. The animal brought for sacrifice depended on the place in society an individual occupied.

The asham or guilt sacrifice was brought by a person who had sinned by committing robbery or fraud. The guilty person had to give back the stolen item plus an additional one fifth of its value and then sacrifice a ram or give the  equivalent in money. Depending on the financial means of the individual female   sheep or goat, birds or choice flour was sacrificed.