Shabbat Commentary - Vayikra

WARNING! This post contains material which may be disturbing to some readers. If you are squeamish, a vegetarian, or passionate about animal rights, you may want to quickly exit this site and avoid engaging in the study of this week's Torah Portion, Vayikra.

For you brave folks who've chosen to remain, Vayikra (the first Portion in the Book of Vayikra) describes in minute detail the array of animal sacrifices to be performed in the newly built Mishkan. In examining this Portion, I suggest taking a metaphorical view of this practice which today we find so abhorrent.

When it comes to Torah imagery and action, we are uplifted by the image of Noah's rainbow, awed by the Revelation at Sinai, comforted by the sacred cloud over the Mishkan. We can even accept the divine rationale for the Ten Plagues and the slaughter of 3000 Israelites who worshipped the Golden Calf.
It's a challenge, however, to find Vayikra's descriptions of bloody sacrificial rituals revealing rather than repugnant.

The Hebrew word for "sacrifice," korban, originates from the root letters kuf, reish, vet, which means to "draw near." The animal and meal sacrifices in the Mishkan were God's way of drawing the children of Israel closer to God's Commandments, of giving them an opportunity to atone for sins, to ask for peace, to deal with guilt. The daily sacrificial acts brought the community together and kept the children of Israel focused on One God who had brought them out of slavery- One God who was preparing them to enter the land promised to their ancestors.

The sights, sounds, and odors of animal sacrifice certainly stimulated the senses and engaged the attention of the ancient Israelites. Not only were the Israelites commanded to give up a valuable animal for sacrifice, they were also commanded to place a hand on the creature as it was slaughtered, its blood splashed on the altar, and its body parts burned.

Such rituals today are absolutely unthinkable. However, we can learn from Vayikra. We can strive to bring such a level of intention (Kavannah), connection, and spiritual energy to our prayers that we echo the fervor of worshippers in the Mishkan, even as we stand in the sacred space of our synagogue sanctuary.

This Shabbat, in honor of Vayikra, I suggest that as we pray, we envision that we are grasping an imaginary rope leading an equally imaginary animal to be sacrificed. Let this image from our distant past power thoughtful, focused participation in Shabbat services and inspire prayers that are as pleasing an offering to God as an unblemished animal from the flocks of the children of Israel.

In the end, no animals were harmed in the posting of this commentary. We can embrace and apply the wisdom of Vayikra without approving and emulating its practices. That's the eternal beauty of Limud Torah (Torah Study).

Shabbat Shalom Rest and Renew

Resources consulted for this post:
A Torah Commentary For Our times by Harvey J. Fields
Commentary on the Torah by Richard Elliott Friedman