Readings for Saturday, April 11, 2026 and Prike Avot Chapter One

Readings for Saturday, April 11, 2026

Shemini (Eighth)

9:1-11:47 Vayikra (Leviticus)

Shemini is the third sedrah in Vayikra (Leviticus).  Shemini means eighth.  The sedrah takes its name from the third word in the opening verse of the sedrah, “On the eighth (‘shemini’) day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel.”  In the preceding sedrah of Tzav, we read about the consecration of the Kohanim, which took seven days.  The narrative in Shemini starts with the day immediately following the events described in Tzav; hence the appellation of the eighth day.  There are those who liken the seven days described in Tzav to the Seven Days of Creation.  In the first week, God was at work in the world.  On the eighth day, it was time for Man to take responsibility for the world he had been given.  Likewise, Moshe had worked for seven days to consecrate the Kohanim.  On the eighth day, it was time for Aaron to assume his responsibility in helping to make the Israelites a holy nation, a nation of priests.

The sedrah is three chapters long.  Chapter 9 describes the events of the Eighth Day.  Chapter 10 describes the events surrounding the death of two of Aaron's sons.  Chapter 11 describes the Laws of Kashrut.

The Eighth Day (9:1-24)

After seven days of consecration where Moshe was performing the rituals, now, on the eighth day, Aaron begins to function fully as the Kohein Gadol.  From now on, only the Kohanim will be responsible for the sacrificial cult in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple in Jerusalem.  According to some commentators, Aaron shows some hesitancy in accepting his role because he remembers, with shame, the episode of the Golden Calf.  But Moshe reassures him that his sin has been forgiven and Aaron does indeed “Come forward to the altar.…”  Supposedly, the sacrifices offered by Aaron in Shemini mark the start of our formal worship, which continues unbroken to modern times through the daily prayer services.  At the conclusion of the sacrifices, Aaron blesses the people.  We see a reminder of this in many congregations today, where Rabbis offer a blessing at the conclusion of Shabbat Eve and Morning Services.  Finally, a fire from the Lord consumes the offerings signifying Divine approval.  You might remember the fifteenth and last part of the Seder, which is called Nirtzah.  During Nirtzah we ask for God’s approval for what we have done.  For without His approval, all is for naught.  The event described here is an earlier reminder of the concept that without a spark of the divinity, ritual is a meaningless spectacle.

The Events Surrounding the Death of Aaron’s Sons (10:1-20)

The chapter opens with the death of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron’s four sons.  They are described as bringing “esh zarah” (alien or strange fire) before the Lord which results in their instant death.  The text offers no explanation for their behavior nor does it specify what is meant by the term “alien fire.”  Some commentators contend that they brought incense of their own creation into the Tabernacle.  We know from previous discussions that incense was of great importance since the morning service carries the daily reminder that a Kohein Gadol who entered the Sanctuary with unfit incense was subject to the death penalty.  What we do know for sure is that God found the behavior so offensive that he took their lives in a seemingly miraculous way.  He rejected their fire by consuming them with a fire of His own.  Apparently, only their souls were consumed, because in subsequent verses we read about their cousins grabbing the miscreants’ tunics and removing their bodies from the camp.  All that is offered by way of explanation in the text is Moshe telling Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when He said ‘Through those near to Me I show Myself holy and assert My authority before all the people.’”  In other words, the Priests are expected to follow the rules.  Leadership does not allow for license and privilege.  Rather it demands an even higher standard of behavior since failure on the part of the leaders (remember Aaron and the Golden Calf) will cause the people to go astray.  And what was Aaron’s response to this calamity at the moment of his greatest triumph?  “And Aaron was silent.”  Aaron said nothing.  Aaron did nothing.  Did he “accept the justice of the decree” or was he a grieving father, too overwhelmed by the events, or a little of both?  We cannot be sure.  But just in case Aaron or his two remaining sons missed the message, Moshe tells them not to mourn so that they can avoid death at the hands of an angry God.  This strange chapter ends with Moshe angrily denouncing Aaron and his sons for not consuming the sacrifice of purification in the appropriate manner.  Aaron points out the ritual reason for why they behaved as they did.  At the human level, he also points out to his brother that they were reluctant to eat the purification sacrifice in light of the punishment that had befallen their family.  Moshe acknowledges that Aaron has acted correctly after all.

The Laws of Kashrut (11:1-47)

This is the latest in a series of strictures about eating and food.  We have already been told not to boil a kid in its mother’s milk, not to consume blood and to avoid chametz during Pesach.  Now we are given lists of creatures we can and cannot eat.  We also are given rules about contamination and containers.  God has given us these commandments so that we might be holy (11:43-45).  Some commentators put the Dietary Laws in the category of strictures known as Chuchat - laws we obey without fully knowing the reason other than that we have been commanded to follow them.  Why is hamburger holy and lobster unholy?  Despite much speculation, nobody will know until the Moshiach comes and answers the unanswerable.  There is no need to rehash the rather detailed information in the Sedrah.  (See Below)  There are many foods on the approved list that most of us would not consider eating.  For example, those of you who are tempted to eat locusts, consider this word of caution.  Ashkenazim do not eat them because their Rabbis feel that it is too difficult to distinguish the different varieties.

In the meantime here are the definitions of a few terms as they are now used that you might find useful.  “Kasher” or kosher means “ritually fit” or proper.  The designation is generally applied to food that is on the “acceptable” list and/or has been prepared according to ritual and under proper supervision where required.  “Terefah” or “treif” is the opposite of kosher.  Treif literally means torn, but now is generally applied to any food that is not kosher.  “Tame” is the term used for what is unclean.  “Tahor” is the opposite meaning pure.  These last two terms are used for matters other than just food.  There is no need to re-hash the views of different groups of Jews about the Dietary Laws.  Etz Hayim does offer an interesting middle ground, as one would expect from the harmonizing world of Conservative Judaism.  It points out that the Torah gives the laws of Kashrut in an incremental manner.  “Similarly, many Jews who begin from a position of limited observance can commit themselves to sanctifying their mealtimes in an in an incremental manner.  They may begin by avoiding pork and shellfish; continue by separating meat and dairy products, and so on.  No one need feel like a hypocrite for not keeping all of the commandments immediately.  What is important is to be on the path, to be a ‘striving’ Jew.”

Themes

Commandments

149.         The stricture against priests entering the sanctuary with disheveled hair (10:6).

150.         The stricture against priests entering the sanctuary with torn clothing (10:6).

151.         The requirement that priests, under threat of divinely ordained death, are not to leave the sanctuary during a service (10:7).

152.         The stipulation that priests should not enter the sanctuary, or render a legal ruling, after imbibing liquor (10:8-11).

153.         The specification of two characteristics - split hooves and chewing the cud - which renders land animals kosher (11:2-3).

154.         The prohibition against eating unkosher animals (11:4-7).

155.         The specification of the two characteristics - fins and scales - that render fish kosher (11:9).

156.         The prohibition against eating fish that lack fins and scales (11:10-11).

157.         The stricture against eating unkosher birds (11:13).

158.         The specification of characteristics of permitted locusts (11:21-22).

159.         The delineation of the ritual uncleanness of crawling creatures (11:29-31).

160.         A commandment relating to how food or food containers become defiled and what is to be done with them (11:32-34).

161.         The law that ritual uncleanness is conveyed by touching an animal’s carcass (11:39).

162-163. The prohibition against eating swarming creatures and tiny insects found on grains and fruits (11:41-42).

164.         The prohibition against eating creatures that swarm in water (11:43).

165.         The stricture against eating swarming creatures (11:44).

Biblical Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushki

Demarcations

Shemini is a sedrah of demarcations.  According to Rabbi Hertz, the first ten chapters of the book of Vayikra, including the first two chapters of Shemini, “contain The Law of the Sanctuary in the stricter sense of the term.”  Starting with the eleventh chapter of Vayikra, the last chapter in Shemini, most of the rest of the book “deals with matters other than priests and sacrifices, with what might be described as The Law of Daily Life.”  As we move through the rest of Vayikra, I will leave it to you to see if you agree with Hertz’s demarcation.  According to a note in Etz Hayim, the letter ‘Vav’ in the word ‘gachon’ (belly) in 11:42 is the middle letter of the entire Torah.  The ‘Vav’ is always written large to emphasize this.

Moshe

With the death of Aaron’s sons, we see Moshe torn between his role as a brother and a national leader.  Surely as a brother, he wanted to comfort his grieving brother.  But he had to set his personal feelings aside and serve as the national leader in a moment of challenge.  This conflict might account for his outburst concerning the consumption of the purification sacrifice.

Wine

According to the Psalms, wine may gladden the heart.  But according to Torah, leaders performing their duties are to have a clear head and avoid intoxicants of any kind lest their judgment be impaired.

Strange Fire

Traditionally, this term has been used to refer to practices that did not conform to either the Written or Oral Law.  It is often joined with the injunction about not adding to or subtracting from the Law.  Obviously Judaism has changed over the centuries.  But those changes have supposedly always been anchored in our basic laws and customs as found in the Bible.  One of the reasons we find such an emphasis on intellectual pedigree among Rabbis and Commentators is to ensure that their interpretations and innovations are not whimsical innovations.

The Easy Way to Practice Judaism

There are many reasons given for not practicing Judaism.  My parents weren’t religious.  I didn’t go to Sunday School.  I cannot read Hebrew.  I am busy on Friday night or Saturday morning.  Ah but everybody eats.  And living in the United States with its abundance of food, most of us can control what we eat.  This means most of us could practice Kashrut at least in its most rudimentary form.  This means that eating in at least a semi-kosher manner is an easy way for all of us to practice our Judaism.

The Importance of Eight

Shemini or Eight reminds of the importance of this number.  God created the world in seven days.  Moshe consecrated the Mishkan for seven days.  But on the Eighth Day, Moshe turned the Mishkan over to Aaron.  In effect he said, now that this has been created as a holy place it is up to you to use it as such, to take it to the next level.  In the same way, God turned the world over to mankind on the Eighth Day.  He said he had created this world and now it was our place to use it properly, to take it to its next level.  The brit takes place on the Eighth Day.  The child has survived the “week of creation.”  Now it is the parents’ job to bring it into the covenant and take it to the next level - a committed Jew and decent human being.  With Havdalah, the Eighth Day begins for each of us.  Each of us has the challenge of taking the spirituality of the Seventh Day and taking into the real world of the Eighth day.

Paying the Rabbi

In Pirke Avot Rabbi Tzaddok teaches, “Do not make the Torah into a crown with which to aggrandize yourself or a spade with which to dig.  And Hillel states:  “He who uses the crown (of Torah) will pass on” (above, 1:13).  From this Rabbi Dovid Rosenthal says we “may learn that anyone who derives benefit from words of Torah takes his life from the world."  Does this mean that nobody should be able to earn compensation by “making utilitarian use of their Torah knowledge?”  There are numerous examples of sages who worked for a living, many of them at humble positions such as woodcutter, charcoal maker and a seller of pins and needles.  Rashi was a vintner and Maimonides was a full-time physician.  Apparently Maimonides thought that this injunction was aimed at the “large class of able-bodied people  who studied Torah while freeloading off of local charities, often imposing charity ‘quotas’ upon the greater community to assist them in their” self-described sacred pursuits.  Congregational rabbis in the United States hardly fit this description.

In this week’s Torah portion, we are reminded that one of the purposes of the sacrifices was to provide food for the Kohanim and their families.  While rabbis are not priests, the words of our lips (prayers) have replaced the offerings on the altars (sacrifices).  If the priests gained sustenance from the role they played in offering the sacrifices of our forefathers, it serves to reason that we should provide sustenance for the rabbis who play such an integral part in our worship activities.  So, it would seem that congregational rabbis are the exception to the injunction about not making a profit from the crown of the Torah.

Haftarah

II Samuel 6:1-7:17 (Ashkenazim)

II Samuel 6:1-19 (Sephardim

The Man:  Samuel opposed the creation of an Israelite monarchy.  Yet most of the writings that bear his name concern themselves with the lives of King Saul and King David, with the lion’s share of attention focused on David.  In this part of Samuel, we are seeing the climactic moments in David’s rise to power.  He began as a simple shepherd, moved on to being part of Saul’s retinue and then became an outlaw who actually served with the Philistines.  After the death of Saul, he asserted himself as the King of Judah and then united all the twelve tribes under his rule.  The crowning moment came with the conquest of Jerusalem, which became the City of the David.

The Message:  In this haftarah we find David at the zenith of his power.  He is attempting to cement his rule over the kingdom, ensure his dynasty and carry out the will of God.  The Ark of the Covenant was at a place called Baalim, in land controlled by the tribe of Judah.  David went to Baalim with the intention of moving the Ark to Jerusalem.  During the trip, the Ark started to slip from the cart on which it had been placed.  A man named Uzza reached out to steady the Ark and was struck down by the Lord.  David was frightened by this and was afraid to bring the Ark into the city.  So for three months he left it at the house of Obed-edom.  When David saw that Obed-edom prospered during this time, he came back and moved the ark into the city.  This time the Ark was not placed in a cart.  It was carried on the shoulders of men.  Amidst much rejoicing, the Ark was brought into the city.  The only cloud over the event was a domestic one.  When David came home, he and his wife Michal had a fight over what she deemed as his unseemly behavior during the celebration.  The narrative shifts two a separate, but related events.  Here we find, David upset with himself because the Ark was kept in tent while he was living in a palace.  David wanted to build a Temple.  But the prophet Nathan had a dream and told David that God did not want him to build Him a house.  Rather, it would be one of David’s offspring who would build the Lord’s House.  Furthermore, Nathan assured David that God would establish David’s dynasty forever.  He may punish the House of David, but He would never withdraw from it as He had done with Saul.

Theme-Link:  The sedrah describes the final dedication of the Mishkan followed by the supernatural deaths of Nadab and Abihu.  The haftarah describes the joyful transport of the Ark to its final resting-place in Jerusalem.  This simchah is interrupted by the supernatural death of Uzza.  We do not really know why God took the lives of Aaron’s sons.  We really are not sure what is meant by “strange fire.”  But there are at least two reasons given for the death of Uzza, neither of which might be to your liking.  First, Uzza reached out to keep the Ark from falling.  By reaching out in this manner, he showed a lack of faith because “the Ark cannot fall because…the Ark carries its bearers.”  The statement “the Ark carries its bearers” provides the second cause of Uzza’s death.  The Ark was being carried on a wagon.  The Torah commands that the Ark be carried by the Levites.  If the Ark had been transported correctly, it would not have been on a wagon in the first place so Uzza would not have been tempted to act in a manner that caused his death.  We know that David learned this lesson because when the Ark was finally moved to Jerusalem, the text described the “bearers of the Ark of the Lord” moving it forward (6:13).  King David does not understand the reason for Uzza’s death.  In fact he is so frightened that he is afraid to bring the Ark into the city.  Compare his reaction to the death of Uzza with Moshe’s reaction to the death of Aaron’s son.  Their reactions might provide an insight as to why, no matter how great David was, Moshe stands a little taller in our tradition.

Nathan:  This is not the last time that the prophet Nathan intervenes in David’s affairs.  The prophets play a unique role.  They tell the powerful things they do not want to hear.  Lest we forget, the prophets play the role for the Jews that the Jews are to play for the world.

Michal:  The brief episode of “Dancing David” (6:16’ 6:20-23) provides another example of how David might have “gotten it right at the office but not at home.”  David seems to be plagued by domestic discord.  Michal was David’s first wife.  She fell in love with him (I Samuel 18:20) when he was a young warrior serving her father.  When Saul turned against David, she conspired with Jonathan to save her husband.  In a tragic twist of events, Saul gave her away to another man.  David subsequently got her back.  But by then it was more a case of political need than re-kindled passion.  In the haftarah, we see how young love has turned to bile.  She rebuked him for making a spectacle of himself with his ecstatic dancing.  And he responded by reminding her that the House of David has replaced her father’s house in God’s favor and on the throne of Israel.  And for good measure, she suffered the ultimate curse for women of her time.  Michal is barren.  For more about this interesting biblical character, consider reading Biblical Images by Adin Steinsaltz.

Pirke Avot (Sayings of the Fathers) Saturday, April 11, 2026

Pirke Avot is a collection of sayings, teachings, and ethical maxims.  A popular and eminently quotable work, it is one of the sixty-three tractates of the Mishnah.  The Mishnah, consisting of centuries of oral teachings passed down from one generation to the next, was finally codified by Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi in 200 C.E.  Pirke Avot is unique among the tractates of the Mishnah in that it doesn't contain any halachah (law), only aggadah (stories or legends).  Its popularity is reflected in the fact that it is included in most prayer books (including, in part, in Gates of Prayer).  Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut, one of the great teachers of the Reform Movement, suggests that Pirke Avot "teaches us the essentials of what life might be at its best."  It deals with some of life's most basic and important questions:  What is our purpose and destiny?  What is sin, and how do we conquer it?  What is wisdom?  What is my relationship to God?  Pirke Avot is divided into chapters, and each chapter is further divided into individual statements, each called a Mishnah.  It is customary to study a chapter of Pirke Avot starting with the first Shabbat after the end of Pesach (Passover).  Since Pirke Avot consists of six chapters, the work may be completed by the start of Shavuot.  However, other groups of Jews follow a cycle where they study and re-study each of the chapters until the last Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah.  Regardless of the format you choose, each week the Torah page will include selections from the chapter of the week with a few comments from a variety of sources.)

Pirke Avot - Chapter 1

“Shimon Ha-Tzadik was among the last (members) of the Great Assembly.  He would say:  ‘On three things the world depends:  on Torah study, on the service (of God) and on bestowing kindness.’” (1:2).  Simon the Just was the High Priest who served in the Second Temple at the time of Alexander the Great.  According to the Talmud, he is the one who convinced Alexander not to destroy the Temple as he had been requested to do by the Samaritans.  Simon the Just sees the world as resting on a combination of study, ritual observance and positive human behavior.  Like a three-legged stool, the world would collapse if any one of these elements were missing.  All three are mutually inclusive and required if the world is to survive.  The Hebrew term translated, as “on bestowing kindness” is “Gemilut Chasidim” which is also translated as “acts of loving-kindness.”  Reform Jews should know this line well since it is sung to a perfectly marvelous tune during the Torah Service.

Copyright; April, 2026; Mitchell A. Levin

 

 

 

Readings for Saturday, March 28, 2026 Shabbat HaGadol

Readings for Saturday, March 28, 2026

Shabbat HaGadol

The Shabbat preceding Pesach is called Shabbat Ha-Gadol or the Great Sabbath.  There are several possible reasons why this particular Shabbat is so named.  First is its proximity to Pesach.  Second, according to Shemot, this would have been the time during which the Israelites were selecting the lambs that would be part of the first Pesach observance.  Third, in the special Haftarah (Malachi 3:3-24) that is read on Shabbat Ha-Gadol reference is made to that “great day” when the prophet Elijah will re-appear.  According to tradition, Elijah is the prophet who will announce the coming of the Messiah.  We find this theme repeated at the Seder with the Cup of Elijah and the singing of Eliyahu Hanavi (Elijah the Prophet) when we open the door in anticipation of his appearance.  There is no special Torah reading for Shabbat Ha-Gadol.  In earlier times, it was customary for the Rabbis to devote their sermons on Shabbat Ha-Gadol to the rules of Pesach to ensure proper observance of this major festival.

Tzav (Command)

6:1-8:36 Vayikra (Leviticus)

Tzav is the second sedrah in the book of Vayikra (Leviticus).  The sedrah takes its name from the first Hebrew word of the second sentence in the reading.  “Command (Tzav) Aaron and his sons saying…”  As the Stone Chumash points out, up until now “commandments regarding the offerings were introduced with ‘say’ or ‘speak’” since the entire nation was being addressed.  Here the Torah uses the word “command” in terms of the sacrifices because God is addressing the Kohanim directly and instructing them in the duties that they must carry out with zeal.  Tzav is a highly repetitious portion since the first part of the sedrah deals with the sacrifices already described in last week’s sedrah, Vayikra.  One of the major differences has to do with order in which the sacrifices are presented.  According to Etz Hayim, the sacrifices in Vayikra move from voluntary to involuntary while In Tzav; the sacrifices are listed in order of their holiness.  The second part of Tzav deals with ordination or consecration of the Kohanim.

Olah or Burnt Offering (6:1-6)

Minhah or Grain Offering (6:7-11)

Chatat or Sin Offering (6:17-23)

Asham or Guilt Offering (7:1-10)

Zevach Sh’lamim or Offering of Well-Being (7:11-34)

Tzav amplifies the information offered in Vayikra about this sacrifice.  Tzav specifically mentions two different types of, and reasons for, offering the Zevach Sh’lamim.  One was a “Todah” or Thanksgiving Offering (7:10).  The other could be a “Nedavah” or Freewill Offering (7:16).  Apparently included in the second group was the “Neder”, a sacrifice brought upon fulfillment of a vow.  The Hebrew word Neder means vow.

Ordination or Consecration of the Kohanim (8:1-36)

If you think you have read this already, you are right.  In chapter 29 of Shemot (Exodus), God tells Moshe how to conduct the service of consecration.  In Tzav, the ordination process actually takes place.  The consecration takes seven days.  The next sedrah will pick up with the eighth day.

Themes:

Commandments

131. The obligation to remove from the altar the ashes of offerings (6:3-4).

132-133. The requirement to kindle a “perpetual” fire on the altar and never let it go out (6:5-6).

134-135. The commandment that priests are to eat the remnants of meal offerings but not cook them so they become leavened (6:9-10).

136. The Specification of the daily meal offerings brought by the High Priest - beginning when he is anointed (6:13).

137. The requirement that the priest’s meal offering should not be eaten (6:16).

138. The specification of how priests are to offer the Chatat or Sin Offering (6:18).

139. The prohibition against eating the offering if any of the animal’s blood has been brought into the Tent of the Meeting (6:23).

140. The specification of the Asham or Guilt Offering (7:16).

141. The specification of the Shalmim or Peace Offering (7:11-14).

142. The specification against leaving overnight any remains of a Todah or Thanksgiving Offering (7:15).

143. The requirement to burn remnants of sacrifices on the third day after they are offered (7:17).

144. That a sacrifice becomes invalidated because of failure to obey the relevant regulations (7:18).

145-146. The prohibition against eating the meat of a defiled offering and the requirement to burn such meat (7:19).

147. The prohibition against eating Helev, or Forbidden Animal Fat (7:23).

148. The prohibition against consuming an animal’s blood (7:26).

From Biblical Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin

Kashrut

Some of the Laws of Kashrut (keeping Kosher) have to do with dishes and how to purify them.  In reading 6:21, we see some of the Torah underpinnings for the rulings about kitchenware made of different materials.

Thanksgiving

In the days of the Temple it was customary to bring offerings of Thanksgiving for the joys of life.  With the demise of the Temple, the custom was established of giving a person an aliyah (calling them up to the Torah) to celebrate moments of deliverance or joy.  The Gomel or Thanksgiving Blessing is recited at the end of the reading.  While Psalm 107 lists four specific reasons for reciting Gomel, the most common one today is recovery from a major illness or successful surgery.  Additional moments of joy could include a groom being called up on the Shabbat before the wedding or a father being called up after the birth of a child.  In this last example a special prayer is said for the well-being of the mother.  This is just one more example of how our religious practices are rooted in the Temple service of old.  According to some sages, once the Moshiach has come, all of the sacrifices will disappear except the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.  The other sacrifices have to do with our shortcomings, which will no longer exist in the Messianic Era.  But even after the coming of the Moshiach we will still be thankful for enjoying the blessings of the Lord.

Appropriate Attire

The Kohanim only wore their special garb while performing their duties in the Tabernacle (6:3).  When away from the Tabernacle, such as when they carried out the ashes (6:4), the Kohanim put on ordinary clothing.  In keeping with the spirit of these references to dress, a tradition of wearing one’s finest garments on Shabbat and Holiday developed in many communities.  So well-known was this custom that in the days of the Spanish Inquisition, spies would report to the authorities any time they saw Marranos dressed up on days corresponding to Jewish holidays.  This was considered a sure sign that their conversion to Christianity was less than sincere.

The Ordination of the Kohanim

Why did God have Moshe dab blood on the ridge of Aaron’s ear, the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot?  Nobody knows what this particular ritual meant to our ancient forefathers.  However, the sages have provided us with some interpretations that might be meaningful to us in our daily lives.  According to some, the three parts of the body mentioned are “an abbreviated code” for the entire person.  To serve God, we must serve him with the entirety of our personage.  Blood is a symbol of ritual transition.  In the Brit Milah, the drop of blood is a symbol of transition into the Covenant that God made with Abraham.  At Pesach, the blood on the doorposts marks the transition from death (for the Egyptian) to life for the Israelites or the transition from slavery to freedom.  Here the blood marks the passage of Aaron and his sons from being private individuals to being the Kohanim, the public officials responsible for the ritual well-being of the Israelites.  Others have said that the ear reminds us to always listen to God, the thumb (being part of the hand) reminds us to always reach out to God and the toe (being part of the foot) reminds us to move quickly to carry out the will of God. 

Blood

The Torah repeatedly commands us not consume blood.  So why are we commanded to put blood on the altar of atonement?  The Israelites were commanded not to consume blood because the pagans consumed it as part of their sacrifices.  Also, animals drink blood.  The commandments are intended, in part, to differentiate us from the pagans and to help us control our animal soul.  At the same time, blood is the life force.  That which is prohibited to man, is not prohibited to the Lord.  “The holiness of the blood is demonstrated by putting it on the altar as something only for God and not for humans.” 

The Five Senses

The sacrifices appealed to all five of our senses.  Since we can no longer offer sacrifices we have customs and ceremonies to engage all five of our senses:

Sound - The chanting of our prayers and the blowing of the shofar;

Sight - The public display of the Torah and its ornaments;

Smell - The spices of the Havdalah Ceremony;

Taste - Matzah and Bitter Herbs; and

Touch - The Lulav.

In Place of Sacrifices

Since the Temple has been destroyed, we cannot offer sacrifices.  The Sages looked to the TaNaCh to find substitutes.  We have already seen that in the words of Hosea, “Let the offerings of our lips and tongue replace the animal sacrifices of the Temple” they found the justification for prayer standing in the place of the sacrifices.  Verses in Tzav provided further evidence for this transition.  “In the Talmud Rabbi Isaac asked, ‘Why does it say This is the law of the sin-offering, (Vayikra 6:18) this is the law of the guilt-offering? (Vayikra 7:1).’  To teach us that when one studies the law of the sin offering, it is considered as though he had actually brought it on the Altar, and when one studies the law of the guilt-offering, it as though he actually brought it on the altar.’  Rather than merely recite these portions, study them and attempt to learn about the laws and significance of the various sacrifices.”  Furthermore, in the opening words of this week’s sedrah, they found the justification for having the study of Torah stand in the place of the sacrifices.  “Tzav Ah-haron.zoat torat ha-olah.”  “Command Aaron…This is the law (torat) of the burnt offering.”  The Rabbis seized on the word torat, a form of the word torah and concluded:  “In our day, the study of Torah takes the place of bringing animal offerings.”

The Permanent Fire

The Kohanim were commanded to keep a “permanent fire aflame on the Altar” (6:5-6).  There are those who contend that the Sanctuary (be it the Mishkan or the Temple in Jerusalem) has its spiritual counterpart within the personage of each Jew.  And the heart of the Jew corresponds to the Altar.  Just as the Kohanim were to keep a permanent fire burning on the altar by tending to it and feeding it wood, so we are to keep the permanent fire burning in our hearts by studying Torah and publicly manifesting our faith.  Sometimes the flame of the fire may burn low.  Sometimes our attachment to our faith reaches a low ebb, but the spark is always there in the heart of the Jew waiting to be nourished so that it may roar again with the light and the warmth of God and his mitzvoth.

“Steak and Sacrifices” by W. Gunther Plaut

(The following comes from the pen of one of the leading rabbis of the Reform Movement. You might be a little surprised by what he has to say about animal sacrifices.)

“Being civilized, modern people, we are likely to shudder at the idea of slicing up animals to express our devotion to God.  Of course, we see nothing wrong with a good steak for dinner, unless perhaps the cardiologist advises against it.  But we leave the killing of animals to others and are not inclined to improve our children’s education or our own by visiting a slaughterhouse.  Yet whole chapters in the Torah are devoted to animal sacrifices; the part of Tzav consists of little else.  What are we to make of instructions elaborating how the animal is to be slaughtered who may eat of it, what disposition shall be made of the fat, and who shall keep the skin?  Or of the rule that the elders of the community will expiate an unwitting error made by the people through laying their hands on a bull and slaughtering it?  The whole notion that the merciful Creator demands the killing of innocent creatures as a sign of human obeisance seems at first glance to be an obvious contradiction.  Yet we would do well to look a little further.  First, we should consider the times and circumstances to which this legislation addressed itself.  The Israelites in the Promised Land were almost all farmers, and therefore had a special relationship to their animals and often would know them by name.  They were not accustomed to a daily diet of meat, and in that respect were no different from the vast masses of humanity then or now.  Animals were domesticated for sale or for the milk or wool they produced.  They represented capital that one did not eat up lightly.  Consuming meat was reserved for special occasions.  Chief among these were visits to the nearest shrine and, later, to the central sanctuary in Jerusalem.  These pilgrimages were acts of festive celebration, expressed as thanksgiving or expiation for sins committed, and marked major events in life.  The pilgrim would take an animal along and slaughter it in the holy precincts.  As an act of worship, sacrifice had two important side effects.  For one, it served to lessen the guilt a farmer felt (and feels) when he killed a creature he had from its birth.  This guilt was attenuated when the killing was done to honor God and when the meal was shared with others.  In balancing the desire to eat meat and the moral problem of killing animals, sacrificial ritual was an extension of the wider dietary laws.  Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Hacohen Kook, chief rabbi of Mandatory Palestine, one wrote that all the laws of Kashrut are devised to remind us constantly that we are eating the flesh of once-living creatures.  For that reason, for instance, we do not consume animals’ blood, which in biblical tradition is considered “life itself.”  Another side effect of bringing the offering in a holy environment was the deep impression the ritual was sure to make.  This was not just killing for the sake of pleasurable feasting; it was done for God’s sake.  One came closer to God through voluntary giving of one’s possessions, through sacrificing something.  (The word “sacrifice” combines the Latin word facere which means ‘to make or render’ and the Latin word sacer which means ‘holy.’  It is a translation of the Hebrew word for sacrifice, korban, which literally means ‘bringing close’ as in ‘bringing close to God.’)  And what do we do today?  We buy meat at the butcher’s or in grocery store already cellophane-wrapped.  Small children have no real inkling of where the meat came from.  Any connection to the living creature is totally absent.  These animals are to have been “harvested” in some mysterious way, which even adults would rather not know about.  In contrast, our biblical ancestors never reduced animals to the status of things.  Yet we tend to feel smugly superior to those ancient times.  We do so with little reason.”

Haftarah for Shabbat Ha-Gadol

3:4-24 - 3:23 Malachi

The Man:  We really do not know much about this prophet at all.  Malachi is probably not his name.  Rather it is Hebrew for “my messenger.”  It may be a pseudonym stemming from the third Hebrew word in the first sentence of the third chapter where we find the words of God, “Behold, I send My messenger (Malachi) and he shall clear the way before Me.”  Along with Haggai and Zechariah, Malachi is one of the three post-exilic prophets.  In fact Malachi is the last of all of the prophets.  He is thought to have lived sometime between 500 B.C.E and 450 B.C.E.  By this time the Second Temple had been completed but the Jewish homeland was merely a province of the Persian Empire called Judea.  Malachi preached at a time when spirituality and morality were at a low ebb.  The reality of the reconstruction of the Temple had not lived up to the expectations of redemption and a great reawakening.  In fact, from a historic and spiritual point of view, Malachi actually was setting the stage for the reforms instituted by Ezra and Nehemiah.  According to traditional commentators, after Malachi God did not “select” individuals commanding them to speak in his name.  Going forward, leaders such as the Scribes and Rabbis would speak and teach in the name of God based on the literary traditions of the Jewish people.

Malachi represents a return to the beginning of the prophetic messages.  Some of the early, non-literary prophets were concerned about the ritual of sacrifice. They saw the sacrifices as a key ingredient in man’s communication with God.  The Literary Prophets - Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, for example - shifted the emphasis to social justice and prayer.  With the opening verses of Malachi, we see a return to the message of the importance of the sacrificial system and properly performed rituals such as tithing.  Could it be that in the last words of Prophecy we are being reminded that ritual and social justice are not mutually exclusive, but rather mutually inclusive; that to effect a healing of the universe we must nurture Judaism that relies on both aspects of the divine commandments?

The Message:  The reading is short, dense and difficult to summarize briefly in writing,  It is a mixture of reminders of past glory “Surely the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of yore and in the years of old” admonitions for the present, “Be mindful of the Teaching of My servant Moses” and a vision of the future, “Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of the Lord.  He shall reconcile parents with children and children with their parents, so that when I come, I do not strike the whole land with utter destruction.”

Theme-link:  This time the connection is not with the sedrah but with the calendar.  The prophetic reading for the Sabbath ends with a description of Elijah as the herald of the coming of the final redemption.  This is consistent with the message of the Seder with the opening of the door for Elijah.  Pesach is the holiday of the first redemption, but it came to be seen as the herald of the final redemption in the end of days.  Note the highlighted section above and compare the passage of the Lord through the land of Egypt with his passage through the land in the end of days.  Instead of a daub of blood on the door, love, as exemplified by the reconciliation of parents and children will be the protection from the Lord’s wrath.  Last but not least, Malachai calls upon the people to remember to bring the agricultural tithe to the Temple because it was given to the poor to help them celebrate the holiday of Pesach.  In modern times, Jews increase their contributions so that the less fortunate will have the money for matzo and other items necessary for observing Pesach.

Shabbat Hagadol Pogrom:  In the spring of 1190, the Jews of England were subject to a series of attacks by murderous anti-Semitic mobs.  The worst attack took place at York on Shabbat Hagadol where a mob filled with the fervor of preparing for the Third Crusade attacked the Jews.  They sought shelter in Clifford’s Tower.  But the crusading Christians were not to be deterred.  The next day, the Jews were given the choice of converting or being murdered.  Their leader, Rabbi Yom Tov of Joigny, advised the Jews to commit suicide rather than submit.  The Rabbi was a man of his word as he took his own life after killing his family.  Most of the Jews followed Yom Tov’s example.  The Christians murdered the Jews who did surrender and then burned the tower that was filled with the body of the Jews who had died for Kiddush Hashem.

Family Connection: Pesach is the ultimate holiday of family connection.  Shabbat Hagadol is supposed to serve as a reminder that Pesach is coming.  In my case it is also an early reminder of the family connection since my father, Joseph B. Levin, of blessed memory, was called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on Shabbat Hagadol.

Copyright; March 2026; Mitchell A. Levin

 

 

Readings for March 21, 2026, and Rosh Chodesh Nisan

Readings for Thursday, March 19, 2026

Rosh Chodesh Nisan

28:1-15 Bamidbar (Numbers)

This is the standard reading for each Rosh Chodesh.  Rosh Chodesh is the name of the minor holiday that marks the start of each month.  The term Rosh Chodesh is translated as New Moon.  The first day of the month is referred to as Rosh Chodesh because the months are lunar and the first day of each month comes with the start of the new moon.  In the days of the Temple special sacrifices were brought in honor of the new moon.  With the destruction of the Temple, the sacrificial system ended.  In place of the sacrifices, Jews read a description of the sacrificial offerings, which is described in the first fifteen verses of chapter 28 in the book of Numbers.  The Torah reading takes place during the daily morning service.  There are many Jews who have no desire to return to the sacrificial system.  They use these readings as a way of providing a connection with the past which is one of the keys to our future.  Because of its connection with the moon, Rosh Chodesh is thought to have a special meaning for women.  Some sages suggest that wives and mothers should be given gifts on Rosh Chodesh.  You would think that the Jewish Jewelers here in Cedar Rapids would seize on this as a marketing gimmick.  There are other sages who think that Tzedakah should be given in the name of these women.  Once again, Jewish fund raisers would seem to be missing a golden opportunity (no pun intended).

Nisan is the first month of the “religious calendar” and the seventh month of the year counting from Rosh Hashanah.  The Torah refers to Nisan as “the first of the months of year” and as “Abib,” the month of spring.  The Biblical references to the month as “Nisan” are found in the books of Nehemiah and Esther, showing that this appellation came into use during the Babylonian exile. Some consider Nisan to be the most important month in the year. It marks the seminal event in Jewish history, the Exodus from Egypt; which is commemorated by the celebration of Pesach (Passover), as well as the Miracle at the Sea of Reeds.  Nisan also marked the start of the harvest season in ancient Israel which gave rise to the counting of the Omer.

2^nd of Nisan:  Yahrzeit of Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn, The fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe;

9^th of Nisan:  Anniversary of the Kishinev Pogrom (1903);

13^th of Nisan:  Yahrzeit of Joseph Caro author of the Shulchan Aruch, the famous code of Jewish Law;

13^th of Nisan:  Yahrzeit of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe and author of the Tzemach Tzedek;

14^th of Nisan:  Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943);

14^th of Nisan:  Fast of the Firstborn (in the evening, the First Seder);

15^th of Nisan:  First Day of Pesach;

16^th of Nisan:  First Day of the Omer;

21^st of Nisan:  Seventh Day of Pesach; Song at the Sea;

22^nd of Nisan:  Eighth Day of Pesach; Yizkor (Traditional);

23^rd of Nisan:  66^th anniversary of the Arab Revolt in Palestine (1936)

27^th of Nisan:  Yom Ha-Shoah or Holocaust Memorial Day (In 2013 observed on Monday, April 8);

Readings for Saturday, March 21, 2026

Vayikra (He called)

1:1-5:26 Vayikra (Leviticus)

This week we begin the third book of the Torah, Vayikra or Leviticus.  Much of this book concerns material that seems foreign to our modern world.  It is a world of sacrifices; a world of animals and blood and fire.  It is a world that seems far distant from our so-called civilized 21^st century practices.  So why study this text at all?  For several reasons; it is one of the Five Books of Moses and we have been reading it for centuries.  The sacrificial system was important to our forefathers and understanding it might give us greater insight into our origins.  The sacrificial system and the activities in the Temple provide much of the origin and motifs for the worship services in the Synagogue as well as various home-based customs and ceremonies.  Some of the material is very technical so some of the guides may contain large segments of material taken directly from various sources.  Don’t worry, unlike a few famous historians, I use quotation marks.  Having stated the caveats, let's begin.

Vayikra, both the book and the first sedrah take their name from the first word of the book, which literally means, “He called” as in “He called to Moshe.…”  The “He” refers to God.  The English name for the book is Leviticus, referring to the Levites, the tribe to which the Kohanim or Priests belong.  In the Mishnah the book is referred to as the “Torat Kohanim” or “the Law of the Priests” since much of the book deals with the sacrificial system and the duties of the Priests.  Vayikra is dense with laws.  If my math is correct, the book contains 247 of the 613 Commandments.  However, since many of the commandments involve the sacrificial system, they cannot be performed at this time since there is no Temple.

The sacrificial system stopped with the destruction of Second Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E.  

Interestingly enough, no attempt was made to offer sacrifices at other locations after this.  There are those who contend that Vayikra was written by the priestly class in Jerusalem long after the events in the Wilderness.  It was inserted in the Torah to justify and ensure that the Temple in Jerusalem would be the only place to bring sacrifices and that the sacrificial system would be controlled by the tribe of Levi and specifically by the Kohanim, the Levitical family descended from Aaron.  While sacrifices were common to ancient man, the Biblical commentators have cast the material in Leviticus in a uniquely Jewish mold.  For the Jews, the sacrifices exist as a way for us to express our adoration of God.  They do not exist because God needs to be fed or because God needs our sacrifices.  This is a topic we explored when we studied the Golden Calf.  Also, unlike with other ancient people, the description of the sacrificial system was public knowledge.  By making it part of the Torah, all Israelites were to know how the system worked.  Among most other peoples, the sacrificial system was part of the secret knowledge known only to the priestly and/or ruling class.  The entire system of sacrifices described in Vayikra and the “Holiness Code” that comprises the last nine chapter of the book, were intended to reinforce the notion of Kedoshim, the notion of holiness.  Vayikra is written to truly make us “a nation of Priests.”

Vayikra, the first sedrah, contains a series of commands from God concerning a variety of sacrifices.  Using the notes from Etz Hayim, we find the following:

Olah or Burnt Offering (1:1-17).  The olah or burnt offering “was burned to ashes in its entirety (except for its hide) on the altar of burnt offerings.  It was brought on various occasions, often together with other offerings.  Neither the priests nor donors ate any part of it.  The Olah could consist of male herd cattle, male flock animals or certain birds.  This range of choices - from expensive to inexpensive - enabled Israelites of modest means to participate in religious life because they could present less costly offerings at the sanctuary.”

Mincha or Grain Offering (2:1-16).  “Appropriate for a variety of occasions, the grain offering (mincha) often served as a less costly alternative to animal sacrifices.  Both the mincha and olah were regarded as ‘a most sacred offering,’ a status that imposed special restrictions.”  It would seem that the grain offering was for those who were too poor to afford any of the animals that would have been used in the olah.

Zevach Sh’lamim or The Offering of Well-Being (3:1-17).  “This category of offering was brought by a person who had something to celebrate.”  “Some of the same animals used for the olah could also be used for the Zevach Sh’lamim.  The same altar was used for both types of offerings as well as for the grain offering.”  Unlike the olah or mincha, “Zevach Sh’lamim was a sacred meal shared by the priests and by the donors of the offerings.  Only certain fatty portions of the animal were burned on the altar as God’s share.  The mincha could be eaten only by the priests.  Thus Zevah represents a distinctive mode of sacrifice, affording worshipers the experience of sharing a sacred meal with the priests.”  According to Plaut, the three sacrifices just described were of a voluntary nature.

The next series of sacrifices - Chatat and Asham - are obligatory sacrifices.  For the modern reader, the reasons for bringing these sacrifices are probably more meaningful than the ritual itself.  The reasons for bringing sacrifices provide us with a guide as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior in the sight of God.

Chatat or Sin Offering (4:1-35).  This offering covers sins that are committed “unwittingly.”  The miscreant may be a priest, the whole congregation, a leader or just an individual.  The Chatat takes on slightly different forms depending upon who the offending party is.

The sedrah then continues with four more special cases when Chatat must be offered (5:1-13).

Asham or Guilt Offering (5:14-26).  Unlike with the Chatat, only a ram may be used in performing Asham.  Asham was brought as part of the atonement process for a variety of transgressions, including “unintentional misuse or destruction of sanctuary property,” fraud, robbery, or lying under oath.  In the case of the last three, before one could bring Asham, the transgressor had to make restitution to the victim.

Themes:

Commandments

115. The specification of the burnt-offering sacrifice known as olah (1:3).

116. The commandment to bring the meal offering known as mincha (2:1-3).

117. The prohibition against offering up leaven and honey on the altar (2:11).

118-119. A negative and positive precept:  Not to offer a sacrifice without salt, but to salt all offerings (2:13).

120. The specification of the sacrifice the Jewish High Court offers when it makes an erroneous ruling that causes the entire people to sin (4:13-14).

121. The commandment that an offering known as Chatat is brought for unintentional sins (4:27-28).

122. The duty to offer testimony if one has pertinent knowledge about a crime (5:1).

From Biblical Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin

Study

When a child began to study Torah, he began with the book of Vayikra.  I can find no definitive reason for this well-known and often mentioned practice.  Maybe one of you has found it among your resources.

Customs and Ceremonies

The Mincha sacrifice was offered after mid-day or what we call Afternoon.  Mincha is now the name given to the Afternoon Service, which may not begin before 12:30 p.m.  The custom of dipping bread in salt before eating is a reminder that sacrifices in the Temple were salted.

Sin and Repentance

According to Plaut, Chatat (the Sin Offering) takes its name from the verb “chata” that means, “to miss the mark.”  In other words, the person who commits a sin is not necessarily evil.  Rather, he or she may have tried and missed the objective.  Chata is an admission of that failure along with a commitment to try and not miss the mark next time.  But as we can see from the requirements surrounding Asham, bringing a sacrifice is not synonymous with atonement.  In requiring the miscreant to make restitution, the authors of Vayikra are driving home the very Jewish concept that forgiveness begins with apologizing to those whom we have wronged and changing behavior.  Forgiveness is not gained through ritual alone.

Justice

Once again, we are reminded that the Jewish concept of justice is higher than the one we find in civil society.  As we read in 5:1, those who withhold evidence because they are not asked or who do not come forward to testify voluntarily are considered to be sinners.  When they have had a change of heart and rectify their behavior they must bring Chatat to gain expiation.

The Little Aleph

Aleph is the last letter in the Hebrew “Vayikra.”  When the word Vayikra is written in the Torah at the start of this sedrah, it always ends with a small aleph.  According to Rabbi Weisblum, the reason for this is as follows.  The sedrah concerns itself with the offerings in the Temple.  “The small aleph symbolizes that all donations, contributions or offerings, of whatever size, were acceptable.”  There are other explanations including ones that have to with structure and spacing of letters in the original text and the humility of Moses.  The text is spare; the explanations are varied and dense.

Prayers In Place of Sacrifices

Since the Temple has been destroyed we cannot bring sacrifices.  Therefore, we offer prayers in the place of sacrifices.  This is an example of how interpretation has allowed us to survive for the past four thousand years.  This change is based, at least in part, on a verse from the prophet Hosea “So will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips” (14:3) which is taken to mean, “Let our lips substitute for the sacrificial offerings.”  The word “bullocks” refers to the sacrifices.

Chametz

Rabbi Artson notes that the prohibition against Chametz or leavened grain is connected with observing Pesach.  But in Vayikra we find that no offering containing Chametz was to be brought to the Tabernacle or the Temple.  “No grain offering that you offer to the Lord shall be made with leaven (Chametz), for no leaven or honey may be turned into smoke as gift to the Lord.” (2:11).  One explanation for this ban is offered by the Rambam.  In ancient times, idol worshippers used leaven and honey in their offerings.  Since our practices were so different from those who worshipped idols, our sacrifices would not use the leaven and honey that they used.  But what is the connection between the ban on Chametz in sacrificial offerings and the ban on Chametz at Pesach?  Pesach marks the holiday of our freedom from bondage, which was the first step toward making us a holy nation, a nation of priests.  With the destruction of the Temple, the ceremonials in our homes stood in place of the sacrifices.  When we ban Chametz from our table for the week of Pesach, we are, in effect, elevating our table, to the level of the altar in the Temple where Chametz was banned at all times.

Sacrificial Selections

One has to wonder how the different types of animals were selected to be included in the sacrificial system.  What was so special about pigeons and turtledoves?  Why weren’t other birds acceptable?  Why couldn’t goats be used interchangeably with sheep?  Yes, there are practical reasons - sociological, historical and agricultural.  But it would appear that the real reason will be like all other “Chukat” apparent only with the coming of the Messiah.

Vayikra Moshe

According Everett Fox, the phrase “Vayikra Moshe” (And He called unto Moses) appears only twice in the Torah.  The second time is in Chapter 1, verse 1 of the book of Vayikra.  The first time is in Chapter 24, verse 6 of the Book of Shemot (Exodus) in the weekly reading of Mishpatim.  In Shemot, the term “Vayikra Moshe” separates the end of a torrent of laws relating to personal and social behavior from the rules dealing with the building of the Mishkan, the utensils to be used by the Kohanim and the clothing to be worn by the descendants of Aaron as they perform their holy duties that make up the balance of the second book of the Torah.  Since nothing is in the Torah by accident, what is the significance of this unique way of God calling out to Moses and why is it found only in these two places?  Could it be that God is connecting the laws of Leviticus with the purpose of the Tabernacle?  Could it be that we are reminded that by obeying the laws of Leviticus we are figuratively entering into the Mishkan, that portable symbol of the presence of God?  Today we have no Mishkan or Temple in which to offer sacrifices.  Our prayers serve as substitute for those sacrifices.  Could it be that by offering our prayers we are building or own Tabernacle in which we can find a closer connection with the Divine?  This is but one possible explanation.  The reason we study this year in and year out is to find the meaning behind the meaning.

Vayikra Quiz

1. List two characteristics of the sacrificial animal mandated by God?

The animal must be a male without a blemish (1:3).

2. According to Moses, what aspect of the sacrifices pleases God?

The aroma of the sacrifices is pleasing to God (1: 9, 13.17).

3. What happened to the part of a grain offering that was not mixed with oil and incenses?

It was given to Aaron and his sons to be eaten (2:3).

4. What two foodstuffs were forbidden to the Israelites for all time?

Blood and fat (3:17) 

Haftarah

43:21-44:23 Isaiah

The Man:  From an historic perspective, we do not know anything about the author.  For these are the words of the Second Isaiah, the Isaiah of the Exile.  This anonymous author lived much later than his historic namesake.  He was with the Jews in Babylonia and probably preached sometime after 538 B.C.E.  We base this conclusion on the fact that he was referencing Cyrus the Great, the conqueror of Babylonia who let the Jews return to Jerusalem.

The Message:  Speaking on behalf of God, the prophet reprimands the people for not fulfilling their sacrificial obligations and yet burdening the Almighty with their sins.  He then scorns the work of the idol makers.  This might indicate that some of the exiles were losing faith and were turning towards idolatry.  And finally, there is the promise of redemption because in the end we are His people.  Those who think the prophets were stodgy, pontificating, moralist should read the caustic wit concerning those whole fashion and worship idols made of wood.  The is the same kind of mocking humor the prophet Elijah uses in the contest on Mt. Carmel  Jewish humor existed long before Tevye or Jack Benny.

Theme-Link:  The sedrah contains a detailed description of a variety of sacrifices.  The haftarah begins with the condemnation of the people for not observing these very sacrificial rights.

 

Copyright; March 2026; Mitchell A. Levin