Vayikra Summary Kamens 1

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VAYIK
PARSHAT HASHAVUA: VAYIKRA
PARSHA SUMMARY
BY RABBI SYLVAN KAMENS
The Parsha shares the "Vayikra" with the book it begins, Levitius! "e on#u$e$
the book o% &'o$us with a $esri(tion o% the onstrution o% the Taberna#e an$ the
(riest#y vestments! The book o% )umbers %o##ows with the #aws %or the (rotetion
o% the u#ti a((urtenanes whi#e in trans(ort through the wi#$erness! Though
Levitius is a ty(e o% (riest#y manua#, most o% its #aws are a$$resse$ to a## Israe#!
This is most %itting %or a (eo(#e that was *ust $e#are$ to be a "king$om o% (riests!"
It is easy to get #ost in $etai#s in Levitius without rea#i+ing that one is atua##y
being in$ute$ into a theo#ogy o% ritua#! The theo#ogy o% Levitius uses the u#t to
(romote the i$ea that ,o$ is beyon$ the reah o% a## the %ores o% the wor#$ e'e(t
one - humanity! .n#y humans have the "$emoni" (ower to e'(e# ,o$ %rom the
santuary by (o##uting it mora##y or ritua##y! This, the (riests are onstant#y
engage$ in, either (urging the santuary o% its im(urities or getting the (eo(#e to
atone %or their wrongs!
Levitius be#ieves that $ivine aessibi#ity is oor$inate$ with human behavior!
"e have the (ower through the mora#ity o% our behavior to make ,o$ imminent or
transen$ent! /ivine intimay with humanity $e(en$s u(on the 0ua#ity o% human
ation! I%, by (o##uting the santuary, we an make it un%it, as it were, %or $ivine
#iving, *ust think what we ou#$ $o by santi%ying it!
The great (o#arities o% Levitius are ontaine$ in two sets o% antonyms1 im(urity
an$ ho#iness, $eath an$ #i%e! The im(#ie$ e0uation is im(urity1 ho#iness - $eath2
#i%e! I% im(urity is assoiate$ with $eath as ho#iness is with #i%e, then the great
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Vayikra Summary Kamens 3
soure o% (urity is the %ountainhea$ o% #i%e, *ust as $eath is the great generator o%
im(urity! Israe#, says Levitius, an serve the #iving ,o$ by avoi$ing a #i%e o%
im(urity! In$ee$, through om(#ying with the omman$ments o% #i%e, Israe#
trium(hs over $eath an$ hooses #i%e!
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