Podcasts about parashat vayikra

A verse in the Book of Hoshea (14:3) states, "U'neshalema Farim Sefatenu" – "We will compensate for the cows with our lips." This means that in the absence of the Bet Ha'mikdash, when we are unable to offer sacrifices ("cows"), we can attain atonement with our lips – by reciting the sections of the Torah that discuss the sacrifices, as through this recitation we are considered to have actually brought these sacrifices. The verse mentions cows, even though other animals were also offered as sacrifices. The Ibn Ezra (Spain, 1089-1167) suggests that since the cow is the biggest animal offered as a Korban, the verse specifies this animal, expressing the idea that even the large offerings can be substituted nowadays with our mouths. Others suggest that the reference to cows alludes to the sin of the golden calf, the grievous sin which our ancestors committed that requires atonement. Finally, there are those who explain that this refers to the situation where the entire nation inadvertently commits a severe misdeed based on a mistaken ruling of the Sanhedrin, a situation which requires the offering a cow for atonement ("Par He'alem Dabar Shel Sibur"). The point being made is that we have the opportunity to attain atonement even for grave sins despite the absence of the Bet Ha'mikdash, through the recitation of the sections of the Torah dealing with the sacrifices. A story told in Masechet Shabbat (12b) seems, at first glance, to contradict this concept. The Gemara there discusses the enactment legislated by the Sages that one may not read by candlelight on Shabbat, as he might tilt the lamp to move the oil toward the flame to make it steadier, which would constitute an act of Shabbat desecration. Rabbi Yishmael Ben Elisha felt confident that he would certainly not make the mistake of tilting the lamp, and so he read by the light of a candle on Shabbat. He ended up mistakenly tilting the lamp. After Shabbat, he wrote in his ledger that when the Bet Ha'mikdash would be rebuilt, he would bring an animal as a Hatat (sin-offering) to atone for this inadvertent violation. It seems that Rabbi Yishmael was not able to atone for this misdeed by reciting the section of the Hatat; he needed to actually bring the sacrifice in order to attain atonement. One explanation might be that reading the section of Korbanot (sacrifices) is effective if one never has the opportunity to actually offer the required sacrifice. But if a person has the privilege of living to see the rebuilding of the Bet Ha'mikdash, then he must offer the sacrifice even though he had recited the section in the Torah. By contrast, the Sapihit Bi'dbash (Rav Hiya Pontremoli, Turkey, 1764–1831), citing the Ma'abar Yabok , asserted that a sin committed during the time of the Bet Ha'mikdash is more grievous, and thus necessitates the actual offering of a sacrifice. After the Temple's destruction, sins lack the same level of gravity, and so they can be atoned even with the recitation of the Korbanot. However, this view appears irreconcilable with the Gemara's account of Rabbi Yishmael, who was obligated to bring a sacrifice for an offense committed after the Temple's destruction. Moreover, the Arizal writes that a person must fulfill all 613 Misvot, and so souls will need to be reincarnated and return after the Bet Ha'mikdash is rebuilt so they can fulfill the Misvot that require a Bet Ha'mikdash. This teaching, too, implies that reciting the Korbanot is not considered equivalent to the actual offering of the sacrifices. A more compelling approach was advanced by the Petah Ha'debir (Rav Haim Binyamin Pontremoli, Turkey, d. 1873), who distinguished between the atonement achieved through the offering of a sacrifice, and the Misva to offer the sacrifice. Reciting the verses that speak of a required sacrifice suffices to atone like that sacrifice, but it does not suffice to satisfy the halachic requirement to bring that sacrifice after committing a misdeed. Therefore, even though Rabbi Yishmael could earn atonement through the recitation of Korbanot, he still bore the obligation to offer a sacrifice when the Bet Ha'mikdash would be rebuilt. Likewise, the Arizal taught that one will have to return after the restoration of the Mikdash to fulfill the Misvot of the sacrifices that could not be fulfilled without a Temple, even though atonement can be achieved even in the absence of the Bet Ha'mikdash, through the reading of Korbanot. One might wonder, then, why we do not read each day the entirety of Parashat Vayikra, which goes through all the different sacrifices which an individual can bring and those which one must bring on certain occasions. If reading about a sacrifice earns a person atonement as though he actually brought the sacrifice, then it would seemingly be recommended to read this entire Parasha each day. Some explain that one attains atonement for his misdeeds through Torah study, and so it is not necessary to read the sections of all the sacrifices every day. Rabbenu Yona (Spain, 1200-1263) writes that when a person makes the decision to perform Teshuba (repentance), he should increase his amount of Torah learning; if he had been accustomed to learning one page a day, then he should learn two pages a day, and so on. This is because Torah study has the ability to erase guilt for one's misdeeds. This is why the blessing in Shemona Esreh in which we beseech G-d to help us repent begins, "Hashibenu Abinu Le'Toratecha" – "Return us, our Father, to Your Torah." As Torah learning is a crucial element of repentance, we ask Hashem to draw us closer to Torah study so we can repent properly. This concept has been understood on the basis of the laws of "Kashering" utensils. The basic principle of "Kashering" is that a non-kosher flavor is expunged from a utensil through the same medium through which it was absorbed. Thus, utensils that were used to cook non-kosher food through direct exposure to fire must be directly exposed to fire to eliminate the forbidden taste so they may become permissible. The Yeser Ha'ra (evil inclination) leads us to sin through the "fire" of forbidden desires, and so we cleanse ourselves from wrongdoing through Torah learning, which is likened to fire. Therefore, some Rabbis explained that it is preferable to immerse oneself in Torah learning to achieve atonement, rather than spend time reading the sections of the Korbanot. Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868) explained that reading all the sections of the Korbanot is unnecessary because we recite the chapter of "Ezehu Mekoman," which goes through all the various kinds of sacrifices, and this is sufficient for us to be considered to have offered any sacrifice we are required to bring. Another approach was taken by the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806). We are required to recite 100 Berachot each day, and we also recite each morning Baruch She'amar, which contains eleven expressions that begin with the word "Baruch" (not including the two instances of "Baruch" that begin and end the concluding blessing of Baruch She'amar). These 111 blessings, the Hida writes, correspond to the 111 verses of Parashat Vayikra, and by reciting them we are considered to have recited all of Parashat Vayikra. This discussion underscores for us the importance of reading the Korbanot section each morning. As we have seen, this recitation is not simply an admirable and worthwhile practice; it actually provides us with atonement as though we brought the sacrifices in the Bet Ha'mikdash. Therefore, one should make every effort to arrive on time in the synagogue so he can recite this section and reap the great benefits that it offers.

The custom among Sepharadim is to recite immediately following the section of Akedat Yishak a verse from Parashat Vayikra (1:11): "Ve'shahat Oto Al Yerech Ha'mizbe'ah Safona Lifneh Hashem…" This verse describes the procedure for the offering of a sheep as an Ola sacrifice – such as the daily Tamid offering, which consisted of a sheep brought each morning and another sheep brought each afternoon. The connection between this verse and the story of Akedat Yishak is indicated by the Midrash which states that whenever this verse is read, Hashem remembers the great merit of the Akeda. A different passage in the Midrash, cited by the Bet Yosef, teaches that it was at the time of Akedat Yishak that G-d instituted the Misva of the daily Tamid that would later be observed in the Bet Ha'mikdash. The word "Safona" in this verse – which literally means "north," and requires slaughtering the sacrifice on the north side of the altar – alludes to the "ashes" of Yishak Abinu which are "hidden" and stored away as an eternal reminder of the merit of Akeidat Yishak. After this verse, we recite a special prayer – which is printed in standard editions of the Siddur – beseeching Hashem to remember the merit of Akedat Yishak and compassionately annul any harsh decrees that may have been issued against us. This custom is mentioned by the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806), in his work Kesher Godel. Interestingly, neither the verse "Ve'shahat Oto" nor this prayer appears in the Siddur of the Rashash (Rav Shalom Sharabi, Yemen-Jerusalem, 1720-1777). Nevertheless, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) writes in his Od Yosef Hai that it was customary in the communities of Baghdad to recite these passages, and this is, indeed, our custom today. We recite the verse "Ve'shahat Oto" also a second time – just before the section of "Ezehu Mekoman," which is comprised of the Mishnayot from the fifth chapter of Masechet Zebahim, and goes through the procedure for the offering of the various kinds of sacrifices. The Shulhan Aruch rules somewhat ambiguously that this verse should be recited along with the Korbanot – the section which speaks of the sacrifices – without specifying at which point exactly it should be recited. Some Poskim understood that it should be recited before the Korbanot section, which is the custom we follow. Indeed, it would seem reasonable to recite first a verse from the Torah before reciting the Mishnayot discussing the sacrifices. (Incidentally, it should be noted that the practice of Maran, author of the Shulhan Aruch, was not to recite the Mishnayot of "Eizehu Mekoman," and to recite instead the verses from the Torah dealing with each kind of sacrifice.) By contrast, the Peri Megadim (Rav Yosef Teomim, 1727-1792), cited by the Mishna Berura, writes that after the Akeda, one should recite the verses of the Torah discussing the Tamid sacrifice, following by the verse "Ve'shahat Oto." The rationale for reciting it only after the Tamid is that the recitation of this verse is considered like the actual offering of a sacrifice, and no sacrifice may be offered in the morning before the Tamid was brought. Hence, according to the Peri Megadim, this verse cannot be recited until after the recitation of the Tamid. This is the practice of the Ashkenazim. Sepharadim, however, as mentioned, recite this verse immediately after Akedat Yishak, before reciting the section of the Tamid. The explanation might be that this verse is recited not in lieu of the offering of a sacrifice, but rather to supplement the recitation of Akedat Yishak, asking Hashem to remember the merit of that act of sacrifice. In any event, we recite this verse twice – immediately after Akedat Yishak, and just before the Mishnayot of "Eizehu Mekoman."

The pasuk says in this week's parasha Vayikra , אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה' מן הבהמה מן הבקר ומן הצאן" תקריבו את קרבנכם– when a man brings a korban from amongst you to Hashem, it should come from animals, either cattle or flock." The mefarshim are bothered by the placement of the word מכם – from you. Seemingly, it should have said "אדם מכם כי יקריב קרבן – a person from amongst you who brings a korban ." One explanation given is that Hashem is telling us, when we give a korban, He doesn't just want an animal, rather אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן – He wants us to sacrifice of ourselves as well. How so? מן הבהמה – we need to go against our animalistic natures. מן הבקר – refers to the animals who are bold, we need to go against our bold nature when it comes to avodat Hashem. And מן הצאן refers to animals who are bashful, we need to go against our bashful nature when it comes to avodat Hashem. For example, if someone has the opportunity to help the masses but he feels, "Who am I? It's not my place." That is when he needs to go against his bashful nature and say, "I'm doing the will of Hashem and this is what it calls for me to do." And if someone was wronged or shamed, and he could easily get back at that person who inflicted the harm, that is when he needs to sacrifice his brazen nature and instead act humbly, like Hashem wants, and keep quiet. Although we are not able to physically bring korbanot today in the Beit HaMikdash, we could offer korbanot of ourselves all the time by overcoming our nature to do the will of Hashem. If someone has been praying for something for a long time, and instead of his situation improving, it only got worse, his inclination will tell him, "Why bother? Prayer is not helping anyway." At that moment, he has an opportunity to offer a korban to Hashem and say to himself, " Tefila is what Hashem wants from me. Although I don't feel like doing it, I'm going to go against my inclination and I'm going to continue praying with all of my heart." If someone has been trying to get married for years without success, his inclination will tell him, "There's no point in continuing to try, nothing's working anyway." At that moment, he can offer a korban to Hashem and say, "It's the will of Hashem for me to get married, and therefore I'm never going to stop trying. If someone was having trouble conceiving and then, after a long difficult process, when she was about to give birth to a child, lo alenu , she lost it. Her inclination might tell her, "How can I ever go through that again? I have a few children already and Hashem is making it so hard for me to have more. I might as well just stop. Why do I need all this extra pain for nothing?" At that moment, she can go against her inclination and offer a korban to Hashem and say, "I was trying to do Hashem's will by bringing more children into the world. I know Hashem will reward me for every bit of pain that I went through in trying to do His will. Results are not in my control, but efforts are. Hashem always determines what's best for me. And therefore, I'm going to continue trying to do His will, no matter how difficult it is." Each person, in his or her own circumstances, can offer the greatest korbanot to Hashem all of the time. Shabbat Shalom.

The Mishna in Pirkeh Abot (3:16) teaches: "The shop is open, the shopkeeper gives on credit, the ledger is open, the hand writes, and whoever wishes to borrow may come and borrow." Meaning, G-d invited us to come and enjoy the blessings of the world, "on credit," even before we deserve them, though with the expectation that repay our "debt" through the performance of Misvot. The Megaleh Amukot (Rav Natan Neta Spira, Poland, 1584-1633) offers a deeper explanation of the Mishna's teaching, noting that the word "Hanut" ("shop") may be read as an acrostic for "Hodesh Nissan Ve'hodesh Tishri" – "the month of Nissan and the month of Tishri." During these two months in particular we are invited to "borrow," to receive great blessings from the Almighty that we do not necessarily deserve. These two months – Tishri, when we observe the Yamim Noraim, and Nissan, when we observe Pesach – are especially auspicious times when we are able to turn to Hashem in sincere prayer and have our wishes fulfilled. This connection between the months of Nissan and Tishri is discussed also by Rav Baruch of Medzhybizh (1753–1811), in explaining a verse in Parashat Bo ( 13:5) regarding the Pesach sacrifice: "Ve'abateta Et Ha'aboda Ha'zot Ba'hodesh Ha'zeh" – "You shall perform this service in this month." Rav Baruch explains that the word "Zot" ("this") refers to Yom Kippur, when the Kohen Gadol would perform the special Aboda (service) in the Bet Ha'mikdash, which the Torah describes with the word "Zot": "Be'zot Yabo Aharon El Ha'kodesh" ("With this shall Aharon enter the Sanctuary" – Vayikra 16:3). The word "Zeh" (the masculine form of "Zot"), Rav Baruch says, refers to the month of Nissan, of which G-d declared, "Ha'hodesh Ha'zeh Lachem Rosh Hodashim" – "This month is for you the first of the months" (Shemot 12:2). Hence, when the Torah tells us, "Ve'abateta Et Ha'aboda Ha'zot Ba'hodesh Ha'zeh," it means that we should perform the service of "Ha'zot" – of Yom Kippur – during "Ha'hodesh Ha'zeh" – the month of Nissan. Just as the period of the High Holidays is a time for repentance and spiritual growth, so is the month of Nissan. Rav Baruch adds that the difference between the words "Zot" and "Zeh" shows us the difference between the Teshuba (repentance) of Tishri and the Teshuba of Nissan. In Kabbalistic teaching, the feminine form is associated with passivity and timidness, whereas the masculine form connotes assertiveness. Tishri is referred to with the feminine form, "Zot," because this is a time of fear and intimidation, when we repent because we are being judged. Nissan, however, is a time for "Teshuba Me'ahaba" – repentance out of love. This is a joyous, vigorous Teshuba, when we seek to grow out of a sense of excitement and enthusiasm, out of deep love for Hashem and a desire to draw closer to Him. The Abneh Nezer (Rav Avraham Borenstein of Sochatchov, Poland, 1838-1910) writes that the days of Nissan are especially precious, and every hour during this month is as valuable as an entire day in a different month. This is a month in which we can achieve greatness, and it behooves to take full advantage of this opportunity, and utilize our time during Nissan for intensive Torah learning, prayer, and spiritual growth.

VAYIKRA: What's Greater Than Honoring God? | STUMP THE RABBI (264)https://youtu.be/rnZ_NkSjQDMThe vast majority of the world shows God honor and respect. In fact, many even show his servants honor as well. Although there are more than enough foolish people who do the opposite, the fact remains that most people at least try to honor God. What will they do when they find out that the honor was not enough? Today we'll dig into Parashat Vayikra, in order to learn the essence of the Torah's commandments upon us and what we must realize is even greater than honoring God. Learn, Enjoy, Share, and Be Holy.#Vayikra #HonorOfGod #HonorVsObedience #MosheRabbeinu #Moses #Humility #Humbled #Aliyah #MakingAliyah #JudgementalPeople #RabbisName #Talmud #TalmudStories #Torah #Jewish #RabbiYaronReuven #Jews #God #inspiring #motivation #OrthodoxJudaism #Judaism #Parshat #ParshatVayikra #Shabbat

VAYIKRA: What's Greater Than Honoring God? | STUMP THE RABBI (264)https://youtu.be/rnZ_NkSjQDMThe vast majority of the world shows God honor and respect. In fact, many even show his servants honor as well. Although there are more than enough foolish people who do the opposite, the fact remains that most people at least try to honor God. What will they do when they find out that the honor was not enough? Today we'll dig into Parashat Vayikra, in order to learn the essence of the Torah's commandments upon us and what we must realize is even greater than honoring God. Learn, Enjoy, Share, and Be Holy.#Vayikra #HonorOfGod #HonorVsObedience #MosheRabbeinu #Moses #Humility #Humbled #Aliyah #MakingAliyah #JudgementalPeople #RabbisName #Talmud #TalmudStories #Torah #Jewish #RabbiYaronReuven #Jews #God #inspiring #motivation #OrthodoxJudaism #Judaism #Parshat #ParshatVayikra #Shabbat

Parashat Vayikra. סוד *א* זעירא .آلف کوچک. Sod of small Alef by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Parashat VaYikra - The Cloud of Knowledge by Rabbi Avi Harari

If a person is going through a hard time and his evil inclination is trying to get him to complain and question the way Hashem is dealing with him, he needs to give himself chizuk to accept what Hashem is doing with love. Besides the enormous spiritual value of having emunah during difficult times, this acceptance itself is a great zechut, one that may very well take the place of any further suffering. The Midrash Rabbah in Parashat Vayikra tells a powerful story. The great Tannaim, Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva, once went traveling to collect funds to support talmidei chachamim who were learning Torah. In one of the cities they visited lived a very wealthy philanthropist named Abba Yudin. At that time, however, he had just lost all of his wealth and felt deep shame that he was unable to give anything to the rabbis. His wife said to him that he still owned one field and asked why he did not sell half of it and give the proceeds to support the Torah scholars. Abba Yudin could have responded, "Hashem already took away all my money, and now I should give away half of what is left?" Instead, with joy and Emunah, he sold half the field and gave the money to support talmidei chachamim. The rabbis gave him a berachah for success and continued on their way. Abba Yudin then went out with his cow to plow the remaining half of the field. As he was working, the cow slipped into a hole in the ground, and its leg sank deep into it. It appeared that the leg was certainly broken. Abba Yudin did not complain. He did not say, "After such a heroic act of tzedakah, this is how Hashem repays me?" Instead, he accepted the situation wholeheartedly and began trying to pull the cow out of the ditch. At that moment, he noticed something buried in the ground: a hidden treasure filled with gold and pearls. Through this, he became wealthy once again. The difficulty of his cow's fall actually led him to the treasure, but the true source of the berachah was his acceptance of how Hashem dealt with him. Accepting difficulties with love is extremely hard, especially when a person is genuinely trying to do good and it seems that everything is going wrong. At those moments, we need to use our minds and hearts to look for ways to understand how what Hashem is doing is truly a chesed for us. If we can think of possible reasons and honestly internalize them, the merits that result are enormous. A man told me that about two years ago he had changed jobs after being promised a great opportunity with significant additional pay. After a few months, it became clear that he had been misled, and on top of that, the work environment was extremely hostile. Going to work each day was very painful, yet he continued to go with a smile, accepting that Hashem was doing what was best for him. As an aside, if someone is unhappy at a job for legitimate reasons, there is nothing wrong with trying to find another one. During that period, he and his wife had a child with a very complex medical condition that required two dangerous surgeries. They were warned that serious and unavoidable side effects were going to take place. Baruch Hashem, both surgeries went extremely well, with no side effects at all, something the doctors said they had never seen. Throughout that time, the situation at work only worsened, but for reasons he could not explain, he remained stuck there. He kept telling himself that it was all for the best. Eventually, when he was finally able to leave the job, he sent out his résumé, but no one responded. Around that time, his child needed another medical procedure that usually required a hospital stay. Once again, Baruch Hashem, it went so smoothly that the child was released just two hours after the procedure. That night, he said to his wife, "I think the two years of hardship at work were taking the place of the hardships that were meant to come from our child's condition. Baruch Hashem, we received it at work instead of through the child." They went to sleep filled with gratitude and acceptance. The very next day, he received a phone call out of the blue offering him a new job with more than thirty percent higher pay. Now, he could not be happier. Accepting wholeheartedly and honestly the way Hashem is dealing with a person is an enormous zechut.

Spring has arrived in Southern California, signaling a time to embrace warmer weather and prepare for Passover. Rabbi Hannah Elkin expands beyond the story of the Exodus from Egypt and shares the other Jewish traditions, including the reading of Song of Songs, symbolizing new beginnings.This seasonal transition is mirrored in the Torah portion, Parashat Vayikra, which calls for spiritual and emotional purification. Despite the challenges of the recent winter, including fires and floods, there is hope that the beauty of the earth and our spirits will blossom anew. As we approach Passover, may this time of renewal bring love, beauty, and fresh starts for all.Each week, a member of the clergy offers their personal perspective on a topic of their choice, such as the week's Torah portion, a Jewish holiday, ritual, custom, or history. Facebook: Wilshire Boulevard TempleWebsite: wbtla.orgYoutube: Wilshire Boulevard TempleInstagram: wilshireboulevardtemple

Question 1: Would you give someone a birthday cake that you took a huge piece out of?  Probably not.  Rather, you'd give them a cake that was “tamim.” Question 2: What did Noah, Abraham, and Job all have in common? They were all described by the Hebrew word, “Tamim” meaning whole-hearted, complete, or blameless.  Question 3: How can we be more “tamim”? To find out, check out this week's sermon podcast here:

The pasuk in this week's parsha states: " ויקרא אל משה וידבר ה' אליו מאהל מועד לאמר " - Hashem called to Moshe, and then Moshe entered to speak with Him. At the end of Parashat Pekudei, it says that Moshe was unable to enter the Ohel Mo'ed because the cloud of Hashem had descended upon it. However, in Parashat Mishpatim, it states that Moshe entered the cloud of Hashem at Har Sinai, which seems to indicate that he was able to enter. The Ohr HaChaim explains that in that instance, it first says " ויקרא אל משה " , meaning Hashem called Moshe in first. A person cannot simply enter a place where the Shechina resides. However, if Hashem calls the person in, then it becomes possible. That is why Parashat Vayikra begins with Hashem calling Moshe to enter the Ohel Mo'ed. What did Moshe do to merit this calling? The Shevet Mussar explains that Moshe did not contribute any donations toward the Mishkan, even though he was in charge of its construction. Specifically because he did not contribute, Moshe was chosen for this role—so that no one could ever claim personal credit for building Hashem's house. The Midrash states that the phrase " כאשר צוה ה' את משה " appears 18 times regarding the Mishkan. It gives a parable of a king who commanded his servant to build him a palace. On each part that the servant built, he wrote the name of the king—on the walls, on the pillars, on every detail of the palace. When the king entered and saw his name everywhere, he said: "My servant has honored me so much, and yet I am inside while he remains outside." Immediately, the king called his servant to enter the palace. Similarly, when Hashem instructed Moshe to construct the Mishkan, Moshe "wrote" on everything " כאשר צוה ה' את משה " . Hashem saw that Moshe had given Him all the honor, while he himself remained outside. In response, Hashem called Moshe inside. The phrase " כאשר צוה ה' את משה " reflects Moshe's complete self-nullification. He did not take any credit for his role; rather, he attributed everything to Hashem. Even though Moshe did not physically build the Mishkan, he stood by the workers, reminding them that their strength and talent came from Hashem. He even reminded Betzalel, despite his wisdom, not to lose focus and to recognize that all his abilities were granted by Hashem. The one who did not physically labor was the one invited in—because he gave Hashem the most honor. Humility, in which a person attributes everything to Hashem, brings Hashem honor. In turn, Hashem honors that person. The letter Aleph in Vayikra is small. The Gemara explains that in Moshe's humility, he wanted it to appear as Vayikar (without the Aleph ), implying that Hashem " ויקר -happened" to appear to him, rather than explicitly calling him. He wrote the Aleph small so it would not seem as though he was exceptionally deserving. In the end, Hashem used the extra ink from the small Aleph to make Moshe's face shine. Moshe's name is absent from the Haggadah because Yetziat Mitzrayim was meant to teach for all generations that Hashem alone controls the world. One of the reasons Moshe was chosen as the leader was because he was willing to remove himself from the story and give all credit to Hashem. His humility allowed him to gain immeasurably. Each day, we have the opportunity to serve Hashem in this way. The more we attribute everything we have and do to HaKadosh Baruch Hu , the more He rests His presence upon us. If we internalize that all success comes solely from Him, we truly honor Hashem—and in that merit, may He call us closer to Him. We all desire closeness with Hashem. The path to achieving it is through humility—by recognizing that everything we have and everything we accomplish is entirely from Him. Shabbat Shalom.

La alef pequeña

Parashat Vayikra 5785 - Message du Rav avant Shabbat by Rav David Touitou

R'Piha

La alef pequeña

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Motivational God, Converts, Black Jews, Shidduch Crisis Reality Check: Stump The Rabbi (158) https://youtu.be/erzYR1vIGF8 Sefer & Parashat Vayikra begins the teachings of the korbanot (sacrificial offerings). Since God doesn't eat nor does He need us, why does He command us to do them? This and much more in this shiur BeEzrat HaShem.

Motivational God, Converts, Black Jews, Shidduch Crisis Reality Check: Stump The Rabbi (158) https://youtu.be/erzYR1vIGF8 Sefer & Parashat Vayikra begins the teachings of the korbanot (sacrificial offerings). Since God doesn't eat nor does He need us, why does He command us to do them? This and much more in this shiur BeEzrat HaShem.

In this week's podcast, we analyze the phrase haddam hu hannafesh -- the blood is the life force. We expand into a discussion of reductionism and emergence, dualism and monism.

The pasuk in the beginning of this week's Parasha, Vayikra, begins with the words ויקרא אל משה – And He called to Moshe. The pasuk doesn't say who was calling to Moshe. The Slonimer Rebbe said, it is to teach us it does not matter who is calling, because every call that a person ever gets is ultimately coming from Hashem. People are all just messengers. Only what Hashem wants to happen will happen and nobody else can ever say otherwise. Those who are in tune with this reality live their lives on a higher level. Even when interacting with people, they only see Hashem. Their hishtadlut is done focusing only on Him, although they may be dealing with His messengers down here. Yosef Hatzadik was on such a high level of bitachon , he wasn't even shy to tell the person he was speaking to that he would just be acting out the plan of Hashem. This is how Rav Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld explained the pesukim at the end of parashat Vayeshev . When Yosef interpreted the dream of Sar Hamashkim , he added at the end, כי אם זכרתני איתך – that he should remember to mention his name to Pharoah to get him out of jail. The conventional understanding in that pasuk is that Yosef was asking the Sar Hamashkim for a favor and, on his level, it was considered too much hishtadlut , and that's why he got two extra years in prison. Rabbi Zonnenfeld, however, explained differently, because the midrash at the beginning of parashat Miketz praises Yosef for his steadfast bitachon here. He explained, those words כי אם זכרתני were not a request of Yosef, rather they were a condition of the fulfillment of the interpretation of the dream. Yosef told the Sar Hamashkim he would be taken out of jail and once again return to be the butler of the king, but it was all for one purpose- כי אם זכרתני – to mention his name to Pharaoh . Yosef saw that entire episode of this man getting thrown into jail and then having his disturbing dream with Yosef being able to interpret it, all as a means of Hashem providing him with the help he needed to get out of jail himself. And so Yosef told the Sar Hamashkim , “You see, this entire process of you being thrown into jail and you coming to me for the interpretation, was just כי אם זכרתני – for you to mention my name to Pharaoh .” However, the Sar Hamashkim was not a ma'amin in hashgacha pratit and surely did not want to feel that the circumstances of his life were just happening to help someone else and so he refused to mention Yosef's name to Pharaoh at that time. Yosef was such a bote'ach b'Hashem , he wasn't even embarrassed to tell the Sar Hamashkim the truth – that he was just a messenger. According to this explanation, when Chazal say because Yosef said the words כי אם זכרתני the Sar Hamashkim did not mention his name to Pharaoh , it wasn't a punishment, it was a reality. The Sar Hamashkim was going to do everything in his power not to mention Yosef's name, just so he wouldn't feel like a messenger. This is the way it had to be anyway. Yosef needed to be separated from Yaakov, his father, for 22 years and if he would have gotten out at that time, it would have been two years too little. Yosef was absolutely right; the Sar Hamashkim was put into that jail just to eventually mention his name to Pharaoh , it just wasn't' the time yet. When the time did arrive, two years later, Hashem made sure that Sar Hamashkim would mention Yosef, even though he himself didn't want to. Every circumstance that a person finds himself in is just a manifestation of Hashem's will for him. Our best reaction in all circumstances is to say, “This is m'et Hashem.” Our best hishtadlut when asking others for help is to recognize that they will only be messengers for what Hashem wants to happen. אין עוד מלבדו – there is nothing in this world other than Hashem. Shabbat Shalom

پاراشای وییکرا آلف א کوچک פרשת ויקרא אלף זעירא

ספר ויקרא. פירוש על ואישי ישראל ותפילתם پاراشای وییکرا Parashat Vayikra by Rabbi Benjamin Lavian

Featuring:Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff Agudath Israel Bais BinyominBrooklyn, NYRabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff shares some really powerful thoughts on this weeks Parashat Vayikra.Thank you Rabbi Lieff for taking the time to carry us through the week! Shabbat Shalom!

R'Piha

Parashat Vayikra addresses the situation of somebody who falsely denied on oath owing money to another person. The Torah (5:21) gives several examples, such as a situation where a person entrusted his fellow with his object, or lent him money, and the recipient later denied receiving the object or money. Another example mentioned by the Torah is "Ashak Et Amito" – where somebody hired a person to work for him, and then denied owing him wages. If the person falsely swore that he did not owe the object or money, and then confessed his wrongdoing, he must bring a special atonement sacrifice in addition to paying what he owes as well as a fine. The Or Ha'haim Ha'kadosh (Rav Haim Ben-Attar, 1696-1743) notes that the Torah uses three different expressions in reference to this offense. First, it says, "Nefesh Ki Teheta" – "If a soul committed a sin." Thereafter, the Torah says, "U'ma'ala Ma'al B'Hashem" – "and transgressed against G-d." Finally, the Torah describes "Ve'kihesh Ba'amito" – that the person "denies his fellow." The Or Ha'haim explains that these three phrases refer to the three different aspects of this sin, falsely denying a debt that one owes to his fellow. Firstly, and most obviously, "Ki Teheta" – such a person commits the sin of theft, keeping for himself that which belongs to his fellow. Such conduct constitutes theft, plain and simple, no different from forcibly seizing someone else's possession. Secondly, "U'ma'ala Ma'al B'Hashem" – this denial amounts to a direct offense against G-d Himself. If a person rightfully owns something, then we must believe that G-d, in His impeccable justness, determined that this person should own that money or that piece of property. If a person keeps for himself that which belongs to his fellow, then he in essence casts aspersions on G-d's justice, challenging G-d's decision to give the object or money in question to the other individual. The Or Ha'haim suggests that the Torah uses a double expression – "U'ma'ala Ma'al" – to allude to the two injustices that the liar is attributing to G-d: he challenges G-d's decision that his fellow should have this property, and he also challenges G-d's decision that he himself should not have it. This challenge against G-d's justice is the second aspect of this offense. Finally, the Torah speaks of this person as "Kihesh Ba'amito" – literally, "denying his fellow." He does not just deny owing his fellow the object or money that he owes; he denies his fellow's uprightness. He essentially accuses the rightful owner of what he himself is guilty of – dishonesty, charging that he is trying to steal by falsely claiming that he is owed money or an object. The person thus not only casts aspersions on G-d – he casts aspersions on his fellow, turning him into the criminal. Seeking to profit through dishonesty is thus a triple crime – theft, a challenge against G-d's justice, and falsely accusing one's fellow of wrongdoing. Each one in its own right suffices for us to avoid such misconduct; the combination of all three makes dishonesty especially egregious, and requires us to exercise extreme care to conduct all our financial affairs with strict honesty.

Parashat Vayikra overview.Thanks for listening! Please subscribe to the podcast and the YouTube channel for more content:https://www.youtube.com/@adamstorah

Rabbi Feiner shiurim

For so many Christians, we are obsessed with God's call. This desire, while admirable, is often misplaced. Oddly, we spend our entire lives seeking God's call, while never reading the book of Scripture titled, “He called”. In this week's parsha, Vayikra, we are challenged by the first two words…”He called”. The post IBR Ep 95- Parashat Vayikra- The Call appeared first on Out of Ashes Ministries.

For so many Christians, we are obsessed with God's call. This desire, while admirable, is often misplaced. Oddly, we spend our entire lives seeking God's call, while never reading the book of Scripture titled, "He called". In this week's parsha, Vayikra, we are challenged by the first two words..."He called".

Walking Through Torah Parashat Vayikra - Steve Van Bruaene

Rabbi David Wolpe's weekly sermon from 3/12 for Parashat Vayikra.

Support the show (https://radioisrael.nl/geven/)

The pasuk says in this week's parasha Vayikra ,'ונפש כי תקריב קרבן מנחה לה – when a soul offers a korban mincha to Hashem... Chazal tell us, out of all the donated korbanot , this is the only one which says נפש , which means soul. And the reason is because it is the way of poor people to bring this flour offering, and Hashem says to the poor, when you bring a flour offering, I consider it as if you brought your own soul. When a wealthy man offers a sacrificial bull, it costs him a lot of money, but he has much more left over in his house. However, when the poor man brings his flour offering, although it's not so expensive, it's usually all he can afford and therefore it becomes even more valuable to Hashem than the bull of the wealthy. It is not the amount that matters as much as the efforts, and the same applies in all areas of avodat Hashem. If someone is struggling to understand his Torah learning, he tries to pay attention but the words don't penetrate. He tries to review, but he can't remember anything. Yet, he still comes to class and still puts in all the efforts that he could. His Torah will be considered more valuable than the genius who understands everything and remembers everything. If the genius works hard and pushes himself to the limit, then his Torah becomes more valuable as well. It all goes by effort. A man once came to the Steipler Rebbe lamenting the fact that he was only able to learn for one hour a night. And when he did learn, he didn't understand so well. He explained it was all because his parnasa was so difficult. He wished he had an easier time in parnasa so he could learn more. The Steipler told him, “You don't realize how valuable your Torah is in Shamayim. There, it is measured by the efforts, not the results. And you are putting in all of the effort that you can.” Someone who is having trouble earning parnasa should never give up on his Torah learning. It is precisely then that his Torah learning becomes even more valuable. And just the opposite, the Torah learning will be the catalyst, b'ezrat Hashem, for him to earn more money. Rav Nachman from Breslev writes in the Sefer HaMiddot, Erech Mamon , that if somebody is lacking parnasa , he should learn Torah and then pray right afterwards, because then his prayers are more valuable. The Great Rebbe of Lelov said, if someone has a kavua seder – a fixed time of learning every day – then Hashem will give him more of a kavua parnasa . Our parnasa is in the hands of Hashem and therefore, our best efforts in that area would be to do His will better. A man told me he was having problems with his business and during Covid he got into selling PPE. With the recent developments in the world, people turned their attention away from Covid and he stopped making any sales. He himself did not even have merchandise.He was trying to broker other people's deals. One morning during tefila last week, he cried out to Hashem to give him parnasa to support his family. Just two hours later, he received a phone call from an acquaintance that he knows from a class he attends once a week. This acquaintance said he runs nursing homes and he received 2100 Covid tests from the government which he has no use for. He remembered this man once speaking about the fact that he deals in medical supplies so he asked him if he had any use for them. The man immediately was able to sell them at a cheap price and made $10,000 on the sale. He told me, “I didn't even have merchandise and Hashem sent me the yeshua in the simplest way.” A young rabbi told me his shul is growing and they need to expand, but they don't have the funds to do it. Someone suggested that he put a sign in the hallway of his existing shul with the plans and dedication amounts and hope someone would respond. One day, a man walked into their shul for the first time. After prayers, he asked the rabbi about the expansion plans. He then asked the Rabbi what the cost would be to dedicate the name of the building. The Rabbi said that was the most expensive item on their list. The man said, “Okay, what's the price?” When the Rabbi told him the number, he said, “Great, I'll take it.” That one donation is going to pay for most of the project. The rabbi told me it came from such an unexpected source. “Hashem saw that we needed to expand and He sent us the right shaliach right to our doorstep.” Parnasa comes from Hashem. The greatest hishtadlut we can make in that area is to get closer to Him.

Parashat Vayikra: We are Always Rising

In this week's class on Parashat Vayikra, we take a deeper look at the word “Vayikra” and why it's written with a small aleph.  Looking at likutei Halachot and Torah 282 of Likutei Moharan (better known as Azamra) we see how one is able to elevate one's sins into mitzvot and bring the world to the side of merit! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/breslove/message

The first verse in Vayikra seems mundane and predictable; God speaks to Moshe in the mishkan (tabernacle), as God does throughout much of the Torah. Yet, the call of Vayikra is an unexpected gesture of intimacy. Through this lens, the whole book of Vayikra represents an invitation into relationship across apparent obstacles and boundaries. Vayikra asks of us: what are the ways in which we feel distant from God or others? What does it mean to hear a call beckoning us close in those very moments of distance?

The first verse in Vayikra seems mundane and predictable; God speaks to Moshe in the mishkan (tabernacle), as God does throughout much of the Torah. Yet, the call of Vayikra is an unexpected gesture of intimacy. Through this lens, the whole book of Vayikra represents an invitation into relationship across apparent obstacles and boundaries. Vayikra asks of us: what are the ways in which we feel distant from God or others? What does it mean to hear a call beckoning us close in those very moments of distance?

What was it like to live all the new laws in this week's parsha? Rabbi Deena takes us inside the mind of an ancient Israelite to find out.Produced by Mishkan Chicago.  Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss. See our upcoming Shabbat services and programs here, and follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates. Check out Shabbat Replay on Contact Chai for more from Rabbi Deena.Transcript

Parashat Vayikra 5782: Calling. Listening. Giving. Description: This week, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses some of Rashi’s opening remarks to Vayikra highlighting some critical spiritual messages for our fast-paced world. Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, … Read the rest The post Parashat Vayikra 5782: Calling. Listening. Giving. first appeared on Elmad Online Learning. Continue reading Parashat Vayikra 5782: Calling. Listening. Giving. at Elmad Online Learning.