Return to Parasha ChartParashiyot Summary: VaYikra (Leviticus)
VAYIKRA
The Book of Leviticus, or Levites is concerned with the ritual laws
and the sacrificial cult. It describes the details of offering
sacrifices. The book's emphasis is on purity and holiness. Even
though the sacrificial system was abandoned with the destruction of
the Second Temple in the year 70 CE, Leviticus continued to be an
important influence on Jewish life: nearly half of the 613
commandments are found in it and much of the Talmud is based on it.
In Europe, it was traditional for children beginning their Jewish
learning to start with the book of Vayikra. VaYikra is 27 chapters
long, divided into 10 Parashiyot.
Summary: A variety of different sacrifices are described: Olah- the burnt offering; Mincha- the meal offering; Zevach shelamim- the peace offering; Chattat- the sin offering, and Asham- the guilt offering.
Summary: Instructions on offering sacrifices are repeated in detail. An ordination ceremony includes washing Aaron and his sons, dressing them in ritual garments, and annointing them with oil. Blood is placed on the extremities of the body and splashed on the altar.
Summary: Aaron's two sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer 'alien' fire on the altar and die. The laws of Kashrut are given: land animals must both chew their cud and have split hooves; sea animals must have both fins and scales. A list of forbidden birds is also given. Except for some grasshoppers/locusts, other insects are prohibited.
Summary: A woman who gives birth is impure for a period of time. The diagnosis and rules regarding a skin ailment termed 'Tzara'at' are given. Such rashes or skin discoloration rendered an individual 'impure,' and the role of the priest was to inspect the individual, and declare the person ritually pure (tahor) or leprous (metzora).
Summary: Like the Parashah before it, the discussion of ritual impurity continues. Houses that have mildew-like growth must be inspected may be replastered, or torn down. Impurity is also caused by discharges from the body. A menstruating woman is declared ritually impure for seven days. This short Parasha is often combined with Tazria.
Summary: The Yom Kippur service is described. The High Priest is to make atonement for himself and the whole community of Israel. Two goats are chosen, and one (for God) is slaughtered as a sacrifice, the other (for Azazel) sent into the desert (as a 'scapegoat'). The blood of animals is not to be consumed. Forbidden sexual relationships are listed.
Summary: The Israelites are commanded to be holy, because God is holy. A long list of laws (ritual and ethical) then follow: to care for the poor and the stranger; to not insult the deaf; to be fair in business; not to mix two kinds of seeds when planting or to wear clothing made from a mixture of wool and linen.
Summary: Priests must be ritually pure and may not have a physical defect. They must avoid contact with a corpse, and they are forbidden from marrying a divorced woman. The holy days of the Jewish calendar are described: Shabbat, Pesach, the first day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot.
Summary: The agricultural laws of Shmitah- letting the land rest every seven years, and the Jubilee year of release every 50 years are given. Israelite slaves must be released in the Jubilee year. The famous verse on the Liberty Bell 'Proclaim liberty throughout the land' is taken from this Parashah.
Summary: If the Israelites follow God's commandments, they will be rewarded with blessing. If they disobey God's commandments, they will be punished. There are three types of gifts individuals can bring to the sanctuary: a promise of money (calculated by age); a gift of animals redeemed at their value plus one fifth, and contributions to God that cannot be redeemed but were consecrated to God. The book concludes with a description of tithes.