Perashat Vayikra 5776

Perashat Vayikra 5776

We begin this week the third Humash of the Torah, known in Rabbinic literature as “Torat Kohanim” - the Bible of the Kohanim. This name is given due to the majority of the subjects discussed in the Humash that deal with Priestly matter; namely the sacrifices, offerings, laws of tithes, and marital priestly laws. The Humash begins with Perashat Vayikra which describes the sacrifices and offerings that one would bring to the altar for all the reasons mentioned; as a voluntary contribution, as a penance, as a guilt offering, etc. 

According to the ancient Jewish educational tradition, Humash and Perashat Vayikra are the first parts of the Torah that are taught to young children as they begin learning.  The statement that our Sages use to describe this initiation is: “Let the pure innocent ones come and study the laws of purity.” This educational tradition is no longer practiced today in any Jewish school that I know of. However, I vividly remember when I was that age and we started to learn Humash in school, we began with Vayikra. Every year as we start the reading of Vayikra it brings me feelings of nostalgia. Indeed, I feel that our contemporary system is greatly lacking by not starting the education of young children with Vayikra. Many question that tradition, saying that the subject matter is boring and not practical; that the children will not benefit much by knowing the concept of “Korban - an offering” and its regulations. They continue to say that the laws of purity are quite elusive and not grounding like the stories of Bereshit - the first Humash. 

I think that the apprehension of teaching Vayikra comes from a  misunderstanding and the mistranslation of the concept of “Korban.” We often translate “Korban” to mean “sacrifice” or “offering,” and therefore, it conjures up a mental picture of primitive bloody animal sacrifices, as well as the personal sacrifice and difficulties that one has to make in order to live the  full life of a Jew. 

In reality, the word “Korban” comes from the word “Karob” - close and “Lehitkareb”- to come close. The idea and meaning behind a “Korban” is to come closer to G-d; to feel closer to G-d, to find a closer way to approach G-d. The command to bring animal sacrifices to G-d was a means to distance our ancestors from the culture of human - and child - sacrifice which was practiced by the pagan civilization, in whose midst they lived.  When a person brings a Korban - an offering, the idea is to come closer to Hashem; to understand the purity of our Torah. Nowadays, we offer prayers and supplications to Boreh Olam, with the same intent, of coming closer to Him.  
When young innocent children set out on their journey to learn about G-d, the Torah and Jewish values, they begin studying Humash Vayikra, which teaches them through the example of the Offerings, how to get closer to Hashem and bring Him closer to them.  In this manner they learn how to make sacrifices; how to offer of themselves and become givers to others and to their community.  When they approach that with their purity of mind, without any self-interest at that tender age, they will see the beauty of our values and traditions. 

It is no coincidence that we read Perashat “Zakhor - Remember Amalek” the Shabbat before Purim. We remember our enemy Amalek on Purim, as we celebrate the victory of the Jewish People against their archenemy Haman,who was a descendant of Amalek. 

Zakhor enjoins us to remember each year prior to Purim, an enemy that preyed on the vulnerability of Bene Yisrael, and attacked them just as they were leaving Egypt.  The Torah records such an encounter, in order to teach us about the nature of a specific enemy that attacks for no reason, without any provocation. Over 3,300 years ago, when the Children of Israel left Egypt, on their fourth week of their journey, they were attacked by Amalek from the rear and by surprise. Joshua, Moshe’s lieutenant, was sent out to battle, and after a long battle he was able to vanquish Amalek - though not totally. At that moment, G-d took an oath on His Throne saying that He will, “Maintain a war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

We were destined to suffer the wrath of many such enemies, so why is it that we are specifically commanded to remember and not forget Amalek?  

Indeed, from generation to generation, Amalek has reared his head. He appeared again during the Kingdom of Saul. Unfortunately, King Saul was not able to fulfill the command to totally eradicate Amalek. Again, several hundred years later, during the holiday of Purim, Amalek rears his ugly head again; this time his descendant Haman the Agagite decided to annihilate the entire Jewish People; men, women and children, all at once, on one day. G-d, in his infinite mercy, helped us vanquish Amalek, but then again, not totally.  

In the same fashion, Amalek has appeared in every generation as a different nation or group. Amalek has appeared as the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church, the Spanish Inquisition, the Nazi Regime and now in the guise of Islamic Terrorists. The common trait of Amalek is its cruelty and inhumanity. Amalek and all those nations that rise up against the Jewish, have demonstrated a cruel, inhumane, merciless and brutal attitude toward the Jews; men, women and children alike.

As in every year, I review the Report of Anti-Semitic acts worldwide. The following numbers by region portray the percentage of people harboring anti-Semitic feeling, according to the “ADL Global 100”:
Middle East and North-Africa: 74% of the population, where Gaza and the PA territories numbered 93%, Iraq 92%, and Yemen 88%. 
Eastern Europe: 34%
Western Europe: 24%
Sub-Saharan Africa: 23%
Asia: 22%
The Americas: 19%, where the USA has the lowest, yet still at 9%.
Oceania: 14%

We have witnessed in the last six months the “knife Intifada” that has already claimed over 31 Israelis dead; men and women killed in front of their young children, and little children killed while in the arms of their parents.  With what heart can a human being allow such a tragedy? What kind of a human being can perpetrate such heinous crimes? Only Amalek can carry out this cruelty and celebrate it afterward.

Let us hope and pray, that just as G-d the all-merciful showed us miracles and delivered us from the hand of Amalek of old, so too may He deliver us from the Amaleks of today.