Parashat Vayikra -He Called-5785 -5 April 2025 / 7 Nisan 5785 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא

The Divine Call to Atonement, Gratitude, and Sacred Offerings

Said Rav Assi: Why do young children begin [the study of Torah] with the book of Leviticus, and not with Genesis? Surely it is because young children are pure, and the korbanot are pure; so let the pure come and engage in the study of the pure.” - Midrash Rabbah, cited at Chabad.org

Parashat Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1–5:26, or 6:7 in some editions) opens the Book of Leviticus, shifting focus from the narrative of Exodus to the laws of sacrificial worship in the newly constructed Mishkan (Tabernacle). It details the procedures for offerings, emphasizing atonement, gratitude, and communion with G-d.

1. The Small Aleph (א) in וַיִּקְרָא

The Aleph (א) in "Vayikra" is written small in the Torah.
The Gematria of Aleph (א) = 1, representing Hashem’s Oneness and humility.
If we remove the Aleph, we are left with "Vayikar" (וַיִּקַּר), which means "it happened" by chance—this was how Hashem appeared to Bilaam (Numbers 23:4).
Lesson: True prophecy and closeness to Hashem require humility, unlike Bilaam, who saw himself as a self-made prophet.

Why is the Aleph (א) in this word unusually small? The sages comment that this small Aleph refers to the humility of Moshe Rabbeinu, of whom the Torah says:“Now the man Moshe was very meek (ענו), above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”(Numbers 12:3)

2. The Word "Korban" (קרבן) – Drawing Close

The word קרבן (Korban) has a Gematria of 352.
This connects "Shalom" (שלום), meaning peace, showing that korbanot bring harmony between man and Hashem.
"Korban" is also connected to Karov (קרוב) = "Closeness"—the purpose of sacrifices is to come closer to Hashem.

🔹 Spiritual Meaning of "Korban"

Kuf (100) represents holiness (Kedusha).
Resh (200) symbolizes insight and divine wisdom (Rosh – "head").
Bet (2) signifies duality and balance between the physical and the spiritual.
Nun (50) represents spiritual elevation, as in the 50 Gates of Understanding (Nun Sha'arei Binah).

🔹 Lesson

The purpose of a Korban is not merely sacrifice, but elevation,purification, and nearness to Hashem. Through our prayers and mitzvot, we continue this sacred connection today.

3. The Salt Covenant (מֶלַח בְּרִית)

“with all your oblations thou shall offer salt” (Lev 2:13). An offering is not accepted without salt. It is called “the salt of the covenant of your G-d”. What’s so important about salt?

Salt was to be used because it softens bitterness, and so mankind cannot do without it.
Salt is the covenant upon which the world is established: hence it is called ‘the covenant of your G-d’ (Zohar I:241b).
Salt preserves food and enhances its taste.
The people of Israel are the salt of the covenant, softening bitterness in the world and keeping the Torah.
When they do not fulfill this mission, they are not truly behaving as the people of G-d’s covenant.

The term “Covenant of Salt” signifies a perpetual and unbreakable bond, representing an eternal covenant relationship between Hashem and His people.

Salt, known for its preservative and purifying qualities, symbolizes the enduring nature of divine commitments.
The Torah references salt covenants in Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5, both emphasizing their everlasting nature.
Just as salt does not decay, so too, Hashem’s covenant remains eternal and unchanging, reinforcing divine faithfulness and spiritual permanence.

A salt covenant with the Aaronic Priesthood: It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Adonaito you and your descendants with you. (Numbers 18:19)

A salt covenant with the house of David: Do you not know that the Adonai Elohim of Israelgave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? (2 Chronicles 13:5)

Lesson: Salt preserves, just as Hashem’s mercy endures forever.

4. Kabbalistic (Zoharic) Interpretations

🔹 The Fire of the Altar – The Divine Soul

Zohar (Vayikra 8a): The fire of the Mizbeach (altar) represents the soul of man, which should constantly be burning with love for Hashem.
Just as the fire never goes out, the Israelite soul can never be extinguished.

Summary of the Deepest Insights

✔ Vayikra's small Aleph – Humility is the foundation of closeness to Hashem.
✔ The Korbanot align with the Sefirot, showing their spiritual function.
✔ Salt represents Hashem's eternal mercy – We must preserve our connection to holiness.
✔ The fire on the altar represents our soul’s passion for Hashem – It must never be extinguished.
✔ In the time of Mashiach, korbanot will be transformed into Torah and gratitude.

Conclusion:

As we approach the final redemption and the transformation of korbanot (sacrifices) into a higher spiritual form, our role today is to prepare ourselves and the world for this transition. This preparation is not theoretical—it is deeply practical, spiritual, and transformative. The sages teach that even before Mashiach comes, we can begin living in a way that aligns with the future reality. In this weekly parsha study on website(https://www.beityisraelinternational.com/Vayikra), we will explore how we can prepare for the transformation of korbanot today through:

Torah Study as a Replacement for Korbanot
Prayer as the New Mizbeach (Altar)
Acts of Kindness as Modern-Day Offerings
Tikkun HaMiddot (Self-Refinement) as the Ultimate Sacrifice
Anticipating Mashiach and rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash

"The Crown of Humility: Unveiling the Essence of Moshe Rabbeinu"

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