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TURNING DEEP PAIN INTO MUCH GAIN

With the loss of Reb Moshe Juravel this week, the Baltimore community lost a giant. Reb Moshe was a giant in many ways. He was truly a talmid chachom in so many areas of Torah. These included the standard scholarship in Mishna, Gemara and halacha but also included Tanach, dikduk, nikud and trup, tefillah and probably much more.

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DRAWING CLOSER

The Book of Vayikra is the Book that introduces us to the karbanos. Rav Sam-son Raphael Hirsch explains how the common translations of korban misrepresent what the korban actually is. Before we begin, what is a korban? A korban is an animal, bird or flour that is brought to the Beis HaMikdosh for the sake of offering it up on the mizbeiach, the Altar. The most common translation for korban is sacrifice. This word implies giving up something of value for a greater cause; whether it be life and money and receiving nothing in return. The other common translation is offering. This word implies a gift of value to the recipient as one offers an offering to the recipient. An offering is a form of gift for the benefit of the recipient. Both of these translations corrupt the under-standing of what a korban actually is.

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GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR,
YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE

In this week’s Parsha, Vayikrah, the Torah introduces the various korbanos (offerings) that were brought in the Mishkan. The first animal offering is the bull, the second is the sheep and goats and the third animal is the bird offering. The first paragraph begins, “If from the bull is his offering…” and the second paragraph begins, “If from the sheep is his offering”. The third paragraph begins slightly differently, “If from the birds is his offering to HaShem…”

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HARDWIRED

This week’s Parsha, Vayikra, opens with the laws of the offerings that are to be brought in the Mishkan. Right from the beginning the Torah indicates that every Jew can bring an offering, whether or not he is righteous. The only Jew who may not bring an offering is the one who totally rejects HaShem. In the very same verse, however, the Torah indicates that regarding a non-Jew there are no qualifications; every non-Jew may bring an offering, the non-Jew who accepts HaShem as well as the non-Jew who re-jects HaShem. The reason given why we accept the offering of the non-Jewish atheist is to bring him closer to HaShem.

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INTEGRITY & FIDELITY; OUR SECRET WEAPON

This week, in addition to the regular Parsha of Vayikra, we will read a second Parsha, Parshas Zachor. Parshas Zachor instructs us to remember that Amalek attacked us when we left Egypt. They had no interest in attacking us other than to demonstrate that G.D’s people are just as mortal and human like every other nation. In reality, however, we know that as HaShem’s people, we are not mortal. The nation of Israel is eternal, we will outlive history itself.

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TO BE PC OR NOT TO BE

This week, in addition to reading the Parsha of Vayikra, we will read Parshas Hachodesh in honor of this Shabbos being Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Parshas Hachodesh is the chapter in the Torah where HaShem grants authority to His people, through our court system, to adjust the calendar. Within certain parameters the Beis Din, the Jewish court, can decide when the month should begin. Although HaShem decided that You Kippur will be on the 10th day of Tishrei, His people are the ones to decide when the first day of Tishrei will be. HaShem gave His control over time to the Jewish people! This is the very first mitzvah we received as a nation. The demonstration of His trust in us is awesome.

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THE DIRECT LINE

This week’s Parsha begins the third book of the Torah, the book of Vayikra. The name “Vayikra” is actually the first word of the Parsha, “Vayikra el Moshe…”. It means “And He called to Moshe and said to him…” referring to HaShem’s calling to Moshe to prepare himself for the forthcoming prophecy. The Talmud teaches us that this was the manner in which HaShem al-ways spoke to Moshe. He first called him and then began the message.