MARCH 19, 1999 VOL 2, ISSUE 25 2 NISSAN 5759

 

 

Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063

 

 

PARSHAT VAYIKRA

The Book of Vayikra deals primarily with the korbanot (sacrifices) that were brought in the Sanctuary and the Holy Temple. These sacrifices were among the most important features of the Temple service. The first sacrifice to be offered each morning was the korban tamid (perpetual offering). The daily service concluded with another one that was offered at dusk.

The korban tamid teaches us the proper order of service -- perpetual service -- that is required of every Jew. G-d does not demand that we sacrifice everything we possess, that we bring all our belongings to the Temple in Jerusalem. In fact, the perpetual offering consisted of one lamb, a small amount of oil and wine, and a little flour and salt. Thus, it was composed of all levels of creation: a lamb, representing the animal kingdom; wine, flour and oil from the vegetative kingdom; and salt, which is inanimate. The korban tamid was brought on behalf of the entire Jewish people, but each Jew was not required to bring his own individual offering. Rather, the sacrifices were purchased with a special fund to which all Jews contributed. By donating a tiny sum of money, every Jew was able to participate in the twice-daily service.

G-d does not want us to give Him everything and leave nothing for ourselves; quality is much more important than quantity. The question is not how much we have given or invested of our efforts, but how we have done so. G-d requires that we give Him only a small amount, but He wants us to do so willingly, with joy and with enthusiasm. The actual contribution each individual Jew made to the perpetual offering was almost insignificant, but if it was given with a whole heart, it was sufficient to merit G-d's blessings. Despite its name the perpetual offering was made only twice a day, at specific times. When a Jew begins the day with a "korban," from the Hebrew word meaning "to draw near," its effect carries over throughout the day. It becomes a "perpetual offering," and is not limited to a specific time.

When a Jew wakes up in the morning, the very first action is to say "Modeh Ani," the equivalent of the perpetual offering. The person addresses G-d as "the living and enduring King," declaring his/her subservience and willingness to serve Him. Beginning the day in this manner ensures that his conduct will have the same effect as the korban tamid, and the entire day will be infused with a longing to draw ever closer to G-d. (From: L'Chaim #461 5757, Adapted for Maayan Chai from Likutei Sichot, vol. 3)

 

"No offering, which you shall bring  to G-d, shall made with leaven; for no leaven...  shall be offered up before G-d..."( 2:11) Why is leaven so utterly rejected? Because it inflates itself...- Rabbi Menachem M.  Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe

G-d says of the conceited one: "I and he cannot dwell in the same world." - Talmud, Erchin 15b

On Passover of 1865, Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch, then a child of four, was present at the seder of his grandfather, Rabbi Menachem Mendel.  An incident that occurred that night stuck in the child's mind. At the beginning of the seder there is a procedure called yachatz (`divide') in which the middle of the three seder matzohs is broken in two.  The greater half is set aside for the afikoman, and the smaller half remains on the seder plate and is eaten following the reciting of the haggada. One of the participants at Rabbi Menachem Mendel's seder was comparing his two matzoh-halves, trying to figure out which was the larger piece. Remarked Rabbi Menachem Mendel: "A `great one' who needs to be measured, is smaller than the `small one' he is measuring himself against..." "From that moment on," related Rabbi Sholom DovBer, "I developed a feeling of contempt toward this sort of `greatness'."(From: Once Upon a Chassid by Yanki Tauber)

 

 

 

LAWS OF LASHON HARA

If after giving a situation much thought, a teacher comes to the conclusion that a particular student has a behavioral or learning problem and feels that it will not be possible to deal with the problem without the involvement of the principal, his colleagues, or the student's parents, then the teacher should speak to the necessary party without delay. Condition 5 of constructive speech (see Day 50) is that the speaker's intent be purely for constructive reasons and not out of anger or frustration. This could be extremely trying when the student in question is disruptive and frequently upsets the teacher. Difficult as it is, teachers must not take students' behavior personally. The disruptive student is, in most cases, not fighting the teacher; he is struggling with himself as he deals with the challenges of life. (From: Chafetz Chaim: A Lesson a Day by Rabbi Shimon Finkelman and Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz)

INSIGHTS TO REDEMPTION

"Adam ki yakriv mikem - If any person of you will offer a korban (offering; sacrifice). "(1:2) The letter aleph in first word of this parshah (Vayikra) is written smaller than the normal size of all letters in the Torah. This small aleph indicates the extraordinary humility of Moses, of whom the Torah says, "The man Moses was very humble, more so than any other person on the face of the earth." Though Moses was blessed with superior qualities and was the greatest prophet of Israel ever, he regarded himself inferior to everyone. He viewed his superior qualities as a special endowment or gift from G-d, and not as some special achievement on his part. In his mind, therefore, he was convinced that if someone else had been blessed with the same abilities, the other would have achieved more than he did himself. By virtue of this humility, Moses merited the highest levels of achievement, that he was chosen to redeem Israel from Egypt, he received the Torah for Israel, and so forth.

This concept of humility and self-negation is at the very root of the concept of sacrifices, the central theme of our parshah. Thus it is written, "Adam ki yakriv mikem - If any person of you will offer a korban (offering; sacrifice).." (1:2) The word mikem (of you) qualifies adam (person), thus should follow right after it. Why is it placed later, after "ki yakriv - will offer"? Chassidut explains that this order signifies the meaning of sacrifices, of serving G-d: The term korban (sacrifice) is derived from the word karov (to approach, to come near). Our verse thus informs us: If any person desires to draw close to G-dliness, then you must make an offering mikem - of yourself. A true sacrifice is not the offering of something external to the person, but of the person himself. It means self-negation.

On the one hand, every one must be aware of his unique talents and abilities. A Jew must know that he is genetically endowed with special qualities. Thus when it comes to matters of Torah and mitzvot, he should not think "who am I and what am I to be involved with matters of holiness and spirituality?" On the contrary, in that moment he must realize that he is fully qualified to deal with the most sublime tasks, and that, indeed, is his function and mission in life. On the other hand, one must never forget that his special qualities and talents to achieve the highest levels are no more than a Divine gift and endowment. Like Moses he must think that if another had been granted his abilities, the other one might be yet greater and achieve more. This consciousness will thus preclude any possibility of arrogance and presumptuousness, and preserve a proper sense of humility. By virtue of this self-negation one is able to offer sacrifices in the true spirit, to the point of offering these in the most ideal manner in the third Bet Hamikdash "where we will offer to You our obligatory sacrifices.. with love, in accordance with the precept of Your Will," very speedily with the coming of Moshiach. (From: Insights to Geula, Chabad in Cyberspace)

 

Among my father's regular Torah-study sessions: A parsha of Chumash with Rashi daily; reciting Tanach by heart - a chapter each of Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim; a chapter of Mishnayot; a regular session in profound study of Gemara - two folio pages weekly, another in rapid study of Gemara - three pages daily; a session of study of the Jerusalem Talmud; a regular period for Codes, but not daily. During the course of the year he would conclude the entire Midrash Raba, "borrowing" from the long Sedrotc and "repaying" on the shorter ones. (From Rebbes Hayom Yom Nissan 3)

 

 

Just as the Jews' crying out in teshuvah motivated G-d to send Moshe to redeem them, a cry of teshuvah will motivate G-d to send Mashiach to bring the Future Redemption

(The previous Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak)