PARASHAT VAYIKRA

21^st March 2026                            3^rd Nisan 5786

PARASHAT VAYIKRA                                                            by FFOZ

Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:26, Prophets: Isaiah 43:21-44:23, Gospel: Matthew 5:23-30

Summary:

HaShem calls to Moses from the Mishkan, detailing the korbanot (offerings). The burnt offering is a freewill gesture to God. The grain offering is a voluntary gift of grain, oil, and frankincense. The peace offering is shared with the priests by the one bringing it. The sin offering atones for unintentional sins and ritual impurity. The guilt offering follows restitution for sins like theft and misuse of sacred objects. Only repentance and divine forgiveness atone for intentional sin.

SACRIFICES ARE PURE

Why does God delight in the animal sacrifices of Leviticus?

When Yeshua was five years old, He began to study the book of Vayikra (Leviticus). In the days of the Master (and even in modern Judaism) the formal religious education of a child begins at the age of five, and it begins with the study of Leviticus. It is somewhat puzzling for us to think that little children should be forced to study the dreadful laws of blood and sacrifice which constitute the first chapters of Leviticus. We wouldn’t even impose a serious study of Leviticus upon our seminary students, much less our five-year-olds.

The reason for our aversion to Leviticus is largely based upon our revulsion at the thought of animal sacrifice. Within the mainstream of Western Christianity, there exists an unconscious reluctance to acknowledge that our God is a God who not only chose to be worshipped through the sacrifice of animals but, in fact, took pleasure in the fragrance of burning meat rising from the altar.

We have so sanitized and white-washed God that the demand for animal sacrifice seems to contradict everything we have made God into. The laws of sacrifice and sacrificing disconcert us. When the biblical text begins to teach us about priests throwing blood around and cutting out the fat surrounding the diaphragm and the two kidneys, we tend to become nauseous rather than blessed. We quickly explain that the sacrifices were only to teach the Israelites about Yeshua, and we comfort ourselves with the notion that the New Testament abolishes sacrifice.

But this statement is a gross oversimplification.

There are five different classifications of sacrifice, each brought for different reasons. There are dozens of types of bread offerings, wine libations, water libations, additional offerings, complex ritual procedures, and chapters and chapters of text.

There are the procedures for ordaining priests and instructions for their sanctification and purification. The Bible is not stingy on details concerning the ritual services. But of what value is it for us to profess that the Messiah fulfills the sacrifices when we know virtually nothing about those same sacrifices? To simply dismiss it all by saying “Yeshua fulfilled the sacrifices” does a great disservice to the text and to the Master Himself.

If we truly believe that Yeshua’s death and resurrection fulfilled the institutions of sacrifice and sacrificing, then we as believers are all the more obligated to invest our energy in studying those institutions. Only to the extent that we understand those institutions can we hope to understand the work of Messiah!

My comment: (with apologies for its length)

Yeshua's atoning sacrifice did not occur in, or is in any way is related to, the sacrifices that were offered in the earthly Temple. As long as there is a functioning earthly Temple, the animal sacrifices were essential to maintain the sanctity of the Temple. Ezekiel, in chapter forty onwards, indicates that when this Temple will be rebuilt, the animal sacrifices, including the chatat or sin sacrifice, will be reinstituted.

Yeshua's atoning sacrifice was in the heavenly Throne Room and offered once for all time. His priesthood is of the order of Melchizedek and not of a descendant of Aaron. Yeshua could not serve as a priest in the earthly Temple because of he from the tribe of Judah and not of Levi.

The writer of the book of Hebrews is not comparing the earth and the heavenly Temples or the earthly and heavenly priesthood. He makes it abundantly clear that the earthly sacrifices in the earthly Temple in Jerusalem, were effective and fulfilled its God ordained purpose.

Hebrews 9:6-14

Now with these things prepared this way, the kohanim do continually enter into the outer tent while completing the services; ⁷ but into the inner,

once a year, the kohen gadol alone—and not without blood which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. ⁸ By this the Ruach ha-Kodesh makes clear that the way into the Holies has not yet been revealed while the first tent is still standing. ⁹ It is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly, gifts and sacrifices are being offered that cannot make the worshiper perfect with respect to conscience. ¹⁰ These relate only to food and drink and various washings—regulations for the body imposed until a time of setting things straight.

 ¹¹ But when Messiah appeared as Kohen Gadol of the good things that have now come, passing through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands (that is to say not of this creation), (i.e. the heavenly Throne Room) ¹² He entered into the Holies once for all—not by the blood of goats and calves but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Messiah—who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God—cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

This is a kal vachomer argument typically used by the rabbis and Torah scholars. "If it applies to the lesser, how much more does it apply to the greater!"

If the animal sacrifices offered in the earthly Temple IN JERUSALEM, where effective in cleansing the flesh of the offerer, how much more then if Yeshua's atoning sacrifice which alone can cleanse our conscience from dead works!

Messiah's sacrifice is not comparing apples with apples. His sacrifice is in the heavenly Temple!