Sunday, December 18, 2011

Part I of Sefer Vayikra: "Mamlechet Kohanim"

The whole first half of Sefer Vayikra (P'rukim Alef-Yud Zion) is about the Mishkan and how it's a place of intense spirituality. It talks about the Korbanot and other rituals that take place in the Mishkan. It speaks about Tumah and T'hora, the things that take you away or bring you closer to the Mishkan. It talks about Avodat Yom Ha'Kipurim. The Mishkan is central in the lives of the Jewish people for religious practices but we are also told that we don't want to become too "familiar" with the Mishkan. We don't want to become too close and G-d forbid take Hashem and our opportunity for a relationship with Him for granted. The first half of this Sefer focuses on the religious experience with the divine, and how one could come to the erroneous conclusion that the only time and place for an interaction with Hashem is the Mishkan. That's what leads us into the second half which is incorporating Hashem in our every day, moral lives.

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