My Torah Study for Rabbis for Human Rights – Vayikrah

Weekly parasha: Taking steps to make things right
16 March 2015

“And if the entire community of Israel errs because a matter was hidden from the eyes of the congregation, and they commit one of all the commandments of the Lord, which may not be committed, incurring guilt;When the sin which they had committed becomes known, the congregation shall bring a young bull as a sin offering. They shall bring it before the Tent of Meeting. (Leviticus 4: 13-14)”

Learning to recognize sin

How many books resonated with their readers 3,500 years ago and continue to do so today? The Bible challenges us, puzzles us, and so often drives us to be better people. But some parts of the Bible are easier to read than others. The first parasha of Leviticus is one of the hardest. On the surface, it is a recipe for sacrifices. It seems to have the emotional depth of instructions for making pancakes. But that is only on the surface. Rashi teaches us something deep about the first word of the parasha. The parashah opens with the word vayikrah (“And He called”). Rashi recalls that this word “is an expression of affection, the expression employed by the ministering angels when addressing each other.” Here is a sign that Vayikrah is going to be about communication between God and Human. Moreover, God calls to the Human interlocutor in affection. There is something surprising and intimate about that communication. On one level, the prescribed techniques for sacrificing animals can be understood as a statement by the Divine Lover of the Song of Songs. As if to say: “Here are things you can do that please me.” On another level, the organization of sacrifices is also a method for organizing our understanding of sins. Thinking about sin helps us conceptualize how we may achieve forgiveness. An understanding of how hard this is for us suffuses Vayikrah. We resist recognizing that we are in the wrong. We fear that our sins may be irredeemable. Vayikrah teaches us that we can recognize sin, counteract it and gain forgiveness.

Taking responsibility for the sins of our leaders

In this parasha we find a splendid example, written as if taken from today’s news. As I write, elections are around the corner. In Lev. 4:13 the text speaks of when “the entire community of Israel errs”. Rashi clarifies. We understand “community of Israel” as the Sanhedrin. In modern terms, this would be our political and legal leaders. Their sin may not be visible, or it may take time for its significance to emerge. But when it emerges, the community must take responsibility. We must recognize it. We must prepare a sin offering (or for the last 2000 years, appropriate prayer). The parasha expresses a striking contemporary sensibility. Our leaders are only human. Not only can they err, but their errors can remain hidden from the community. They may only become clear over time. In our age, we have the blessed option to take part in elections. We can replace leaders who have failed in this way. But let us make no mistake. They made their error on our behalf. We have a responsibility even if we are not the direct perpetrators of the error. Here is an excellent example of the relevance of the wisdom of the Book of Leviticus. Our technical language for analyzing sin and seeking forgiveness is quite different. We speak of prayer and not the slaughter of animals. But Vayikrah tells us that it is necessary that we take steps to make things right. And the first of these steps is the recognition of what is wrong.

Do you feel that our political leaders made mistakes on our behalf? So vote in the elections. Voting is the first step in setting things right. It is our responsibility and our privilege.

Rabbi Ed Rettig is a member of Rabbis for Human Rights