The beginning of the book of Leviticus is a celebration of the normal. Not the normal you and I would think about, but normal for Levitical priests thousands of years ago. It is telling that the first sacrifice brought is not a sin offering, or a peace offering, but just a simple karban, basic animal sacrifice. It is the baseline sacrifice, a presumably normal, every day occurrence for the priests.
After the dramatic and heart stopping book of Exodus, that begins in slavery and religious persecution and ends with the building of the Tabernacle, a sign of true religious freedom, we could use a little quiet. And, while the entirety of the book of Leviticus is difficult to teach about, sometimes, normal, quiet is what is needed. Plot is only part of what Torah is about. As a guide for life, it also shows us the beauty of simple, every day living, even that of Levitical priests.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex
Last Updated on 03/31/2017 by wpadm