בס״ד ַ ו ִ ּי קְ רָ א VAYIKRA

In loving memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion z"l

Volume 34 | #23 “The shall cause [the offering] to go up in smoke on the Altar, on the fires of God; and the Kohen shall 20 March 2021 provide him atonement” 7 Nisan 5781 (Vayikra 4:35).

Shabbat ends: London 7.00pm Sheffield 7.11pm Glasgow 7.23pm Edinburgh 7.18pm Birmingham 7.08pm Southport 7.19pm Hull 7.08pm Jerusalem 6.27pm

Please look regularly at the social media and websites of the US, Tribe and your community for ongoing updates relating to Coronavirus as well as educational programming and community support. You do not need to sign into Facebook to access the US Facebook page. The US Coronavirus Helpline is on 020 8343 5696. May God bless us and the INSIDE: whole world. A Child’s First Lesson by Aaron Lipsey It Takes More than War To Make Peace p.544 by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l p.1165 Distinctive and Outstanding Hertz p.410 by Rabbi Moshe Rubin Haftarah p.424 Soncino p.605 The part 4 Haftarah p.625 by Rabbi David Lister Daf Hashavua Sidra breakdown A Child’s ַו ִ ּי קְ רָ א Vayikra 1st Sidra in: First Lesson by Rabbi Aaron Lipsey, United Hebrew Congregation of Newcastle and Student Chaplain, North East Universities ַו ִ ּי קְ רָ א Vayikra There is an ancient come and deal with the pure." tradition mentioned But what does this mean? By Numbers: by Rabbi Shlomo What lesson are we supposed to Ephraim Luntschitz be conveying to our children in 111 verses (known as the Kli Yakar, comparing them to sacrifices? 1,673 words 1550-1619), citing the To understand this, we must step Tanchuma (Tzav 479), to begin a back and ask what the function of a 6,222 letters child’s Chumash education with the sacrifice is. If a person commits an parasha of Vayikra. The Midrash aveirah, a sin, he compromises his asks "Why do young children start relationship with God. In response Headlines: with Torat Kohanim? Let them start he is told, “Bring a sacrifice and [at the beginning of the ] with you will be atoned”. How can the Descriptions of Bereishit.” Torat Kohanim – the offering up of a sacrifice, be it offerings and Law of the Priests – is the name our animal or grain, repair the damage public law Sages use to refer to the book of done to a fractured relationship? Vayikra because of its strong focus The answer must be that, despite on the laws of Temple sacrifices. the sin, the person is closer to The Midrash answers, “Since the God than they can possibly know; korbanot (sacrifices) are pure and that although he may think he has the children are pure, let the pure severed his relationship with God,

Sidra Summary United Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Vayikra 1:1-13 together with the Rabbinical Council of The Book of Vayikra starts by detailing the olah (elevation) offering. One who brought the United Synagogue an offering had to lay their hands upon it (semicha). The shechita (slaughter) of the Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis animal could be done by a non-Kohen, but the processes thereafter (catching the Editorial and Production Team: blood and sprinkling it on the altar) were performed only by the Kohanim. The olah Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, offering was cut up and all of the pieces were burned on the mizbeach (altar). The Rebbetzen Nechama Davis, verses detail an olah offering brought from cattle, sheep or goats. Joanna Rose www.theus.org.uk 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 1:14-2:6 ©United Synagogue 2020 The Torah now details the laws of an olah offering brought from fowl. The process of To sponsor Daf Hashavua please killing the fowl differed from an animal offering; notably, the Kohen used his fingernail contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, (melika) instead of a knife. It was also possible to bring an offering from fine flour or [email protected] (mincha), a handful of which was mixed with oil and thrown onto the altar’s fire. The If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email rest was baked and eaten by the Kohanim. [email protected] He is still very much but we would do well to in a relationship think of God as hidden with him. In fact, behind a one-way mirror. God is so close that We may find it difficult to all it takes is a sincere sense His presence, but we act of sacrifice to bring are assured that He is actively atonement and to restore the engaged with each and every one connection. of us. No matter how distant we This then is how the child and the may feel, God is right here with sacrifice find equivalence. The purity us. All we have to do is reach out of the child lies in their innocence. with sincerity and purity - through They are not old enough to sin, or the modern substitute for sacrifice indeed old enough to learn Torah which is prayer, through increased and observe the mitzvot. They and through greater are right at the beginning of that sacrifice could not bring them back. observance - to reinvigorate journey as they are encouraged to Today we do not have a Temple the intrinsic bond between our God open the Chumash for the very first or its sacrifices, and in some ways and His people that can never be time. God appears more hidden than ever, broken. The concept of achieving atonement after bringing a sacrifice impresses upon a child The purity of the child lies in their that even if as an adult they stray and do not learn Torah or keep its innocence. They are not old enough to commandments, they will never sin, or indeed old enough to learn Torah be so far from their Maker that a change of heart and the offering of a and observe the mitzvot.

In loving memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen z"l

Point to Consider: From what stage could the service of the 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 4:1-26 meal offering be performed only by Kohanim (see to 2:2) People were commanded to bring sin offerings (chata’ot) for various inadvertent transgressions. A Kohen Gadol who 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 2:7-16 accidentally contravened specific serious prohibitions had Several voluntary meal offerings are listed, some baked, to bring a bull, parts of which were burned on the mizbeach; some fried. These offerings had to be unleavened. Every the rest were burned outside the camp. A similar process offering – whether animal, fowl or flour – had salt added to had to be done if the High Court’s () ruling caused it. The laws of the Torah of the parched Omer offering are an accidental transgression by the people. If a king (referred stated, which was brought on 16 Nisan (Rashi). to here as Nasi) accidentally transgressed certain mitzvot, he had to bring a male goat as an offering. 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 3:1-17 A voluntary peace offering (shelamim) could be brought from 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 4:27-5:10 cattle, sheep or goats. Only parts of it were burned on the The variable offering ( oleh ve’yored) was dependent mizbeach – other parts were eaten by the Kohanim and by on the financial means of the person who brought it – it the person who brought the offering (see Rashi). could be an animal, birds or flour. This offering was brought by someone who intentionally refused to testify as a witness In memory of Rabbi Lord Sacks zt”l, we reproduce below and over the next few weeks several of his Pesach messages from previous years, to recall his teachings about this festival. This message was published in From Optimism to Hope, A Collection of BBC 'Thought for the Day' broadcasts (2004), p.123 It Takes More than War To Make Peace 29 March 1999 by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l

As we witness the more than three or four years old, I was You need parents to unfolding tragedy of beginning to understand how wrong Kosovo, throughout it is for one people to deprive another teach children the the world are getting of its liberty; and how tyranny always story of freedom, and ready to observe Pesach, Passover, the ultimately defeats those who use it Jewish festival of freedom which begins against others, from the Pharaohs to the once a year you need this Wednesday night. And I’m struck by present day. children to taste the the thought of how contemporary this One thing has long fascinated me. bread of affliction so most ancient of religious rituals still is. It’s how Moses, on the brink of the It’s more than 3,000 years since the exodus, summoned the and that they learn never exodus took place. And yet ever since, addressed them. He could have spoken to inflict it on others. Jewish families have sat together about many things – freedom, or the round the table to tell the story of how promised land, or the long journey that I support the NATO intervention in their ancestors were once slaves, and lay ahead. But he didn’t. Instead three Kosovo and I pray that it is succeeds. But how they lived under the shadow of times, he spoke about the distant future, when it’s over, all the problems will still attempted genocide. My first memories and about the duty of parents to teach remain. Serbs and Albanians will still as a child are of those nights in my their children the story of the going out need to live together, each respecting grandparents’ house, when I first ate of Egypt; and we still do. It was the the freedom of the other, each willing to the unleavened bread of affliction and oddest thing to say, but it was also the move beyond the hatreds of the past. You the bitter herbs of suffering, and drank wisest. Because to defend a country, you can’t achieve that by air strikes alone. It four cups of the wine of freedom. It was need an army. But to defend humanity, can only come from a long, patient effort the simplest and yet the most powerful you need education. You need parents to of education. When will we learn that of history lessons. It taught me, as it teach children the story of freedom, and peace doesn’t grow from the barrel of teaches every Jewish child, to be ready once a year you need children to taste a gun? It’s born in the hearts of human to face a world that’s full of pain and yet the bread of affliction so that they learn beings, and its seeds are planted in the never without hope. Already then, not never to inflict it on others. stories we teach our children. In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah z"l or who made a false oath. It was also brought by one who sanctified objects had to bring a male ram as a guilt offering accidentally entered parts of the Temple (Beit Hamikdash) or (asham), as well as paying for the ‘damage’ and adding an touched sanctified objects when in a state of ritual impurity. additional fifth to the cost. An asham was also brought by someone who was not sure whether they had inadvertently 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 5:11-26 committed the type of sin for which one would normally An individual who unintentionally derived benefit from bring a chatat. Distinctive and Outstanding by Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Giffnock & Newlands Hebrew Congregation and Senior Rabbi of Scotland

Generally, every Seder opposed to simply a people. How did is the same: kiddush, an enslaved people, persecuted and in matzah, maror and a a foreign land, with no constitution of meal. Nevertheless, every their own, achieve this status? family has its own Seder traditions. As The Sages of the Midrash answer, much as we might all sing the same by way of preserving their roots, Dayeinu tune, each family has their through maintaining certain traditions, own way of banging on the table as we three in particular: They did not sing with gusto day-day-einu. adopt the Egyptian dress code, they The proof of this is when a person continued to speak the language that gets married and spends that first Jacob and his children spoke when Pesach with their spouse’s family and they arrived in Egypt and they did not they find that the egg in salt water take Egyptian names. It must have does not taste the same as it did in been a real challenge to be able to their own home. maintain and preserve these traditions. I think the reason for this Despite Pharaoh’s drive to eradicate phenomenon is that we all have an any memory of the past and despite innate need for roots. Things like egg able to know from which tribe you his persecution of these people, they and salt water and the unique way of descended even after 210 years in an doggedly held on to their traditions. singing Dayeinu give us the roots we alien and painful environment! How This is what gave them the accolade crave for. was that possible? of being described as metzuyanim - There is an idea that as the Bnei The answer lies in one line of the distinctive - or as it is translated in Yisrael (Israelites) marched out of Egypt Haggadah, in the way it explains a Modern Hebrew - outstanding - and with their unleavened dough there was phrase in a verse of the Torah. The that is how they each were able to an amazing treasure packed securely verse declares, "And there he [Jacob] prove their pedigree. in their bags - each family possessed a became a nation" (Devarim 26:5) - and Observing the mitzvot of Seder Sefer Yuchsin, a book of their lineage, the Haggadah explains, “this teaches night, like eating matzot and maror, their pedigree. It was a family tree that Israel became distinctive there”. expresses our Jewishness; flavouring tracing each member of the family all How do we see from these words those mitzvot with one’s own family the way back to our patriarchs and that the Children of Israel became traditions, like the unique way we matriarchs and was able to show proof distinctive? By the fact that despite the sing the songs at the Seder, makes of which tribe they belonged to. hostile environment that Egypt was, us metzuyanim – outstanding - and it What an incredible feat, to be they are described as a ‘nation’, as strengthens our roots to the past.

In memory of Yaacov ben Shmuel z"l

Haftarah The prophet Yeshaya (Isaiah) rebukes the nation for neglecting to bring offerings to the Temple. He mocks those craftsmen who tire themselves out making false gods. However, Yeshaya’s parting message is one of forgiveness and hope. The Talmud Part 4: Fancy a go? by Rabbi David Lister, Edgware United Synagogue

For those who would So, if the difference between blue objects that our does not like to try a bit of and white is apparent even in even mention a fleece! Talmud, here is a the middle of the night, how can So Tosafot says that when the passage from Berachot the Mishnah suggest this as an Talmud answers when one can see 9b as a taster: indication that it is morning? the difference between blue and The Mishnah defines the earliest The Gemara offers an alternative white within it, it is talking about the time for the morning reading of the explanation which also fits the words blue and white threads in tzitzit. Shema (p68–70, in the green ) of the Mishnah: by offering a simple test to measure Rather, [the Mishnah means that how light the sky has become: morning has broken when one can From when do we read the Shema tell the difference] between blue and in the morning? From when one can white [patches] within it. discern the difference between blue Rashi (1040-1105) explains that and white. this refers to a blue-dyed fleece The Gemara refines our with some parts that are still white understanding of this Mishnah in because the dye has not worked classic Talmudic style, deliberately well. Two styles of tzitzit, one with the blue techeilet going for the simplest explanation The difference between blue and thread. (© TShilo 12, 2006: CCASA 3.0 Unported) while knowing full well that it is white patches on the same fleece is doomed to fail. Thereby, when less discernible than the difference In truth, this is only the start we reach the final less obvious between a blue fleece and a white of the discussion. We have yet to explanation, we will understand why fleece, and is visible only in the ascertain the relative merits of it is the only viable one. morning. So, this is indeed a proper these different points of view, and How would you tell the difference test of whether morning has come. there are others beyond these. between blue and white? Perhaps We’re not done yet. Tosafot, a Do you see how multi-faceted you would look at a white and a blue collection of medieval commentaries the Talmud is? Like a diamond, we garment and try to tell the difference on the Talmud, objects that another turn the Mishnah’s statement this between their colours? Gemara (Menachot 43b) links the way and that, and we see its inner The Gemara objects: time for the morning Shema to being light assuming new directions and What is "between blue and able to see the difference between shades. white"? If this is to say the difference blue and white in tzitzit, the fringe on But that is just part of its between a blue dyed fleece and a the corner of a four cornered garment greatness. Beyond its richness white fleece, surely one can see the (Bemidbar 15:38). He also objects and precision, we recall that this difference between them even during that even at night one can sometimes tremendous depth and clarity are the night! tell the difference between blue glimpses of truly divine greatness, Rabbi Menachem ben Shlomo and white patches on a poorly dyed and that Talmud study is one of the Meiri (known as the Meiri, 1249- fleece! most spiritual things that we can do. 1315) explains further that one can Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (known When we learn Talmud, we begin to tell these colours apart by starlight. as the Rashba, 1235–1310) also know the mind of God.

In memory of Malka bat Peretz z"l