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Parshat Vayikra: Leviticus 1:1-5:26;
Isaiah 43:21-44:23.
his week's portion, Vayikra,
opens the Book of Leviticus
and consists of five chapters of
intricate and detailed instructions for the
performance of animal sacrifices. Lacking
the vibrant narrative of some Torah
portions, few people count Vayikra as a
favorite. Animal sacrifices are not really
that interesting anymore.
When I was a Hillel
ljL1
rabbi, I often led Reform or
Conservative services for
the holidays. Every year, our
best-attended service was on
Yom Kippur when sacrifices
are described in the Torah
reading, and the liturgy fea-
tures a lengthy and elaborate
narration of the holiday's
ancient sacrificial service.
Each year, I heard the same
question from my intellectu-
ally curious college students: "What was
the deal with all of those sacrifices?"
In ancient times, the sacrifices were
pretty much the entire deal on Yom
Kippur and, in many ways, throughout
the year. This shouldn't surprise us.
Israelites were not the only people per-
forming animal sacrifices. They were
ubiquitous in the worship of surrounding
cultures, so Israelite sacrifices fit quite
nicely with what the neighbors were
doing.
Yet, while they were popular, they
were also the subject of bitter critiques,
especially from the prophets. Isaiah asked
on God's behalf, "What need have I of
all your sacrifices?" continuing with a
demand to "cease doing evil; learn to do
good; devote yourself to justice' (Isaiah
1:11, 16-17). Hosea shared this under-
standing when he spoke for God, saying,
"I desire lovingkindness, not sacrifice"
(Hosea 6:6). Amos taught that God reject-
ed Israel's sacrifices, insisting rather that
they "let justice well up like water, righ-
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teousness like an unfailing stream" (Amos
5:24). Likewise Micah, who warned that
sacrifices were nothing compared to the
precept "to do justice and to love good-
ness" (Micah 6:8).
In the course of time, sacrifices began
to disappear throughout the world.
Though the Jerusalem Temple's
destruction was the proximate
cause for the end of Jewish sac-
rificial worship, most scholars
agree that it would have soon
disappeared in any case. By the
time of the Temple's fall, the syn-
agogue and house of study were
already moving to center stage.
Those institutions were
dominated by the rabbis, who
were also counted among the
Temple leadership's fiercest crit-
ics. They alone would now lead
the Jewish community. Still, the
swiftness of the Temple's collapse posed
a challenge for them. After all, the Torah
never commanded Jews to pray. The
Torah commanded them to make sacri-
fices, especially when atoning for sin. The
rabbis rose to the occasion.
A famous midrash relates the story of
Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai and Rabbi
Joshua who were walking near the ruins
of the Temple. Joshua was overcome by
grief. "Alas for us!" he exclaimed. "The
place that atoned for the sins of the
people Israel lies in ruins!" Yohanan com-
forted him with the words of Hosea that
I quoted above: "I desire lovingkindness,
not sacrifice" (Avot D'Rabbi Natan 4:5).
Their successful transition from sacri-
fices to synagogues reminds us that when
existing Jewish practice no longer meets
the needs of the Jewish people, we can
seek — and find — new paradigms.
❑
Jeffrey L. Falick is rabbi of the Birmingham
Temple Congregation for Humanistic
• Walking dogs at events
• Event set up/tear down
• Screening potential adopters
rOSTER
Provide a temporary home to an
animal in need.
'ONATE
Sponsor an animal's care. Food, gift cards,
cash or check. Become a monthly donor.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO HELP!
Web: www.safarianimalrescue.org
E-mail: info@safarianimalrescue.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/safarianimalrescue Amazon.com - search wish list for Safari Rescue
P O. Box 532353, Livonia, MI 48153
.
Donations may be dropped off at our adoption events or Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm at:
State Farm Insurance - Care of Denise
724 W 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(734) 666-0116
AT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER ZEKELMAN FAMILY CAMPUS
Become a member and join us for an
evening with Holocaust Survivor Ela Stein
Weissberger, an original cast member of
Brundibar, the children's opera performed at
the Thesienstadt concentration camp.
Featuring a performance by members of the
Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus of
an excerpt from their upcoming production
of Brundibar.
Middle school students and older are welcome at this event.
Judaism in Farmington Hills.
Conversations
• Why do you think that animal sacrifices were so important to ancient
religion? Who really benefitted from them?
• Even before its destruction, the Temple was becoming an archaic
institution, overshadowed by the synagogue and house of study. What
advantages did they offer that the Temple could not?
• What lessons for the Jewish community and for your own life might
you learn from the successful transition from the institution of the Temple
to synagogues and houses of study?
Member Event Chairs: Elyse and David Foltyn
Supported in part by the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus
For membership information or to RSVP,
please call 248.553.2400, ext. 129
JSS MEMORY
~
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER ZEKELMAN FAMILY CAMPUS
T:‘ , „
,<>445-
"c'le • REov"
28123 Orchard Lake Rd. • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 www.holocaustcenter.org
1894340
March 6 • 2014
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