Vayikra el Moshe, vayedabber Adonai elav me’Ohel Mo’ed lemor.
Dabber el B’nei Yisrael ve’amarta alehem: Adam ki yakriv mikem korban laAdonai, min habehemah, min habakar umin hatzon takrivu et korbankhem.
Im olah korbano min habakar, zachar tamim yakrivennu, el petach Ohel Mo’ed yakriv oto lirtzono lifnei Adonai.
Vesamach yado al rosh ha’olah, venirtzah lo lechaper alav.
Veshachat et ben habakar lifnei Adonai, vehikrivu B’nei Aharon hakohanim et-hadam, vezarku et-hadam al hamizbe’ach saviv asher petach Ohel Mo’ed.
Vehifshit et ha’olah, venitach otah lintacheha.
Venatnu B’nei Aharon hakohen esh al hamizbe’ach, ve’ar’khu etzim al ha’esh.
Ve’ar’khu B’nei Aharon hakohanim et-hannetachim, et harosh ve’et hapader al ha’etzim asher al ha’esh asher al hamizbe’ach.
Vekirbo u’kera’av yirchatz bammayim, vehiktir hakohen et hakol hamizbechah—olah isheh re’ach nichoach laAdonai.
Ve’im min hatzon korbano, min hakvasim o min ha’izim le’olah, zachar tamim yakrivennu.
Veshachat oto al yerech hamizbe’ach tzafonah lifnei Adonai, vezarku B’nei Aharon hakohanim et damo al hamizbe’ach saviv.
Venitach oto lintachav, ve’et rosho ve’et pidro, ve’arakh hakohen otam al ha’etzim asher al ha’esh asher al hamizbe’ach.
Vehakerev vehak’ra’ayim yirchatz bammayim, vehikriv hakohen et hakol vehiktir hamizbechah—olah hu, isheh re’ach nichoach laAdonai.
The scene opens with a new book, and the very first verse already holds a profound secret: “And He called to Moshe.” Unlike the majestic moments at Mount Sinai, here the call comes from the intimacy of the Tent of Meeting. God does not speak with thunder and lightning, but with a gentle voice of closeness. This is the first time that all the new commandments are conveyed from within the dwelling place of the Divine Presence among the people — the Mishkan.
The portion deals with sacrifices, and the word korban (sacrifice) says it all — kirva, closeness. When a person seeks to draw near to God, they are not required to offer something external — rather, they must sacrifice something from within: impulse, desire, pride. Every stage in the process — laying of hands, slaughtering, flaying, and offering — is an expression of inner work. The sacrifice mirrors the person’s heart.
A fascinating insight from Chassidic teaching: a person offers the “animal” within. That is, the animalistic forces inside them. Instead of letting the beastly nature control them, the person “elevates” it upon the altar of holiness. This is the human mission — to refine one’s physicality and uplift it.
And for our personal lives — anyone who truly seeks closeness must ask themselves: What am I willing to give up in order to really come close? It might be time, comfort, or selfishness. But it’s specifically in those moments of letting go that one becomes sanctified by something far greater. That’s what turns the sacrifice into a pleasing aroma — because it’s a gift from the heart.
Wishing you a blessed and uplifting week!
May we merit to begin the book of Vayikra with an inner calling that brings us closer — from a place of will, not fear. A quiet closeness, but a deep one.
