1-minute Lessons on Book of Leviticus by Rabbi Nachman Simon

One-minute audio lessons on special points from weekly Torah readings in the Book of Leviticus. Shared with permission from Rabbi Nachman Simon.

Vayikra:

1. Leviticus 1:1.

(a) Why is there a small letter aleph in the first word, “Vayikra” (“And He called”)? A lesson about Moses.

G-d [often referred to in Hebrew as HaShem = “the Name”] told Moses (Moshe) to begin writing the Book of Leviticus with the words, “And He called to Moses…” (…וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל-משֶׁ֑ה / Vayikra el-Moshe…). Moshe objected that it called such attention to him at the very outset, because he was the most humble person who ever lived. G-d was able to calm his complaint by instructing him to write the letter aleph / א in the first word of the sentence as a smaller-size letter, to indicate that Moses was small in his own eyes: (…וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל-משֶׁ֑ה). That is how it appears in the hand-written Torah scroll.

New! (b) Why is there a small letter aleph in the first word, “Vayikra”? A lesson for everyone.

(c) Why G-d “called” to Moses (based on the classic explanation by Rashi).

(2) Levitcus 1:2. Why does the Hebrew text say, “When a person who brings, of you, a sacrifice to G-d…”?

(3) Leviticus 1:5. Dedicate your enthusiasm in life to G-d.

Tzav:

Leviticus ch. 6. Connecting to G-d through a commandment/mitzvah (.wav audio file)

Shemini:

(1)  Leviticus ch. 9. The 8th Day of Dedicating the Tabernacle (the Mishkan) – a foretaste of the future Era of the Messiah/Moshiach

(2) Leviticus ch. 10. Entering the Holy of Holies?!

Tazria:

Leviticus ch. 13.

(1) Why don’t we have the miraculous skin ailment of tzara’as nowadays? After all, it came as a result of evil speech (lashon harah).

(2) The consequence of evil speech (lashon harah)

(3) Only a Kohen (a Jewish priest descended from Aaron) can declare a Jew’s tzara’as ailment to be spiritually impure. Why?

Metzora:

Leviticus 14:1-32

Acharei:

Leviticus ch. 16.

What clothing did the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) wear to enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur?

Kedoshim:

(1) Leviticus 19:3. Honor and revere (“fear”) both of your parents, and obey your commandments from G-d.

(2) Leviticus ch. 20. Torah deals with the highest and the lowest levels.

(3) Leviticus 23:22. Giving proper charity (tzedakah) is like bringing a sacrificial offering to G-d.

Emor:

Leviticus 21:1-1. Say It and Say It Again (based on the classic explanation by Rashi)

Behar:

(1) Leviticus 25:1-7. The Details of the Commandments were Given on Mount Sinai (see the explanation by Rashi for Lev. 25:1)

(2) Leviticus 25:10. The Influence of Torah on the Foundations of the United States of America

Bechukosai:

Leviticus 26. When Curses Contain Hidden Blessings