Tracie's Torah Takeaway: Parsha Va-yikra (Lev 1:1 - 5:26)
Written by Tracie Guy-Decker
Several years ago, I decided to move to a fully vegetarian (actually ovo-pescatarian) diet because of my empathy for animals. I saw too much of humans (and dogs) in the cattle and even the chickens whose bodies had formed my meals to continue to consume them. That backdrop of my life choices makes this week’s parsha particularly unpleasant for me to read. The Adonai of Va-Yikra is a big fan of barbeque. The scent of burning animal flesh is pleasing to this Adonai. Indeed, in Lev 3:16 we read “All the fat is Adonai’s.” The phrase “dash the blood against all sides of the altar,” or versions of it is repeated again and again in parsha Va-Yikra.
As is often the case for me, my initial read of this parsha left me coming up a bit empty. The surface meaning, the pshat, felt so foreign to me, I had to look with intention to find a deeper meaning, a drash, or lesson waiting for me.
This parsha is an instruction manual for the ways the Israelites were to ask for or thank God for blessings of well-being and also how they were to atone for sins they’d committed, whether inadvertently or with intention. As noted above, the instructions included quite a bit of animal entrails and blood, sacrifices made at a specific spot by the entrance of the mishkan, the portable tent that served as God’s dwelling-place among the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness.
In the haftarah that is paired with this portion (Is 43:21- 44:23), we learn that already in the time of the prophet Isaiah, these offerings weren’t happening--or not as frequently as Adonai might like: “You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings...Nor sated me with the fat of your sacrifices.” (Is 43:23; 43:24). But Adonai still has forgiven the people: “O Israel, Never forget Me./ I wipe away your sins like a cloud, / Your transgressions like mist-- / Come back to Me, for I redeem you.” (Is 44:21-44:22). And as I read the haftarah, the drash of the Torah portion came into focus (thanks, Masorites!).
In the time of the Wilderness, when the Israelites knew God’s presence as a pillar of cloud on the mishkan, there was a very clear protocol for what to do when you realized you’d sinned. There were protocols for leaders, including priests and “chieftans,” as well as protocols for individual Israelites who either became aware of inadvertent sin, or came to repent from sins committed knowingly. “And they (he) shall be forgiven,” is repeated in this parsha almost as frequently as the blood-dashing phrase. In other words, God always knew we would make mistakes. From the beginning, God knew that we would need a path back to God. Perfection was never demanded.
As many times as I receive this lesson, it seems I always need one more. It resonates for me in all aspects of my life--as a parent, as a spouse, as a friend, as a white anti-racist. Perfection is not the goal. Perfection was never the goal. Our planning time is better spent thinking about the protocols, pathways, mechanisms for what to do AFTER a mistake is made than fretting, worrying, and bending over backward trying not to make a mistake.
April and I had an interesting conversation on Jews Talk Racial Justice in Season 2 Episode 6, “Getting Unstuck when Fear has You Frozen” that really resonated with this insight. You can check it out (along with some discussion questions) here.
So what do you do when you’ve realized you made a mistake? How do you find your way back to your true self, lean into the truth of you--and every other human being--being made in the image of God, b’tzelem Elohim?
To hear more of Tracie’s thoughts, tune into her and April’s podcast, Jews Talk Racial Justice. Check out full episodes with video (CC included) and discussion questions on our website! Listen on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you download your podcasts, and don't forget to leave us a review!