Tag
Leviticus
15 articles
Judaism and Tattoos: What the Torah Really Says
The Torah prohibits tattooing, but the widespread belief that tattooed Jews cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery is a myth. Here's what Jewish law actually says — and how different denominations approach the question today.
Why Don't Jews Eat Pork? The Real Reason Behind the Prohibition
The pig is forbidden in Judaism because the Torah says so — but there's a deeper reason the pig became the symbol of everything non-kosher.
What Is the Torah About? A Summary for Beginners
The Torah — the five books of Moses — tells the story of creation, the patriarchs, slavery in Egypt, liberation, God's laws at Sinai, and the journey to the Promised Land. Here is the whole thing, book by book.
Leviticus (Vayikra): The Holiness Manual
Leviticus is the Torah's manual for holiness — covering sacrifices, priestly rituals, purity laws, ethics, and the famous command to 'love your neighbor as yourself.' The heart of the Torah, literally and spiritually.
Parashat Vayikra: Understanding the Sacrificial Offerings
Parashat Vayikra opens the book of Leviticus with God calling to Moses from the Mishkan and teaching five categories of offerings — burnt, meal, peace, sin, and guilt — each addressing a different dimension of the relationship between humans and God.
Parashat Tzav: The Priestly Duties and Consecration of Aaron
Parashat Tzav details the priestly responsibilities for each type of offering, introduces the prohibition of eating blood and certain fats, and describes the seven-day consecration ceremony that transforms Aaron and his sons into priests.
Parashat Shemini: The Eighth Day, Nadav and Avihu, and the Laws of Kashrut
Parashat Shemini describes the inaugural service of the Mishkan on the eighth day, the tragic death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu for offering 'strange fire,' and the foundational laws of kashrut — which animals are kosher and which are not.
Parashat Tazria: Childbirth, Purity, and the Mystery of Tzara'at
Parashat Tazria addresses the laws of ritual purity after childbirth and the diagnosis of tzara'at — a mysterious skin affliction that the Torah treats not as a medical condition but as a spiritual signal requiring priestly examination and isolation.
Parashat Metzora: The Path from Impurity to Purification
Parashat Metzora describes the elaborate purification ritual for a person healed of tzara'at — involving two birds, cedar wood, and mikveh immersion — as well as laws about afflicted houses and bodily discharges.
Parashat Acharei Mot: The Yom Kippur Service and the Scapegoat
Parashat Acharei Mot describes the Yom Kippur service in the Holy of Holies — including the scapegoat sent to Azazel — the prohibition of consuming blood, and the forbidden sexual relationships that define the Torah's moral boundaries.
Parashat Kedoshim: 'Be Holy' and 'Love Your Neighbor as Yourself'
Parashat Kedoshim contains the famous command 'Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself' — along with dozens of ethical, ritual, and social laws that together form the Torah's holiness code.
Parashat Emor: The Priestly Code and the Complete Jewish Holiday Calendar
Parashat Emor establishes special rules for priestly conduct, then presents the complete Jewish holiday calendar — Shabbat, Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot — making it the Torah's definitive guide to sacred time.
Parashat Behar: The Sabbatical Year, Jubilee, and Economic Justice
Parashat Behar introduces the revolutionary economic laws of Shemitah (sabbatical year) and Yovel (Jubilee) — when the land rests, debts are released, slaves go free, and property returns to its original owners, ensuring no permanent underclass.
Parashat Bechukotai: Blessings, Curses, and the Covenant's Consequences
Parashat Bechukotai concludes Leviticus with the blessings promised for obedience, the terrifying curses (tochachah) for disobedience, and laws about vows and tithes — presenting the covenant as a choice between flourishing and catastrophe.
Kedusha: The Jewish Understanding of Holiness
In Judaism, holiness is not a mystical state reserved for saints — it is created through boundaries, distinctions, and conscious choices. Every act, from eating to intimacy, can become sacred when approached with intention.