March 25, 2023 – Vayikra (and He called) Parshat 24

• Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:26
• Haftara: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
• Brit Chadasha: Matthew 5:23-30

וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃

Vayikra el-Moshe vayedaber Adonay elav me’Ohel Mo’ed lemor.

The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying:

The least shall be the greatest. Amongst the descriptions of the sacrifices and their purposes stands this verse. Vayikra ( Leviticus )1:14 “But if the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons. and in the Song of Songs 2:12 we see “The flowers have already appeared in the land; the time has arrived for pruning the vines, and the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.” Rabbi Efrayim taught that the “turtledoves” in Leviticus 1:14 symbolize Mashiach Ben Yoseph and Mashiach Ben David: (First Fruits of Zion-Shadows of the Messiah-Vayikra-Voice of the turtledoves.)

The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.” Who is this? This is the voice of the messiah, proclaiming [in Isaiah 52:7], “How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God Reigns!”                   (Song of Songs Rabbah 2:33)

Messiah Yeshua reveals himself even in the least, and lesser valued things to His greater glory. When he was presented in the Temple, the offering made for Him was a lowly offering of a Turtle Doves, but just as in the Drash above, out of the humblest of offerings  the long awaited Mashiach recognized, and praised by the ones who longed to see Him.

Lukas 2:22-30 When the days of their purification according to the Torah of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Torah of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Torah of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Yeshua, that they might do concerning him according to the requirement of the Torah, then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation (Yeshua),

Have a blessed week as we begin to study the book of Vayikra again afresh and anew with the guidance of the Ruach Hakodesh the Spirit of Elohim!

Ahav V’shalom love and peace to our family in Messiah from Beth Hallel Lodi