Vayiqra (ויקרא – And He called)
Leviticus 1:1–5:26 and Isaiah 43:21–44:23
The parashah of Vayiqra details the sacrificial laws, intended to purify oneself and thus draw closer to The Lord(1). In the haftara, the prophet Isaiah reveals that Israel must purify itself to bear witness to the divine presence among the nations and actively prepare for redemption.
Leviticus 4:32 (2)
וְאִם-כֶּבֶשׂ יָבִיא קָרְבָּנוֹ
If it is a sheep he brings as his sin offering …
The sheep, mentioned here as a sin offering, approaching Pesach, invites introspection, reminding us of the importance of purifying ourselves from the hametz within us.
Mouton (sheep) street Synagogue: Historical records reveal that a Jewish community existed as early as 1321 in the city then called Vitry-sur-Marne. After 1870, an influx of Alsatian and Lorraine Jews settled in the region. The synagogue, located on Rue Mouton, was inaugurated in 1957, just days before Rosh Hashanah. It replaced the 1885 synagogue, destroyed during World War II. Today, the Jewish community has left the city. Since 2007, the synagogue has been converted into a cultural space.
(1) Korban (קרבן) means “sacrifice” and derives from the Hebrew root karav (קרב), meaning “to come closer.”
(2) Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Weiser (1809–1879), known by his acronym Malbim (מלבי”ם), distinguishes between the two terms kesev (כֶּשֶׂב) in Leviticus 3:7, referring to a lamb still dependent on its mother, and keves (כֶּ֫בֶשׂ) in Leviticus 4:32, referring to a more autonomous sheep. The faithful are called to evolve toward maturity in their relationship with G.od, mirroring the transition from a dependent lamb to an autonomous sheep.