OU TORAH Acharei Mot: The Second Half of Sefer Vayikra By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag

In the middle of Parshat Acharei Mot, an abrupt change takes place in Sefer Vayikra. Even though its first 17 chapters dealt exclusively with laws that relate to the Mishkan, in chapter 18 we find a complete section about forbidden marital relationships [better known as the “arayot”] that appear to be totally unrelated to the Mishkan. Then, in Parshat Kedoshim, we find yet another set of laws (mostly ethical) that have almost no connection at all to the Mishkan. So what keeps Sefer Vayikra together? Should we conclude that it is primarily laws relating to the Mishkan plus a few ‘add-ons’? Or, is there some thematic significance in this transition that could lead us to a deeper understanding of what the book is all about. In this week’s shiur, we attempt to answer this question by taking a closer look at the nature of this transition.