OU TORAH The Victorious Victim Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

I always experience a sense of excitement when I begin a new book. I am convinced that most avid readers feel the same way. This Shabbat gives us an opportunity to experience that excitement as we begin a new book, the book of Leviticus, and Parshat Vayikra. The book, or chumash, of Leviticus has historically had “mixed reviews.” On the one hand, our tradition reveres this book, calling it Torat Kohanim (the Torah, or Teachings, of the Priests). The dominant theme of Leviticus is the role of the priests within the various rituals connected to worship in the Holy Temple, and their role in various rituals associated with purity and holiness.