Even though the first 17 chapters of Vayikra deal exclusively with laws that relate to the Mishkan, in Chapter 18 we find the introduction to the second half of the sefer, which includes numerous topics totally unrelated to the Mishkan.
To suggest a unifying topic for Sefer Vayikra, let’s take a careful look at these opening verses:
“And God told Moshe, speak to Bnei Yisrael and tell them: ani Hashem Elokeichem—[I am the L-rd your God!] do not act as the Egyptians did, nor as the Canaanites… do not follow their customs. [Instead] keep my laws… for ani Hashem Elokeichem. Keep My laws and My commandments… for ani Hashem.” (see 18:1–5)
Note the repeated use of the phrase ani Hashem. Not only is it mentioned three times in these opening verses, it is also repeated over 50 times from this point onward in Sefer Vayikra. In contrast, this phrase is found only once in the first half of the sefer.
At first glance, it seems rather absurd that when describing laws concerning the Mishkan, this phrase is barely mentioned; yet when discussing laws to be kept outside the Mishkan, this phrase is emphasized over and over again! Considering that ani Hashem reminds us that we stand before God, wouldn’t we expect to find it mentioned more often in relation to the Mishkan?!
One could suggest that the Torah wishes to emphasize precisely the opposite! The Torah may fear that this intense level of kedushah in the Mishkan may lead to the misconception that God’s Presence is limited to the Mishkan! Instead, this lopsided structure emphasizes that God’s presence must emanate from the Mishkan—thus leaving a profound effect on how we conduct our daily life outside the Mishkan.
From a thematic perspective, this may explain the two halves of Sefer Vayikra. Even though its primary topic are laws relating to the Mishkan, the second half of the Sefer intentionally includes numerous mitzvot that translate the intense level of Shechinah found in the Mishkan into the daily walks of life.
This concept of setting aside one special site where God’s Presence is more intense—in order to bring sanctity to all surrounding areas—can help us understand the deeper meaning of kedushah in other realms as well.
For example, on Shabbat we set aside one day of the week, sanctifying it with an increased level of God’s Shechinah, to serve as a funnel that brings holiness into every day of the week.
Similarly, God set aside a special nation, an am kadosh—sanctifying it with special mitzvot—in order to deliver God’s message of sanctity to all mankind (see Devarim 4:5–8).
This understanding can help us appreciate the subdivision of the second half of Sefer Vayikra:
Chapters 18–22: kedushat adam, people—first Am Yisrael, then kohanim
Chapter 23–24: kedushat zman, time—the holidays
Chapter 25–26: kedushat makom, land—laws of shemittah
This analysis can also explain how Vayikra relates to the covenant on Mount Sinai. Before receiving the Torah, Bnei Yisrael entered a covenant to accept God’s laws in order to become a “mamlechet kohanim v’goy kadosh” (see Shemot 19:4–6). Sefer Vayikra explains how Bnei Yisrael become this goy kadosh—not only by worshiping God in the Mishkan, but also by keeping the daily mitzvot of kedushat adam, zman and makom—as emphasized by the phrase ani Hashem Elokeichem.
This recognition of ani Hashem, experienced at an intense level when one visits the Mishkan (today replaced by the shul), must be internalized to affect one’s conduct in all walks of life.
Rabbi Menachem Leibtag is an internationally acclaimed Tanach scholar and online Jewish education pioneer. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers
Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers).
