Drash Cards for VaYikra (5761)

by Marc Mangel

• This is the Torat Cohanim — the Torah of the Priests.  How do we who are not priests, and even those who are, think about it today?

• The root of Kar-ban is Ka-rov: to get close.

• To get close to God you have to give of yourself (Ch 2, v 2)

• Judaism is a religion of action. Then it was bringing sacrifices

• Now it is doing the mitzvot.  Getting on the path is the key here.

• Of course, we may miss the mark.  Then missing the mark was corrected by the sacrifices — and the prophets railed against empty sacrifice.

• Now it s doing the mitzvot, even if you do not do all of them.  God does not want lip service or excuses (‘I am non-practicing orthodox).