posts so far for parashat Vayikra

2013

1. Vayikra sources.

2. YUTorah on Vayikra

3. Chasam Sofer explains the small aleph. Moshe Rabbenu only wanted the peshat version...

2012

1. YUTorah on parashat Vayikra.

2. Vayikra sources.

3. Why won't Ibn Caspi discuss parashat Vayikra? Here is an interesting one. Ibn Caspi excuses himself from explaining parashat Vayikra; indeed, all the way until Acharei Mot, for a very interesting reason

4. The derasha that blind people are not valid witnesses -- Found in the Tur, with a basis and derasha in Tosefta Shevuos.

2011

1. Vayikra sources,  further improved. For example, many more meforshei Rashi.
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2. Rashi on *Adam* Ki Yakriv -- Considering the intent of this Rashi, and midrash.
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3. YU Torah on Vayikra, and Purim
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4. What is meant by leimor in Vayikra 1:1? Zehu midrasho --  Further, does Rashi intend this as peshat or derash?
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5. The sweet stench of burning feathers --  and how it might relate torei'ach nicho'ach. From parashat Vayikra.  

2010

1. Vayikra sources -- revamped, with more than 100 meforshim on the parasha and the haftara.
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2. From where did Hashem call Moshe? Rashbam vs. trup -- Rabbi Yehuda Leib Spira contrasts Rashbam with the trup, as to whether Hashem called to Moshe outside the Ohel Moed. I am not convinced that this would bother Rashbam, though.
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3. Is the Samaritan spelling of Yimatzei (with an aleph) correct? Do Chazal have the same? Chizkuni on Vayikra, while masiach lefi tumo, mentions that ימצא is spelled with an א, and notes how Chazal derive something from it. Our masoretic text meanwhile has ימצה. But the Samaritan text has it with an aleph! This variation in spelling of an em hakeriah is much more innocuous than the possibility of having lost an entire word in the masoretic text, discussed in parashat Vayakhel. There is even more to this, which I hope to follow up upon in a subsequent post.
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4. And as a follow up to the above, Do Chazal have the Samaritan spelling of Yimatzei? In this second part, I consider how the Chizkuni on parashat Vayikra stacks up against various gemaras in Zevachim, and against differing girsaot of various gemaras in Zevachim.
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5. A review of Unlocking the Torah Text on sefer Vayikra.

2009

1. Vayikra sources -- links by aliyah and perek to an online Mikraos Gedolos, and many meforshim on the parsha and haftara.
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2. The small aleph as an indicator of Moshe's loss of gedulah. I ruminate on Rav Yonasan Eibeshutz's novel interpretation of the small aleph of Vayikra. See also the discussions of this feature from previous years.
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3. The role of korbanot, al pi Shadal -- why bring korbanot? what are their purpose? is Shadal reading his own rationalism into the pesukim? And in the comment section, Mississipi Fred MacDowell takes on that question at greater length.
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4. Baal HaTurim, Gematriot in parshat Vayikra, and cow and sheep gaits -- an analysis of Baal HaTurim at the beginning of parshat Vayikra. What are his motivations?
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5. A short question about the leaven in the Mincha offering. What about chametz that naturally occurs, as opposed to via a leavening agent?
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6. The trup on min habeheima, and what is has to do with the relationship between the olah of animals and of birds. Based on Ibn Ezra, Ramban, and finally, Shadal. Ramban's parsing appears to be against the trup. This is also discussed in the third post in the 2008 section, but this is in more detail.

2008

1. Shadal's theory about the small aleph in Vayikra, based on duplication of letters.
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2. Bris melach -- Arab princes even today (in the days of Shadal) made covenants by eating together bread with salt. And Milgrom discusses a Neo-Babylonian letter.
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3. In Shadal's Vikuach, he discusses how Ramban's reading of a pasuk "if you offer from the animals {as opposed to birds}, then you shall offer from the herd or the flock" is against the trup, since the etnachta would have to be placed earlier. Perhaps in 2009 or 2010 I will have time to expand upon this. Thus, Ramban did not feel bound be trup in giving his perush.

2005

• Moshe's Name. (This was an elaboration of an earlier post on parshat Shemot: The Derivation of Moshe's Name) -- Both of these consider the merits of an Egyptian etymology of Moshe's name, and argue that a Hebrew etymology is better for several reasons.
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• Rendering Halachic Decisions Before One's Teacher -- A post based on Daf Yomi Eruvin, but crossing into Vayikra and Shemini. According to one midrash, Nadav and Avihu were punished for rendering a halachic decision before their teacher. The derasha is on the words אֲשֶׁר לֹא צִוָּה אֹתָם, that they were not explicitly commanded this. They derived it from a pasuk in Vayikra 1:7:
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  ז וְנָתְנוּ בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, אֵשׁ--עַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וְעָרְכוּ עֵצִים, עַל-הָאֵשׁ.

  7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire.

2004

• The Small Aleph, Moshe's Shining Face, and Matres Lectiones At The End of Words (titled "A Funny Thing Happened To Me On the Way To The Tent of Meeting") -- The aleph of Vayikra is small. I connect it to Moshe's shining face, which shone from the ink left in the quill. I also consider what the implications of the small aleph might be from a peshat perspective - that even were the aleph to drop, it may still be Vayikra.
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• An Alternate Explanation of the Small Aleph in Vayikra, From Shadal, Via Eliyahu - Duplicate Border Letters Dropping Out -- Namely, that the next word begins with an aleph, and that would cause the aleph of Vayikra to drop.

to be continued...