Title: Tanakh of the Land of Israel – Leviticus
Koren Publishers
In a well-known comment at the start of the book of Vayikra, Ramban forcefully rejected Rambam’s reasoning that saw in Jewish sacrificial practice a claim and usurpation of idolatrous practices for the service of God. “Far be it that they should have no other purpose and intention except the elimination of idolatrous opinions from the minds of fools!” A practice that originated among idolaters that was then utilized in the creation of Jewish service ran counter to Ramban’s spiritual sensibilities, and in his mind ran counter to the grand and essential quality of Temple service.
Koren’s third volume of the Tanakh of the Land of Israel wades into the stormy waters of this argument and, in truth, offers Rambam some strong vindication. Archaeological discoveries throughout the Middle East point to major parallels between the details of Torah sacrifice and the surrounding nations. The notes, edited by David Arnovitz, point to the Hittite ritual of “placing the hand on” a sacrifice that parallels the Torah’s commandment for semicha on the head of an offering (Lev. 1:5). So too, we find the Ebla archives describing a purgation ritual that centers around a goat that looks quite similar to the Yom Kippur service (16:10).
Most interesting to readers, however, may be the singularities of Jewish worship. Blood, the source of life according to the Torah, was central to worship in the Mishkan, while absent from Mesopotamian rituals. So too, the Torah departs significantly from the surrounding cultures in its rejection of the magic and bribery that so often marked their service. That notion of holiness continues to expand with the diverse legal system described in Vayikra 19 where Israelite particularity against the Ancient Near Eastern culture.
This eye-catching new volume does not limit itself only to ritual parallels. The pictures and illustrations of the flora and fauna of the biblical text are extraordinarily informative. No longer are we set to wondering about the sundry animals for sacrifice, the varied kosher and non-kosher birds, or the multifaceted agriculture that is subjected to law. One particularly engaging essay details the agricultural background to the Jewish holidays that is too often lost in our contemporary urban existence.
Along for the ride is an impressive mix of traditional and academic commentary. There are a plethora of notes exploring the etymology of words that utilize the discoveries of contemporary linguistics alongside the traditional commentaries of the Talmud, Rashi, and Ibn Ezra. The commentary is similarly sensitive to recurring themes and structure as it defines the place of purity and impurity in Jewish tradition as well as exploring the overall structure of the text.
If there is any detriment to this brand-new volume on Vayikra, it is its excessive ambition. A reader could easily lose the Torah’s text in explorations of history, etymology, culture, and structure as well as the very engaging pictures. Still, for those fascinated by the pshatot hamichadshim bechol yom, the interpretations of our Torah that grow each and every day (Rashbam Gen. 37:2). Koren’s Vayikra volume of the Tanakh of the Land of Israel is a valuable and engaging resource that is definitely worth your time.
