This week’s portion, Vayikra, deals with sacrifices and practices that at first glance seem relevant only to the time of the Temple. So what insight can we draw from it that is relevant to our lives today?
It says that if a rich man brings a pigeon to be sacrificed, his sacrifice will be refused, whereas a pigeon from a poor man will be accepted. Why? Because for a poor man, a pigeon is all that he can afford to offer, while a rich man will need to sacrifice at least an ox to atone for his sin because he has more resources and therefore is required to give more.
Essentially, the Creator was saying to each person then, just as He says to each one of us today: “Now that I have provided for you, what are you going to do with what I have given you? Are you going to use it for My purposes?”
Each of us has our own set of gifts and our own set of limitations. Whatever positive we do with our gifts in this life can remove the negative karma we built up from previous lives, thus helping us ascend the ladder of opportunities. Our spiritual work is to reveal all of the Light that was originally placed in our vessel and then to become a beacon of Light for others.
This week, focus on one of the gifts that the Creator has bestowed upon you. Then ask yourself honestly: Am I sharing enough of what I have been given with others?
