Postcards from Parsha Vayikra--He Called!

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  James 4:8a

Sing, O heavens, for ADONAI has done it!

Shout, depths of the earth!

Break forth in to singing, mountains,

forest, and every tree in it!

For ADONAI has redeemed Jacob

and will be glorified throughout Israel!

Isaiah 44:23

Sending these postcards out before getting to  the official Purim Posts!

What is on my heart for this parsha, Parsha Vayikra,  is how to be like a child when I enter it.

I  recently read* (in the Parsha Devotional, *A Taste of Torah, by Keren Hannah Pryor) and then saw in other teachings, in regard to this parsha, that Orthodox Jewish children start their Torah study at age 5 beginning  from the book of Leviticus!!

At five years old, when they learn to read, the children are taught starting in the book that most adults cannot even fathom for the most part! They do not start at the beginning in Genesis, nor in Exodus.  But in Leviticus!  The reason? Because their hearts are pure at that age, they would best occupy themselves in pure matters!! Say the sages.  The book of Leviticus is all about drawing near God and how to do so, and how to purify our hearts from sin through the offering of the various Korbanot.

I love that about the children and the pure heart.  And how with a pure heart, we can see things that are pure.  Of course as adults we have a lot of unlearning to do, or rather learning anew, allowing ourselves to be made new in Messiah which is also how we ultimately get our hearts cleaned... and become more like children --!!

Our Messiah Yeshua, the ultimate offering for our sins who gave His blood in atonement for us and the one who makes us holy, says we need to be like children to enter the Kingdom of God.  It is not the size of our offering or the tithe or the sacrifice God is looking for.  It is our hearts!! So may we draw near to Him, like children!! Pray near to Him, dance near to Him, love fully a life of worship near to Him.  And may He draw near to us!!

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.  Because it is written,

You shall be Holy, for I am Holy.   

1Peter 1:  14~16