Ending this week, beginning next week – Vayikra
The rabbinic sages always saw a link between the weekly Torah readings.
They noticed that the reading this week says that if you have sinned against another person and robbed them, you must restore what you have taken. They also saw that next week the sidra commences, “This is the law of the burnt offering”.
How are the two passages linked? According to the Midrash the rule is that only if you have performed the requirement of restoring stolen property have you the right to worship God and bring Him an offering.
Worship is only possible if (in the words of Psalm 24) you have clean hands and a pure heart. If you are guilty of sin, God is not interested in your prayer unless you have made peace with others. You can ask Him to support you, but you have to want Him on side…
