Parashat Vayikra, The Salt of the Covenant of Our God

772

            This week’s Parashat, Parashat
Vayikra (Vayikra / Leviticus 1:1-5:26), details five types of
korbanot (sacrifices).  The Torah states that only three of all the kosher animals would be acceptable
to offer as a korban upon the altar.  These animals were to be defect-free oxen, sheep, and goats, and
only two birds were allowed, turtledoves and pigeons.  In addition to this, a poor person may offer a
grain offering and this grain was used to provide bread for the Kohanim (Priests).  The five types of
korbanot are (i) the Olah Offering (“Ascending offering”), (ii) the Minchah Offering (“Meal
offering”), (iii) the Shelamim Offering (“Peace offering”), (iv) the Chatat Offering (“Sin
offering”), and (v) the Asham Offering (“Guilt offering”).  While reading through this
week’s Parashat, the verse in Vayikra / Leviticus 2:13
caught my eye which says 2:13 ‘Every grain offering of yours, moreover,
you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your
grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt. (NASB)
  According to the
Scriptures, all of the flesh that is offered upon the altar is to be salted but here we find the command
to salt even the grain offering before it is to be offered upon the altar.  What is the significance
of salting the Minchah offering?  What does God want us to learn about adding salt to the grain offering
in the covenant that He has made with us?
Read More here.

Previous articleParashat Pekudei, The Golden Thread.
Next articleParashat Tzav, Why is fat to be offered by fire before God?
Duane D. Miller received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Akron Ohio. He is currently a Chemical Engineering Researcher. Duane’s research expertise has focused upon functional materials development for the control, conversion, and release of process gases in Energy production technologies. His R&D interests include computational chemistry, developing novel technologies for converting biomass to fuels and studying their fundamental interactions during the chemical conversion process. His past experience includes sorbent development for pre- and post-combustion CO2 and SO2 capture, selective absorption of H2S from methane streams, O2 capture for oxy-fuel combustion, photocatalytic reduction of alcohols, NOx reduction catalysis, the development of oxygen carriers to combust fossil fuels (CH4 and coal) for the chemical looping combustion processes, and the extraction of rare earth elements using patent pending sorbents. His research expertise has focused on operando-characterization using Infrared, Raman, and UV-Vis spectroscopy to observe the nature of the catalytic active sites and reaction intermediates under realistic reaction conditions, allowing direct correlation of molecular/electronic structures with catalyst performance during Gas-Solid / Liquid-Solid Adsorption and Photocatalytic Processes with real time online analysis of reaction products using ICP-MS and mass spectrometry. His current work involves a multi-disciplinary approach to developing, understanding, and improving the catalytic gasification of coal and methane, high temperature chemical looping combustion, and the catalytic decomposition and gasification of biomass and coal using novel microwave reactor.​ He has been studying the Hebrew Scriptures and the Torah for 20+ years and sharing what he has learned. The studies developed for MATSATI.COM are freely to be used by everyone, to God be the Glory!