Vayikra

What is written in Sefer Vayikra, and why?


The culmination of the exodus from Egypt was the Divine Glory appearing over the mishkan.  The purpose of leaving Egypt was not only  physical freedom but to achieve closeness to G-d and be consecrated as His servants.  Thus Sefer Shemos comes to an end.

 Vayikra is about preserving that which was achieved.  The Divine Glory remains with the Jewish people if they bring offerings to atone for sin and  the mishkan is not defiled by ritual impurity.  Vayikra give the details of how to operate the service in the mishkan. Some mitzvos not directly related to the mishkan are included because they are holidays that require offerings, or to warn us of moral errors that defile (which is the antithesis of the mishkan) (Ramban).

YOU MUST SALT EVERY MEAL OFFERING.  DO NOT OMIT THE SALT OF THE COVENANT OF YOUR G-D FROM YOUR MEAL OFFERINGS.   EVERY OFFERING YOU MUST  SALT (Vayikra 2:13)

Why must offerings be salted?  What does salt have to do with "covenant"?

Salt is a preservative that makes food immune to outside influences.  Our covenant with G-d too is permanent and unchanging.  The Ark which houses the Torah is also called the Ark of the Covenant.  Therefore salt represents the unchanging Torah. The offerings are physical and represent our material affairs, whose particulars tend to change.  Our material efforts (ever-changing) must be "salted" with a sense of covenant and unchanging Torah values (Rav SR Hirsch).