This portion, Va Yikra, is the first portion of the third book of the Torah, Leviticus, or Va Yikra.  The first book, Genesis, described creation, the second book, Exodus, chronicled the birth of the Jewish people and the giving of the Ten Commandments.  The book of Leviticus is called "Va Yikra" in Hebrew, meaning, "And He called".  It reveals God’s "calling" to the Jewish people, summoning them to affirm their relationship with God, and to live as a holy people. 

This portion describes several type of sacrifices that the people brought in the desert, which represent an archetype for mending a broken relationship.  Each sacrifice is accompanied by an admission of guilt.  The "Olah" sacrifice, described in this week’s portion, is for an act of omission – a missed opportunity to strengthen a relationship.  The "Chattat" offering is to be forgiven for an accidental transgression.  While the omission or accidental transgression is quite different than an intentional act of malice, they are symbols of one who has been careless, not conscious enough in decision making.

The Hebrew word for "sacrifices" is korbanot, which actually derives its meaning from the root "to bring close." God begins by telling Moses how the Israelite people should present burnt offerings.  If one wishes to present a bull, goat or sheep, there are certain prerequisites:  any animal offered must be without blemish, which means that only healthy and normal animals were fit for sacrifice.  After slaughter, Aaron and his sons will sprinkle around and on the altar the blood of a complete burnt offering; the animal is then skinned and cut into pieces; and finally the entire animal is to be burned on the altar.  (Lev. 1:5-9)

 Next, God explains how to bring forth a total burnt sacrifice when it is a bird.  It must be a young pigeon or an adult turtledove, both of which are close to each other in size.  The process of killing and preparing a bird is different than all other animals, but they too were burnt completely on the altar.  (Lev. 1:14-17)  The explanation of bird sacrifice was so that the poor worshiper could have the opportunity to bring forth Olah to God.

 We move to the Minchah or Meal Offering.  In other parts of the Torah, this word has been used for "gift", "tribute" and "sacrifice".  In Leviticus, however, it refers to an offering prepared from grain.  We learn of the azkara, which comes from the root meaning, "remember, take thought of."  When one wished to make minchah they must bring it to Aaron's sons.  It must be only choice flour, covered in oil and then frankincense.  The priest will then take the azkara from this flour offering, "and this portion he shall turn into smoke on the altar, as an offering by fire, of pleasing odor to the Lord."  (Lev. 2:2)  The rest of the flour is put aside to be eaten by the priests, as God has commanded.  Other flour offerings explained in this portion include unleavened cakes, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and unleavened pancakes.  None of the flour offerings were to be made of leaven, and each of these were to be offered with salt. 
(Lev. 2:11)

 The Zevach Shelamim is often described as the full peace offering, which typically means a gift to someone was has been hurt or offended.  This was not the biblical intent of Shelamim.  It is perhaps better translated as a "sacrifice of well-being."  In this sacrifice, where a person offers an animal from his flock or herd, the cooked meat is shared with the officiating priest.  If the animal was a bull or a cow, God received the fat that covered the organs, the heavy fat of the legs, the protuberance of the liver, as well as the kidneys and their fat.  (Lev. 3:3-4)  If a sheep or goat were brought forth, God would claim all of the above parts as well as the heavy, fatty tail.  All sacrifices were burned at the altar and turned into food, a fire offering to God.  This chapter closes with God forbidding the eating of heavy fat and any blood when eating meat, which God says will be "a law for all time throughout the ages, in all your settlements."
(Lev. 3:17)
 
Chatat is a sin offering brought by one who has unwittingly sinned and it remained unknown for a period of time.  If the anointed priest committed the sin, the blame would also fall among the people of Israel.  A young, unblemished bull would be slaughtered; the priest would dip his finger into the blood and enter the Tent of Meeting; he would then sprinkle the blood seven times in front of the curtain of the Shrine (unlike all other sacrifices, which had their blood dashed).  All of the fat of the animal was to be removed by the priest and burned on the altar.  However, "all the rest of the bull he shall carry to a clean place outside the camp, to the ash heap, and burn it up with wood,"  (Lev. 4:12)  If the sin was on behalf of the entire community, the exact same ritual was performed.

 The parasha ends with a description of four specific instances that would require a sin offering of chatat, and a discussion of Asham, known as a guilt offering, which was a lamb or a baby female goat.  The actual sacrifice process is similar to others, except that the type of animal used is very specific.  The first example of Asham given deals with a serious offense, whether committed knowingly or not:  "When a person commits a trespass, being unwittingly remiss about any of the Lord's sacred things,"  (Lev. 5:15)  This refers to misuse of food, money or other objects of the sanctuary.  There is an entire section of the Mishnah and Talmud devoted to these lines in Leviticus, dealing with "trespass."  The meal offering for the poor who cannot afford a lamb or goat, laws of the 'questionable guilt' offering and offerings for dishonesty are detailed in the closing of this chapter.