Parshat Vayikra: Between Us & Beyond Us
March 20, 2026
Leviticus 5:21
נֶ֚פֶשׁ כִּ֣י תֶחֱטָ֔א וּמָעֲלָ֥ה מַ֖עַל בַּיהֹוָ֑ה וְכִחֵ֨שׁ בַּעֲמִית֜וֹ בְּפִקָּד֗וֹן אֽוֹ־בִתְשׂ֤וּמֶת יָד֙ א֣וֹ בְגָזֵ֔ל א֖וֹ עָשַׁ֥ק אֶת־עֲמִיתֽוֹ׃
When one sins and commits a trespass against God by dealing deceitfully in the matter of a deposit or a pledge, or through robbery, or by defrauding another…
In Jewish tradition, commandments fall into two basic categories: the “do’s” and the “don’ts.” Light Shabbat candles. Do not eat on Yom Kippur. Simple enough. But the mitzvot can also be divided another way: those between a person and God, and those between a person and their fellow human being. Observing Shabbat, celebrating the holidays – these are between a person and God. Refraining from slander, conducting business honestly, avoiding theft – these are between one person and another.
This then makes the above verse particularly interesting. When the Torah speaks about dishonesty with another’s property – a clear case of wrongdoing between people – it nonetheless describes it as a sin against God. Why? What does God have to do with a dispute over money or property?
The answer points to a deeper truth. When we harm another person, we not only wrong them – we violate the divine moral fabric of our world. A dishonest act may appear small, may even be done in private, but the Torah teaches that it echoes beyond that moment. It is, in essence, a breach of something sacred and eternal. Ethics then are not merely social obligations. They are spiritual ones; an extension of our relationship with God. Holiness is not found only in ritual acts, but in the dignity, honesty, and respect we extend to one another every day.eople we wear all kinds of masks. We manage impressions, soften parts of ourselves, and hide what feels vulnerable or distracting. We present a version of ourselves that will be easier for others to receive. But the space of prayer, the moments when we reach out to God, is different. God does not need the edited version of who we are. A real relationship with God begins with honesty. And perhaps the same is true of our deepest human relationships. With the people who know us best and love us most, the mask eventually falls away. Intimacy, with God and with people, grows when we can be seen as we truly are.