This שבת we read פרשת ויקרא, the opening Parsha of the third ספר in the חמשה חומשי תורה. Commonly referred to as תורת כהנים, much of ספר ויקרא details the עבודה of the מקדש, partically the קרבנות sacrificed there. Many קרבנות are simply referred to as an אשה לה׳ - a fire to G-d, but a select few are given the designation of an אשה ריח-ניחוח לה׳ - a pleasant-smelling fire to HaShem. In our Parsha, this term appears nine times - associated with the שלמים ,מנחה, עולה, and personal חטאת offerings. But, why - why isn’t this term universal to all קרבנות? Why do only some merit being called a ריח-ניחוח? And what does ריח-ניחוח truly mean? Can it really just be a pleasant aroma? If not, then what does it represent, and how is it achieved?  

Recorded in Yeshivat Sha'alvim