The centrality of the two covenant

When reading a book, we usually assume the events are written in chronological order.  However, Leviticus chapters 25-27 seem out of place: the first line of 25 informs us that it was originally taught to Moses at Mt. Sinai, and not at the tabernacle, as was the rest of the Book of Leviticus. Likewise, the last verses of Leviticus chapters 26 and 27 inform that these chapters also were originally taught at Mt. Sinai. Why were some of the commandments taught at Mt. Sinai written in the Torah after Israel already built the Tabernacle?

The Torah’s current placement of these chapters is explained by the importance of its message.  Although these chapters were taught before, the Torah places them here to put them in the center of the Torah, with two books before them and two books after them.  What was the original context of these commandments? They were the words that sealed the covenants Moses made on Mt. Sinai, as described in Exodus 24.  

The first covenant Moses made was the Oral Law Covenant. At this covenant, Moses orally recited the mitzvot of the Ten Commandments and the civil laws to the people.  Thus, this covenant establishes the oral law as the binding authority of God’s commandments.  Fittingly, the people accept the primacy of the oral law with the words “We will do!” (Exodus 24:3).

The second covenant Moses made was the Written Law Covenant.  At this covenant, Moses wrote down chapters 25 and 26 of Leviticus and read them to the people. This covenant instructs the nation of Israel in their role to teach about God and goodness to all of humanity.  Therefore, the contents of Leviticus chapter 25 were read then since it discusses equality (the sabbatical year), social justice (the Jubilee year), and the obligation to perform kindness (redeeming the poor from poverty and slavery). In addition, the blessings and curses of Leviticus chapter 26 were read as they demonstrate Israel’s communal commitment to keep the commandments, as does the willingness to give donations to God as described in Leviticus chapter 27.

The seven-fold repetition of the word “covenant” in Leviticus chapter 26 shows the important message of this chapter is the acceptance of the covenant, which the people accepted in Exodus 24. Another point of correlation between these two sections is the language the people used to accept the covenant in Exodus 24, which corresponds to the language used in Leviticus 26.  In Exodus, Israel says “We will do (na’aseh) and we will listen (nishma)” (Exodus 24:7). This correlates to the language of theconditions in Leviticus chapter 26: “If you follow My laws and faithfully observe (va’asitem) My commandments…I will maintain my covenant with you…But if you do not obey (tishme’u) Me and do not heed (ta’asu) all these commandments…I in turn will do this to you.” 

Leviticus chapters 25-27 are the center of the Torah, with the books of Exodus and Leviticus preceding these chapters and the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy following them.  Therefore, Israel’s acceptance of the covenant to be a holy nation, as well as their acceptance of the covenant to be a light to the nations, is literally the centerpiece of the Torah