The Importance of Leviticus in Judaism

It was customary for Jewish children to begin their study of the Bible with Leviticus. The Mishnah, the codification of Jewish law compiled well after temple sacrifices were impossible, still contains tracts on their proper observance. Some strands of modern Judaism hold that the sacrificial system is essential to the faith and that one day a new temple shall once again see their return. Others hold that the study of the Torah, the doing of good deeds, and the saying of prayers has replaced sacrifice. In Leviticus, holiness means being dedicated to God, of being separate from the common.