One and All Together

Passover 2012

(Exodus 12:21-51)

Précis: In the special Torah reading for the first day of Passover, Moses instructs the elders of Israel in the laws of Passover. All generations are to observe the Passover traditions. The reading concludes with the last of the ten plagues: the slaying of the Egyptian firstborn. Pharaoh summons Moses and Aaron and tells them that he wants them out of Egypt as soon as possible. Moses and Aaron comply, and the children of Israel begin to make a quick exit, not allowing time for their bread to rise.

Exodus 12:2  “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.

For this d'var for Passover, I wanted to focus on a verse related to Passover which comes just a bit before the “official” reading in the text.

In the verse above, we read God’s command that the month of Nissan is to be the "first month of your year." One traditional commentary suggests that it is the first month because it is the onset of transformational freedom for the Jewish People. They "went down" to Egypt as an extended family; they "go forth up out" from Egypt as a new and unique People.

On the other hand, we know that Passover is not “really” the Jewish New Year, which we celebrate on Rosh Hashanah. One might say that we number our months from Nissan, but count our years from Tishrei. JTS Chancellor Schorsch pointed out in his weekly commentary (4/19/03) that the different ways of counting these “years” arose in Mishnaic times, when the sacrificial system was gone and Rosh Hashanah had growing importance with its focus on an individual's relationship to God. Passover remained an expression of the collective fate of the People, particularly as they were scattered throughout the Diaspora.

But the rabbinic emphasis on Rosh Hashanah did not transform Judaism. As Schorsch teaches, Rosh Hashanah joins Passover; it does not replace it.  While the importance of the individual has intensified on Rosh Hashanah, the significance of the group remains powerful. On Pesach, we focus on the collective story of the emergence of a People, celebrated by beginning a new way to count the months. Yet by tradition, each of us individually personally participated in the Redemption, and each individual is responsible to add to the telling of the story of the Exodus.

So this Pesach, we individually join in the collective People of Israel, expressed not only around the seder table, but around the world and across the centuries to Egypt and Sinai.

Have a Shabbat Shalom, and a Chag Sameach.

Play it Forward

Tzav

Leviticus 6:1-8:36

Précis: The parasha begins with Adonai ordering Moses to command (“tzav”) Aaron and his sons concerning burnt offerings. Requirements for the daily offerings, directions for the meal offerings, instructions for guilt-offerings and thanksgiving offerings are described. The parasha then describes the inaugural offerings at the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to service by Moses.

Leviticus 7:19 “The flesh (of a sacrifice) that touches any contaminated thing may not be eaten....”

If we assume that a properly sacrificed animal’s flesh is fit for human consumption (as is the case with all sacrifices except for the “olah” which is totally burned to ash), we ask why such meat becomes impure (contaminated) by coming into contact with something that was impure. Ritual impurity is somehow transferable from the impure to the pure.

              

Commentators derive from this difficult passage that an individual is greatly influenced by his or her surroundings. What (and whom) one comes into“contact” with has a major impact on us. We are in large part products of our environment.

              

This concept lies behind much rabbinic teaching. Not only are we to avoid those who engage in disreputable or poor behavior, but we are to separate ourselves from our own “yezter ha-ra” (evil inclination). Our tradition suggests that we associate ourselves with actions and people who are “good influences.” When we pay attention to those who merit admiration, our own actions can be improved. Even better, when we engage in appropriate ethical and caring behaviors, we may be fortunate enough to serve as a “dugma” (exemplar) for others, and perhaps our own actions can “rub off”on others.

              

Thus, the rabbis were centuries ahead of those who now suggest that we benefit others when we “play it forward.”