Keep the Fires Burning

Tzav

Lev. 6:1-8:36

Précis: The parasha begins with Adonai ordering Moses to command (“tzav”) Aaron and his sons concerning 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 initial offerings of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to priestly service by Moses. 

 

Tzav

Lev. 6:1-8:36

Précis: The parasha begins with Adonai ordering Moses to command (“tzav”) Aaron and his sons concerning 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 initial offerings of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to priestly service by Moses. 

 

Lev. 6:6 “A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out.”

What is the symbolic meaning of the perpetual fire? Some Sages suggest it is a symbol of our perpetual devotion to God. In the modern idiom, “keep the fires burning’” (trivia: title of an REO Speedwagon song from the 80’s) was a plea for continuing to “help one another keep strong.”

These last weeks, we have seen unprecedented demonstrations by a broad range of Israelis protesting PM Netanyahu’s efforts to reduce the power of the Supreme Court, making Israel's governing structure much more like the totalitarian regimes of Turkey or Hungary. After he fired his defense minister for stating that the protests were endangering Israeli security (because they included threats by IDF personnel to refuse to serve if the proposal continues), the protests intensified. Netanyahu has said he will “table” the idea and seek a “compromise.” Meanwhile, there is talk of civil war in the Jewish State.

Bret Stephens reported in the New York Times on 3/29/23 that Israeli writer Amotz Asa-El of the Shalom Hartman Institute pointed out that ancient Israel endured 12 civil wars, beginning with the war between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel (Judges 19-21) and ending with the fighting among the Jewish militias in Jerusalem during the revolt against the Romans. “That’s an average of roughly one war every four generations,” he said.

Israel is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary this year as an independent Jewish State. Will our ancient history repeat itself?

We in the galut must “keep the fires burning” to help our Israeli brothers and sisters remain strong and free. American support of Israel over the past decades has been based on our “shared values,” including justice, equality, and democratic rule. Netanyahu’s proposals threaten the continuity of these “shared values” and thus undermine the relationship between the United States and Israel and the security of Israel, while simultaneously increasing the divisions within Israeli society.

A perpetual fire shall be kept burning as a reminder that we must keep each other strong.

 

Being Correct

Vayikra

Lev. 1:1 - 5:26

 

Précis: The title of the Third Book of the Torah, Vayikra (“And He called”) is usually translated as “Leviticus” in English, from its Septuagint (Greek) name, which in turn is based on the fact that much of the Book concerns ritual sacrifices performed under the auspices of the Levites.

            The introduction to this Book in Etz Hayim reminds us that the central concern of the ancient Israelites was how they were to express their loyalty to Adonai. Much of this “loyalty” is expressed in terms of complex rituals. We often refer to them as “sacrifices.” But the Hebrew word, korban, comes from a root meaning “to draw closer.” The system of “sacrifices” (“korbanot”) was designed to allow the Israelites to “draw closer” to the Ineffable.

            With the destruction of the Second Temple, the sacrifices ended. Vayikra has remained an important area of study because of the belief that a restoration of the sacrificial system would occur. As the synagogue became the center of Jewish religious life, prayers were inserted seeking the restoration of sacrifices at the Temple, as a daily reminder of our need to draw close to God.

 

Lev. 5:2-3 “If a soul touches something impure… and the fact escapes him, he is unclean, and guilty.”

My fellow commentator, Shlomo Ressler, has made note of the fact that among all of the intricate laws in this week’s reading, this particular one is quite ambiguous (Weekly D’var, 3/14/19). The text is unclear as to why an individual engaged in this behavior has sinned. Is the transgression due to the fact that the individual has touched something unclean, or is it because he has forgotten that he was unclean and therefore engaged in behavior which was prohibited? As Ressler asks, what is this person actually guilty of?

            Ironically, the answer may be found in the ambiguity of the requirement. Guilt is not found by accidentally becoming impure, or by unintentionally touching a holy object when ritually impure. Rather, the guilt stems from a carelessness for one’s actions.

            It is an important matter to consider: while much of this Book involves detailed instruction of rules related to purity, the underlying theme is to be careful about compliance with what is “correct.” Adherence to what is “correct” in Vayikra can remind us that in today’s world, we need to be “correct” in our moral choices and how we interact with each other.