Shabbat Hol Moed Pesach
Exodus 12:21 - 12:51 & Numbers 28:16 - 28:25
Précis: On the Shabbat which occurs during the intermediate days (chol hamoed) of Passover, we read these two excerpts from the Torah, relating to the celebration of Passover. The first recounts the celebration of Passover on the last night in Egypt, while the excerpt from Numbers describes the Passover sacrifice made at the Tabernacle and (later) in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Exodus 12:43 “God said to Moses and Aaron: "This is the law of the Passover offering: no foreigner shall eat of it.”
The Targum translated the phrase to mean not "foreigner" but rather "apostate" - meaning one who had abandoned Judaism. Why, then, would we exclude the sinner from Passover, but welcome the sinner to join with us at Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur? Midrash says that if sinners come to atone, they are welcome; if they come only to rejoice and eat, they are not welcome.
We know many people who are all too willing to “eat and rejoice” with us, without making the emotional commitment to share the difficulties and sacrifices a family (or a congregation or even a society) needs from time to time. Jewish tradition values those who make a sincere commitment to each other and to Judaism.
This may be an opportune time for a segue in a political area (politics alert!). In recent weeks, the relationship between Israel and the United States seems to have hit what the Israeli ambassador to the US called a “flap” and what some others are calling a “crisis.” The cause was the Obama Administration’s reactions to the Netanyahu government’s announcement of new building in East Jerusalem during Vice President Biden’s visit. This “impolite” or “rude” action was apologized for by Netanyahu, and Biden appeared to accept the apology. However, both Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama kept the issue alive by pressing Israel to stop building in East Jerusalem, and seeming to make such an action a pre-requisite for the next round of negotiations with the Palestinians (so-called “proximity talks.”). As has been the case many times before, US pressure on Israel resulted in the Palestinians backing away from negotiations, sensing that the outcome might be better if they allow the US to do the “negotiating” for them. On the other hand, some might suggest that the “flap” was a calculated effort of the Netanyahu government to put off negotiations they don’t really want, and that the Palestinians took advantage of the “crisis” because they don’t want to negotiate either.
As I mentioned before, our tradition values those who make a sincere commitment to each other. Given the United States’ support for Israel (in political risk and in financial support), it is difficult for me to understand the rancor and hatred being expressed by some supporters of Israel against the Obama administration. Even the Netanyahu government has urged critics of the Obama administration to tone down their criticism.
Perhaps during this Festival of Freedom, friends of Israel who are sincere in their support for the Jewish State and demonstrate that support repeatedly can do what is needed to ensure the long-term survival of Israel.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Spartacus, Blood, Gore, and Holiness
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 initial offerings of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to service by Moses.
Leviticus 6:3 “And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and he will put his linen breeches on his body; and he will take up the ashes from the fire which consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he will put them next to the altar.”
TV critics have objected to television’ s new version of Spartacus because of its outrageously bloody, slow-motion gladiatorial violence. Just imagine what reviewers would say about a series which displayed in full-HD close-up the sacrifices mentioned in this week’s reading! Animal sacrifices were messy, bloody, odiferous, and would fill most modern viewers with revulsion. Animals bellow, blood splatters, sacrifices are butchered, fire and smoke are all over the place; the fat-laden ash is all that remains.
This week’s parasha deals with the remains and how the place is cleaned up. In the Spartacus TV drama, the defeated gladiators’ dead bodies are unceremoniously dragged off and the blood is cleaned up by slaves. In our parasha, the remains of gore are cleaned by the priests. (How fitting that we read about cleaning up as we approach Passover!)
This verse shows that the cleaning up after sacrificial fire was elevated to a mitzvah: t’rumat hadeshen, “offering the ashes,” a daily task for the priest as he removed the ashes for proper, dignified disposal on grounds of the Temple. It was not sufficient to merely dump the ashes into a garbage pit because an element of holiness remained.
Just as holiness remains in the ashes, holiness may be found in the most menial of tasks when performed for a holy purpose. The custodian in our congregation is doing holy work, making the facility clean and proper for devotion. He or she should be honored and thanked for this mitzvah.
This text is also a reminder that Judaism is a faith and a lifestyle where we are less concerned with the performance of mighty feats like Spartacus than with the small, day-to-day kindnesses we show to each other. As we approach our Festival of Freedom, this can remind us that only spiritually free people can, even by the most menial of actions, live up to the demands of Leviticus and become holy by seeing to the needs of the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.
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 initial offerings of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to service by Moses.
Leviticus 6:3 “And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and he will put his linen breeches on his body; and he will take up the ashes from the fire which consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he will put them next to the altar.”
TV critics have objected to television’ s new version of Spartacus because of its outrageously bloody, slow-motion gladiatorial violence. Just imagine what reviewers would say about a series which displayed in full-HD close-up the sacrifices mentioned in this week’s reading! Animal sacrifices were messy, bloody, odiferous, and would fill most modern viewers with revulsion. Animals bellow, blood splatters, sacrifices are butchered, fire and smoke are all over the place; the fat-laden ash is all that remains.
This week’s parasha deals with the remains and how the place is cleaned up. In the Spartacus TV drama, the defeated gladiators’ dead bodies are unceremoniously dragged off and the blood is cleaned up by slaves. In our parasha, the remains of gore are cleaned by the priests. (How fitting that we read about cleaning up as we approach Passover!)
This verse shows that the cleaning up after sacrificial fire was elevated to a mitzvah: t’rumat hadeshen, “offering the ashes,” a daily task for the priest as he removed the ashes for proper, dignified disposal on grounds of the Temple. It was not sufficient to merely dump the ashes into a garbage pit because an element of holiness remained.
Just as holiness remains in the ashes, holiness may be found in the most menial of tasks when performed for a holy purpose. The custodian in our congregation is doing holy work, making the facility clean and proper for devotion. He or she should be honored and thanked for this mitzvah.
This text is also a reminder that Judaism is a faith and a lifestyle where we are less concerned with the performance of mighty feats like Spartacus than with the small, day-to-day kindnesses we show to each other. As we approach our Festival of Freedom, this can remind us that only spiritually free people can, even by the most menial of actions, live up to the demands of Leviticus and become holy by seeing to the needs of the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.
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