Even trash can be holy.

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 sacrifices of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to service by Moses.

Leviticus 6:1-6 "This is the Torah of the burnt-offering... The fire on the altar shall be kept burning, not to go out: the priest shall burn wood upon it each morning… perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar, not to go out."

In the first several readings of Vayikra, we struggle to find relevance to the modern day. In these verses, one hint may be observed: we read three times in six verses about fire that is not to be extinguished. What is this “fire?”  To the Sages, fire is a metaphor for life, for Torah, and for redemption. The eternal light (ner tamid), replicated in our sanctuaries, reminds us of the continuity of God’s presence among us, even today.

A task spoken about in these verses is the removal of the prior day’s ashes, done early in the morning before the daily morning sacrifice. The ashes were not merely tossed out with the trash; they were the remains of a holy act, and retained sufficient holiness so that they were treated with respect. So precious were theses ashes that a priest (cohein) himself had to take care of this sacred residue, and not a custodian of the Temple grounds. According to Mishnah (BT Yoma 22a), ash removal was seen as a high honor. We read the following there:

Originally whosoever desired to remove [the ashes from] the altar did so. If they were many, they would run and mount the ramp [of the altar] and he that came first within four cubits obtained the privilege....It once happened that two were even as they ran to mount the ramp. One of them pushed his fellow who fell and broke his leg.

When the court saw that they incurred danger, they ordained that the ashes of the altar be cleared only by a lottery.

It’s perhaps ironic that the prize being fought over so intensely was the right to sweep away a pile of ashes. In this vein, there is a Chasidic story about a young and ambitious scholar who came to his learned rabbi in distress. “Rabbi!” he cried. “I come home from the yeshiva an hour before Shabbat, and the table is not set, the children are not bathed, the house is a mess! How can I study when I have such problems? What should I do?” The rabbi responded, “Grab a broom!”

This story reminds those of us engaged in service to Jewish institutions that whatever the task, we are engaged in holy work. And, as the Sages of the Talmud teach us, we don’t reach God by shoving somebody else out of the way.

Change and Continuity

Vayikra

Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26

Précis: The Third Book of the Torah, Vayikra (“And He called”) is usually called “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. This loyalty was expressed through a sacrificial system and by acting as we believe God would act: to be "holy." This parasha begins the specific discussion of various kinds of “korbanot” (sacrifices).

Leviticus 1:2 “Whenever any man of you presents an offering of cattle to Adonai, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock.”

                With its detailed description of the various sacrifices, Leviticus describes a kind of Judaism practiced before Judaism morphed into the rabbinic form of our religion which has existed for more than 2,000 years (far longer, indeed, than the era of animal sacrifices!) The Hebrew word for sacrifice, “korban,” comes from a root suggesting “to draw close” so we can at least understand what this system was all about, even as we reject the manner of drawing close to God chosen by our ancestors. Since the beginning of rabbinic Judaism, there have been significant and continual changes and modifications to Jewish practice. Yet, we continue reading this Book every year; why does a review of abandoned rituals retain any relevance?

               One key to Jewish survival over the millennia has been our willingness to examine our sacred texts, draw lessons from them, and interpret them in a way that has meaning in our contemporary lives. We don’t jettison our ancient texts even if they are no longer part of how we live. We honor their existence and we revere the centuries of commentary which have allowed us to be part of a transformation of our faith from bloody entrails to sublime thought.

               Traditional Jews believe that rabbinic Judaism grew directly from the biblical founders through the “Oral Law” which they believed was transmitted from God to Moses and ultimately to the great Sages. Others believe that the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period (in the first two centuries of the Common Era) added an entire new way of preserving the essential moral and theological concepts of the faith. The authors of Mishna and Talmud rejected the idea that they were themselves creating anything “new;” they were simply explaining how the commands of the Torah were to be followed in new places and times.  

               We stand witness to the fact that our Jewish practice has been transformed time and again, and still remains linked to an ancient heritage. The rituals described in Leviticus differ remarkably from our modern understanding of Judaism, yet both share a common goal: how are we “to draw near” to God, and how are we to live a life infused with holiness?