TorahParsha

Why innovation can be pious

for Parshat Emor

 

i

God creates Light

and separates it from Darkness

and creates nights and days

for Darkness and for Light.

And there was evening

and there was morning

one day.

 

ii

God says:

let the people take olive oil

pressed for lamp- lighting

and light the Menorah in the Temple;

let the Menorah be lit

from evening to morning

before HaShem

continually.

 

iii

God makes Light

and takes this Light

and creates the Time

which frames our world.

*

We make lighting oil

and take this oil

and mark the time

of God.

 

iv

So:

God makes a world for us

filled with things.

We take these things

and make a world for God.

 

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Based partially on a thought of Martin Buber

_____

Shabbat Shalom,

Abe

www.TorahParsha.com

How choice is dangerous

for Parshat Acharei Mot / Kedoshim 

 

i

Two of Aaron’s sons

rush up to God

against God’s instructions

and they die.

*

After this, God says:

on Yom Kippur

Aaron

or Aaron’s descendant

must bring two goats—

one to offer to God,

another to send away.

Which goat is which

is decided by casting lots.

*

And Israel’s sins are forgiven

in this ceremony.

ii

We sin when we think

that all of life is our choice:

that we may follow our hearts

over what God has said.

*

Drawing lots is the opposite—

we let God decide

which goat is God’s

and which will leave us,

how we must come to Him

and how we must not,

which sons we keep

and which sons we cannot keep.

 

iii

Such a hard lesson,

this opposite of sin,

this acknowledgement

that God rules the world

and God rules us.

It is no surprise

that the hard task of accepting it

brings forgiveness.

 

____

Shabbat Shalom,

Abe

www.TorahParsha.com 

 

What we learn from the ones outside

for Tazriah - Metzorah

 

When a man is impure with skin-sickness

he waits outside of the camp

until he is better.

Then the priest comes to him

and sees that he is well

and the priest offers sacrifice.

 

Not in God’s Tent

in the heart of the camp,

where most sacrifices are brought.

 

No:

this sacrifice is outside of the camp,

by a field.

 

So the man who has been sent away

who has lived outside of the camp

who has lived outside purity

shows the priest

that there are many places to find God.

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom,

Abe

___

Correction from last week: I wrote that Moses is angered that Aaron does not eat of the inaugural sacrifice. This may not be the case: Moses does not initially address Aaron over the matter, instead scolding Aaron’s remaining sons. However, Aaron’s response suggests a feeling of personal duty; perhaps his sons’ obligation is an extension of his own.

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www.TorahParsha.com

Are we meant to follow rules?

for Parshat Shemini

 

i

When Aaron and his sons

are initiated as priests,

Moses says:

conduct the initiation rites

precisely as God has commanded.

*

But tragedy strikes.

In the midst of the rites,

two of Aaron’s sons die.

*

Suddenly God tells Aaron

how he and his remaining sons

must teach the people what is holy

and what is secular,

what is impure

and what is pure,

and what the Laws are.

*

Then Aaron does not eat from a sacrifice

though God has commanded that he must eat from it.

Moses is angry.

But Aaron says:

Such things have happened to me today,

would God want me to eat from the sacrifice?

And Moses agrees.

 

ii

Moses thinks:

God wants people

to simply follow rules.

But God has told Aaron:

you must teach the people what is holy

and what is not,

what is pure

and what is not:

the people must learn to see the world

as God sees the world—

and through this to come to God’s Law.

*

This is the truth that Aaron teaches Moses.

And Moses agrees.

 

 

____

Shabbat shalom,

Abe

www.TorahParsha.com