An Understanding of Sacrifices Today - Parasha Vayikra, Leviticus 1:1-5:26, Isaiah 43:21-44:23

While Genesis tells the story of the family of Adam and the family of Abraham, the progenitors of the Jewish people, Exodus is the incipient story about the family of Israel who are a people of humble beginnings that become partners with God to bring goodness to the world.  Leviticus, the third book of Torah, tells a different story, a story of Priestly concerns about the behavioral communal norms for these people with concepts such as Tahor and Tamai (pure and impure), touching on themes like sanctification, purification and consumption seen in the Kosher Laws, interpersonal relationships or the Holy Days, defining a “kingdom of priests” to be holy as they perceived God to be.  This week we look at the first parasha of this book, called Vayikra that talks about Zevachim, or ritual sacrifices then and what they could mean today.

There are three initial thoughts that come to mind with sacrifices. First, while there is great detail concerning the particulars of the sacrifices themselves, which have depths of meaning that are worth exploring, here it is about their nature.  The practice of sacrifice itself given our modern sensibilities is barbaric and cruel, yet at the same time it must be understood within the cultural norms of worship practices that were for them “dignified, meaningful and uplifting” (W. Gunther Plaut).  Second, what would people do with no more capability to offer sacrifices?  In the Haftorah (Is. 43:21-44:23) we read of God’s dismay that Israel had not brought their “sheep for burnt offerings nor honored God with your sacrifices,” creating a challenge for the people after the destruction of the Temple.  In a well-known Midrash (Avot d'Rabbi Natan 4:17-18) we read a story about Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai who is consoling one of his disciples as he morns the inability to offer sacrifices any longer, the Rabbi applying the words of the Prophet Hosea to his student that God now desires "mercy and not sacrifice" as things have changed. The Talmud (Berachot 6b) further clarifies that change to be our prayers that are the new offering of the heart just as the sacrifices were before the Temples destruction.  And third, the continued study of Temple sacrifices daily. During weekday shacharit (morning prayers) in a Traditional/Orthodox siddur before getting to the Baruch Shemar (Nissim Shel HaYom in the Reform siddur) it is customary to read several Biblical and Rabbinic passages about the Temple sacrifices, bringing upon the reader much zechut, or merit, as if they were offering sacrifices upon the alter of the Temple itself. This is why Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan taught that by learning about sacrifices a Jew would “be able to understand and appreciate it” in order to make their own prayers more meaningful.

What of the sacrifices themselves?  In approaching a sense of the Holy, or God, the people are asked to do so via the five sacrifices listed in this parasha. The first three offerings are voluntary; they are the Olah (burnt) offering of thanksgiving, the Minchah (meal) offering of appreciation and the Sh’lamim (well-being) offering of wellness of mind and spirit. The last two are obligatory; the chatat (sin) and the asham (guilt) offerings as all people will do unintentional wrongs as well as intentional sins in connection to the mitzvat Adonai, commandants of God (Lev. 4:2 and 5:17).  We might ask why the initial sacrifices were not compulsory since they support the human mind, body, soul and spirit regarding how one sees and experiences the world around them.  While the last two were mandatory because people are imperfect the initial three were about free-will, allowing each person to chose if they want peace of mind and spirit (Sh’lamim) by being thankful (Olah) and appreciative (Minchah), as opposed to disappointed and ungrateful, in how they live daily life.  In the same we get to chose to be thankful by offering the prayer of Modeh Ani upon waking or by embracing all our of blessings when offering the daily prayer for gratitude that thanks God “who provided me with all my needs, albeit it times of good or bad, seeking peace of mind and spirit by praying the words of Sim Shalom that asks for peace everyday.  But sacrifices were much more than giving thanks, they also touch on the flawed human condition.

The obligatory chatat and asham offerings are the foundation of the daily Tachanun prayer of repentance as well as the Al Chait that we recite on Yom Kippur as we pound our chests and ask for forgiveness from the sin of “unclean lips,” just to name one.  Words of lies, hate or slander, called lashon hara, in Judaism are compared to murder, impacting the person speaking, the person being spoken about and the person who is listening (Talmud, Arachin 15b).  In our realization of the damage we may have caused from unthoughtful words, illuminated by the Divine image within, our better selves seek consolation for our actions, hence the sacrifice of prayer reminds us that we need to make amends to those we have wronged (bein adam lachaveiro) as well as with God (bein adam lamakom) just as the chatat and asham offerings did in the days of old.  But in general why a fixed ritual of prayers?  In a time when we call ourselves spiritual as opposed to religious or prefer spontaneous prayers as opposed to prayers that are prescribed, and by the way this is not an either/or but a both/and, there is something about ritual that our neshamot (souls) respond to.  When we hear the prayers over the candles on Friday night or the emotions of hearing the Kaddish at a funeral we recognize that prayers have relevance to our lives that can touch the deepest parts of the human soul.

Final thought. Sacrifices of prayer are more than just a daily checking in, or reconnecting with God, but are a self-assessment of one’s own spiritual condition. We therefore read in the Mishnah from Pirkei Avot 3:1 that as people we are “destined to give an account and a reckoning,” most importantly for ourselves, allowing our prayers to help us by examining our attitudes of being thankful while at the same surveying the short comings of our own humanity.  However you understand the future of sacrifices is another matter, but today’s sacrifices of prayer are meant to awaken the recognition of the holy and good in our lives just as the sacrifices of Leviticus were meant to do in the days of the Beit Hamikdash, or in the holy Temple.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Adam 

 

Sacred Time, Sacred Space - Parasha Vayakhel and Pekudei, Parashat HaChodesh, Exodus 35:1-40:38, Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 and Exodus 12:1-20

The initial words of Moses where he recalls the need to keep the Shabbat in this parasha, Vayakhel-Pekudei, repeats what happened after the Golden Calf.  In this case looking to get the people back on track Moses instructs them to keep three Holy Days; Pesach (Ex. 32:18 - remember the liberty from Egypt and their gods), Shavuot (Ex. 32:22 - the giving of the Torah to guide the people) and the Shabbat (32:12 - A day of communal rest and reflection from oppression and forced labor).  We do this weekly with the Shabbat Kiddush, reflecting on the obligation of the week (Egypt) with the freedom to rest on the Shabbat (from the obligation of the week), which is why we say zeicher lee’tzee’at Mitzraim, remembering the leaving of Egypt.  As such the Shabbat introduced the idea of sacred time into the world, whereas with the completion of the Mishkan this week at the conclusion of Exodus, the Jews who came out of Egypt were the first to encounter the idea of sacred space. Sacred time and sacred space coexisted for them yesterday and it does with us today. 

Parshiyot Vayakhel and Pekudei, the last two readings in Exodus that we combine in non-leap years, mainly looks at the execution, completion and inauguration of the Mishkan.  The beginning and the end are about the Shabbat and the presence of God that acts like a sandwich to hold together everything in between, such as the community and its values, the Mishkan, sacrifices, the Holy Ark, etc.  So in Vayakhel Moses taught that the first act of faithfulness was the keeping of the Shabbat by ceasing all work, which included lighting a fire (Ex. 35:1-3).  Let’s just say without getting into all the halakhot (Jewish Law) the reason behind not lighting a fire was not so much the fire but what was connected to it, such as the collecting of wood, arranging it, starting as well as maintaining it and so forth, something that took a lot of work; as Jews we might have different ideas of practice but the idea is the same, a day to rest, reflect and be refreshed from obligated normative work.  Shabbat was also a matter of perspective. Therefore we read in the Talmud (Shabbat 69b) that for Rabbi Huna since God’s final act of creation was the Shabbat on the seventh day it is at the end.  For Rabbi Chiyya b. Rav since humankind was formed on the sixth day the Shabbat was their first day.  So in Vayakhel the keeping of the Shabbat comes first while in Pekudei it is last, and as we shall see, although the mention of Shabbat is not explicit I think it is most certainly implied.

Toward the conclusion of Pekudei, after the Mishkan is now built and operational, it says in Exodus 40:33-34, “When Moses had finished the work, the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of Adonai filled the Tabernacle.”  When “Moses had finished the work” is awfully similar to what we read in the creation narrative when “God finished the work,” it says in Genesis 2:2-3, “On the seventh day God finished the work that had been undertaken: [God] ceased on the seventh day from doing any of the work.  And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy—having ceased on it from all the work of creation that God had done.”  In both cases the word “finished” (same Hebrew root) suggests a relationship between the Mishkan and the Shabbat itself.  We see this in a Midrash (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 35:2:1-2) that says “since we are permitted to perform labor (i.e., the daily offering) in the Temple (on Sabbath), it should (also) be permitted outside the Temple. It is, therefore, written "(Sabbath) shall be holy for you," (labor being forbidden to you), but for the Lord (i.e., for sacrifice), it is ‘mundane.’"  Although all daily sacrifices for God were normal (mundane), for the Jews of the Temple times they were to differ on Shabbat, thus the work of the holy on Shabbat was different than the work of the mundane, or of normal weekdays.

The Shabbat was to remind them of God and the creation of the world that they were now responsible to maintain, whereas the Mishkan represented their partnership with God in building a place of light that stood in contrast to the darkness of the wilderness around them but also as a reminder of their freedom from the darkness of Egypt. While it is true that the vast majority of us do not know of such a slavery here in America, we too must be grateful for whatever darkness we emerged from, even if it was just a tough work week!  The point being that the Mishkan became a symbol of freedom, light and the presence of the God, thus the myth of Pekudei concludes with the words of Exodus 40:35-36 that says, “Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud had settled upon it and the Presence of Adonai filled the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out.”  In the same way the Shabbat presence invited them to gather together on this unique day, in the sacred space of the Mishkan, with their families and friends to celebrate all that is good and holy before the daily tasks of the new week began once again.

If you recall when writing about parasha T’rumah I said that the Mishkan was more so a forerunner to our modern Synagogues and Temples rather than the precursor for the Beit Hamikdash, or the Temple that stood in Jerusalem.  So we are reminded of two things here. First, the Shabbat had a very important purpose; to separate the holy and the mundane, a time we can embrace to set aside the adventures and challenges of the week, the congregation being a part of the Shabbat experience.  Second, our congregations in particular function like the Mishkan, a space where the scared can be found, both inside and out. In the Mishnah (Sukkah 5:2-3) we read about the illumination of the fire during Sukkot so all, even those from far off, could see the glory of what the Temple stood for.  Our congregations must stand to better our world with all their signs, symbols, and internal structures to illuminate those around us, beginning with our own families and communities, being places of Tikkun Olam for those near and far, improving lives when and where the opportunities present themselves.  As we enter this new month of Nissan next week with the special Shabbat's of Passover on the horizon, we should recall that all our Shabbat's remind us of sacred time, whereas the Mishkan (our congregations and gatherings) remind us of sacred space; as people we need to value both.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Adam 

There is a Time to be Stubburn - Parasha Ki Tisa, Parashat Parah, Exodus 30:11-34:25, Num. 22:1-19 and Ezek. 36:16-38

Parasha Ki Tisa continues with the instructions for building the Mishkan, yet it also deals with he taxation of the people and the unfortunate incident of the Golden Calf.  This Shabbat is also called Parashat Parah where we read Numbers 19:1-22 that deals with the rites of the Red Heifer regarding the spiritual purification process of the Holy Temple; a reminder that we too should aspire for spiritual purity as we enter the holiday of Passover.  But during this past week we also celebrated Purim where we recall the downfall of Haman (boo!) who attempted to eradicate the Jews of Persia.  Accordingly on Purim we read Exodus 17 that talks about Amalek, the perpetual enemy of the Jewish people, Megillat Esther reminding us that Haman (boo!) was a descendant of Amalek (Esther 3:1).  In the case of Haman (boo!), and the Hitler’s of the world (past, present and future), like Amalek they also desired the destruction of the Jews.  Purim admonishes us to rid the world of all forms of hate.

Regarding the Golden Calf, in particular, we read it this narrative that while Moses was up on Mt Sinai God warned him about the acts of the Hebrews below who had built an idol.  Furthermore God characterizes these people as am k’shay o’rehf, or “a stiff necked people” because of their unfaithfulness.  In anger God wants to destroy them and begin again from scratch with Moses and those who will truly follow him (Ex. 32:10, v.26).  So bad is this egregious act we learn from Rabbi Eliezer in the Talmud (Berachot 32a) that Moses was told by God, “Moses, descend from your greatness. The only reason why I gave you greatness was for the sake of Israel, and now that Israel has sinned, why do I need you?”  Yet in Exodus 34:9 Moses in turn says to God, “If I have gained Your favor, O my lord, pray, let my lord go in our midst, even though this is a stiff-necked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!” Again, looking at the Talmud (Berachot 32b) we read a bit of Moses' attitude who “grabbed the Holy One as a person who grabs his friend by his garment would, and he said: Master of the Universe, I will not leave You be until You forgive and pardon them.” What might have happened if Moses was not stiff-necked himself and failed to oppose God in that moment? (also see Ex. 32:9-14 where Moses calls God out).
 
It seems insensitive of God to call people names like “stiff-necked.”  Remember these people were used to idols, they had just came from Egypt only 40 days earlier and did what was familiar; surely a God who is "slow to anger" and a "forgiver of iniquity" would have understood this. No? (Ex. 34:6-7).  God in this story is presented as mad but also simultaneously willing to forgive, therefore our classical commentators have tried to offer some understanding.  So, when refereeing to the Torah text where Moses asks God to see the people favorably despite their sin, we read; “let my lord go in our midst, even though (ki) this is a stiff-necked people.”  In commenting on these stiff-necked people and in particular the word ki, Rashi translates it as “if," speaking to the fee-will of their faithfulness, hence "if they do not listen" vs. "if they do," the outcome will be proportional.  Ibn Ezra read it as “although,” meaning that despite the fact that they may sin God will still forgive.  Yet many years later Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenbaum, a Polish/Zionist Rabbi who died in 1942, maintained that “what was their great vice will one day be their most heroic value,” referring not only to the Jews who came out of Egypt but those who would follow.  In other words for R’ Nissenbaum this stiff-neck disobedience became their fortune, hence if the Jews were not am k’shay o’rehf we would have suffered extinction and mass assimilations, forced conversations or missed life opportunities when others told us no or we can't.  In this case Jewish obstinacy became the key to Jewish survival and success, and while it began in the days of Moses, it continues today. Think about what the Jewish world look like if we did/do not stand up for what is important in all areas of life? 
  
Here are the facts: without Jewish obstinacy we would have not stood up to Pharaoh, Haman (boo!) or Hitler.  Sure, in general we can be stubborn, dig our feet in and damn the torpedoes; we all know where that can get us if we are stubborn about the wrong thing!  But here I want to read this text like Rabbi Yitzchak Nissenbaum.  Just think of the stubbornness of Dr. Martin Luther King; if it were not for King's pure stubbornness to fight for the rights of Black people how might things look today for all people of color, even though clearly the task is not finished?  What about the march in Charlottesville, VA back in 2017 with the chants of “Jews will not replace us.”  In response Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said in a statement, “The vile presence and rhetoric of the neo-Nazis who marched this weekend in Charlottesville is a reminder of the ever-present need for people of good will to stand strong, to speak loudly against hate, and act both to delegitimize those who spread such messages and to mitigate the harm done to the commonweal of our nation and to those that are the targets of hate messages.”  That is when we need to be stiff-necked, within reason, in order to overcome those of Amalek who use hate as a weapon, we must all stand up to this type of social ill.

We all have to choose where being stiff-necked helps, when to stand upon it as well as with whom. If Moses does not stand up to God who knows what things would look like today.  Likewise, without stiff-necks how much can we oppose what is wrong or accomplish all that is good.  Sometimes it pays dividends to be stubborn. 

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Adam 

Upon the Chest and Over the Heart - Parasha Tetzaveh, Exodus 27:20-30:10, Deuteronomy 25:17-19, 1 Samuel 15:2-34

There is a well-known story in the Talmud about a non-Jew who seeks out Rabbi Hillel for conversion.  As Hillel is teaching him Torah he says, “That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study” (Shabbat 31a). In a much later work, called Ein Yaakov (16th-century compilation of all the Aggadic material), other Rabbinic authorities wondered if Hillel’s teaching of Torah was best, one suggesting it was “Hear O Israel” (Deut 6:4) with another saying it was “You shall love your Neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). Yet another, a Rabbi Ben Pazzi, said it was “Prepare the lamb in the morning and towards the evening” (Numbers 28:4), in the end it was determined that “the law is accordance with Ben Pazzi.” Although I will return to the above in just a moment let's turn to our Torah reading first.

This week’s parasha, Tetzaveh, is about Aaron and his sons who are the first family of Priests amongst the Jewish people. So central is the Priesthood to Israel that from the beginning of Exodus to the end of Numbers this parasha is the only parasha that makes no mention of Moses’ name since the primary focus of Tetzaveh is the Priesthood; but don’t worry, he’ll be back next week in Ki Tissa. In this parasha we deal with the role of the Priests concerning the Ner Talmid (eternal light) and the maintaining of the Alter, but also their Vestments and Consecration.  So in this case regarding the Priestly cloths we read in Exodus 28:4 “These are the vestments they are to make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress, and a sash. They shall make those sacral vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, for priestly service to God.”  In particular I would like to talk about the breastplate that would contain the 12 stones to represent each tribe of Israel that the Priest would wear upon his chest, over his heart.

The idea of vestments would not be new for these Jews who came out of Egypt as Pharaoh and his Priests also wore ritual garments that had symbolic meaning to them. The Pharaoh in particular would wear something called a Pectoral and a Usekh, which were kind of like the Breastplate that was worn over the Ephod. Yet here the Usekh was more like the Breastplate, something that hung over the shoulders and was made of gold just like the breastplate.  The Pectoral is an ornament that is worn like a broach attached to the Usekh and hung in front of his chest that contained engraved symbols proclaiming Egyptian culture, its hierarchy and gods.  In a similar fashion the iconography of the Breastplate for the Priests were made up of 4 rows of 3 separate stones to represent “the names of the sons of Israel,” each unique stone engraved with the name of each tribe (Ex. 28:15-21).  The difference, well there are more than one, but here the difference is who they stand for.  The Usekh that contained engraved symbols is like an authoritarian country that displays the picture of its supreme ruler or king in all visible places to remind the people whom they are beholden to.  Conversely, for the Jewish Priest the opposite is true; the 12 stones representing the 12 tribes reminded the Priest whom he is beholden to. Even more so this is why the Priests were to be consecrated (Ex. 29:9) because they would represent God and not themselves before the people (Ex. 29:44-45). 

So going back to the quote from Ein Yaakov above, why was the law in accordance with the name of Rabbi Ben Pazzi?  Because while making a proclamation of faith is central (the Shema) and treating others properly is essential (Love your Neighbor as Yourself), the Priests administered the daily service for God that was the foundation of Jewish faith and values.  The Priests were the maintainers of the sacred, the keepers of the holy, consecrated for the betterment of the community, upholding the ways of the Mishkan (and Temple), outlining the structures of Jewish life not only spiritually but also socially and legally. The Priests would serve a major function amongst the people; the priestly role in general takes up large parts of Torah given its centrality in community life.  This is why the Priests were held to higher standards, a role that offered no overt celebrations or communal fanfare, but simply charged with the responsibility of serving the people and the Mishkan.

Things are different today as the Rabbi in many ways has assumed the position of the Priest, but also the Prophet and the King, which is another conversation.  So first, have you thanked your Rabbi lately?  Regardless of this or that, and there is always a this or that in one way or another, have you thanked them for their sacrifice and what they have given up personally and professionally to do what they do for the community?  But what about us, remember we are called a Kingdom of Priests (cf. Ex. 19:6), so what can the above teach us?  We too wear a figurative Breastplate upon our chests, over our hearts. But instead of stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, we carry the internal gems of concern and behavior regarding people. Our concerns are to be about the issues of our world in order to repair what is broken or to support the sick and various human needs, let alone standup for what must be corrected and better those around us whom we meet. What about the behaviors of kindness, fairness or love in our treatment of others, others who we share life with also created in the divine image regardless of our differences and are therefore worthy of honor.  This is what the Priests did for Israel in their specific role within the life of the community, they stood for the people on behalf of God. The Priesthood reminds us that as Jews we stand for the needs of our world because of our values, values that we wear upon our chests, and over our hearts. 

 
Shabbat Shalom, and next week, Chag Sameach Purim,
Rabbi Adam