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Emor (Leviticus 21:1−24:23)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Emor – אֱמֹר (Leviticus 21:1−24:23)

“…you shall have one law (one standard) for stranger and citizen alike; I am Adonai your God”

Wow, 4000 years, give or take, have passed, and we are still struggling to keep God’s commandment, treating the stranger in our midst equally, having the same set of laws and same standards to all humans.

Parsha Emor Torah Summary:

Laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests are presented. (21:1-22:33) The set times of the Jewish calendar are named and described: the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. (23:1-44) God commands the Israelites to bring clear olive oil for lighting the sanctuary menorah. The ingredients and placement of the displayed loaves of sanctuary bread are explained. (24:1-9) Laws dealing with profanity, murder, and the maiming of others are outlined. (24:10-23) Emor “…you shall have one law (one standard) for stranger and citizen alike; I am Adonai your God” Wow, 4000 years, give or take, have passed, and we are still struggling to keep God’s commandment, treating the stranger in our midst equally, having the same set of laws and same standards to all humans. Emor Laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests are presented. (21:1-22:33) The set times of the Jewish calendar are named and described: the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. (23:1-44) God commands the Israelites to bring clear olive oil for lighting the sanctuary menorah. The ingredients and placement of the displayed loaves of sanctuary bread are explained. (24:1-9) Laws dealing with profanity, murder, and the maiming of others are outlined. (24:10-23)

Acharei Mot – K’doshim (Leviticus 16:1-20:27)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Acharei Mot – K’doshim – אַחֲרֵי מוֹת – קְדֹשִׁים (Leviticus 16:1-20:27)

“You shall be holy, for I Adonai your God am holy”

How can we be as holy as God?

God is all powerful, eternal, and totally other than us, so how can we be as holy as God?

Well we cannot, but we can try. The Torah portion tells us that our actions matter, and that we should live are lives, trying all the time to do good towards other people, and by that striving to live and be who we ought to be.

Parsha Acharei Mot – K’doshim Torah Summary:

The duties that the head kohein must perform on Yom Kippur are delineated and the ceremony of the scapegoat is outlined. (16:1-28) Moses instructs Aaron about the Yom Kippur laws for fasting and atonement. (16:29-34) Warnings are issued against the offering of sacrifices outside the Sanctuary and the consumption of blood. (17:1-16) Moses condemns the sexual practices of some neighboring peoples. Certain forms of sexual relations are prohibited. (18:1-30) God issues a variety of commandments, instructing the Israelites on how to be a holy people. (19:1-37) Various sex offenses are discussed and punishments for them are presented. (20:1-27) Acharei Mot – K’doshim “You shall be holy, for I Adonai your God am holy” How can we be as holy as God? God is all powerful, eternal, and totally other than us, so how can we be as holy as God? Well we cannot, but we can try. The Torah portion tells us that our actions matter, and that we should live are lives, trying all the time to do good towards other people, and by that striving to live and be who we ought to be. Acharei Mot – K’doshim

Tazria – M’tzora (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Tazria – M’tzora – תַזְרִיעַ – מְצֹרָע (Leviticus 12:1-15:33)

These are two portions about all kind of skin Diseases and body discharges, not the best read during a global pandemic.

However these are not the kind of diseases we know, they are spiritual diseases.

One of these is the leprosy of the home, homes, as we know, do not get skin disease, so what is it about? It is about social illnesses that make the society in general unhealthy.

Teaching us that social illnesses can be as deadly is real sickness.

Parsha Tazria – M’tzora Torah Summary:

God describes the rituals of purification for a woman after childbirth. (12:1-8) God sets forth the methods for diagnosing and treating a variety of skin diseases, including tzara-at (a leprous affection), as well as those for purifying clothing. (13:1-59) Priestly rituals to cure tzara-at when it afflicts humans are described. (14:1-32) Rituals to rid dwelling places of tzara-at are presented. (14:33-57) The parashah denotes male impurities resulting from a penile discharge or seminal emission. (15:1-18) The parashah concludes with accounts of female impurities caused by a discharge of blood. (15:19-33) Tazria – M’tzora These are two portions about all kind of skin Diseases and body discharges, not the best read during a global pandemic. However these are not the kind of diseases we know, they are spiritual diseases. One of these is the leprosy of the home, homes, as we know, do not get skin disease, so what is it about? It is about social illnesses that make the society in general unhealthy. Teaching us that social illnesses can be as deadly is real sickness.

Sh’mini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

This is the greatest day possible; we are dedicating the Sanctuary, Adonai our God will now dwell amongst us!

The first verse reads “On the 8th day”, we count the days of the week in Hebrew by numbers, as we all know, there are only 7 days in a week. So what is the 8th day?

Spiritual events in our lives occur on the 8th day, the day beyond nature. Like the covenant of the new born child.

Parsha Sh’mini Torah Summary:

Aaron and his sons follow Moses’ instructions and offer sacrifices so that God will forgive the people. (9:1-24) Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, offer “alien fire” to God. God punishes these two priests by killing them immediately. (10:1-3) God forbids Moses, Aaron, and his surviving sons from mourning but commands the rest of the people to do so. Priests are told not to drink alcohol before entering the sacred Tabernacle and are further instructed about making sacrifices. (10:4-20) Laws are given to distinguish between pure and impure animals, birds, fish, and insects. (11:1-47) This Week’s Torah Portion: Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי (Leviticus 9:1-11:47) This is the greatest day possible; we are dedicating the Sanctuary, Adonai our God will now dwell amongst us! The first verse reads “On the 8th day”, we count the days of the week in Hebrew by numbers, as we all know, there are only 7 days in a week. So what is the 8th day? Spiritual events in our lives occur on the 8th day, the day beyond nature. Like the covenant of the new born child. This Week’s Torah Portion: Sh’mini – שְׁמִינִי (Leviticus 9:1-11:47) This is the greatest day possible; we are dedicating the Sanctuary, Adonai our God will now dwell amongst us! The first verse reads “On the 8th day”, we count the days of the week in Hebrew by numbers, as we all know, there are only 7 days in a week. So what is the 8th day? Spiritual events in our lives occur on the 8th day, the day beyond nature. Like the covenant of the new born child.

7th Day of Passover (Exodus 14:30–15:21)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: 7th Day of Passover – יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי שֶׁל פֶּסַח (Exodus 14:30–15:21)

We hear echoes of Passover every time we pray, in every service throughout the year. Just before we rise in prayer, we sing this song, perhaps the oldest song we know, which has echoed through the voices of our people for more than three thousand years:Mi chamocha ba-eilim Adonai, “Who is like you among the gods that are worshipped?” the song begins. “Who is like you majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, working wonders?”

This song echoes forth from this week’s Torah Portion, specially selected for the Sabbath during Passover, which contains the great poem of our people’s liberation, the Song of the Sea. It is an ancient victory ode which our people sang on the far shore of the Red Sea, having crossed through walls of water, on their journey from slavery to freedom.

Imagine for a moment if the echoes of Passover could echo in our lives throughout the year, not just in song but in deed as well. If we could say everyday the words: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.” If we could hear God’s call that “in every generation we should see ourselves as if we ourselves came forth from slavery to freedom.” If we could dedicate ourselves to the proposition that “until all of us are free, we are none of us truly free.” That would be a Passover worth remembering, when the echo of our songs of prayer became visions of a better world made real.

Parsha 7th Day of Passover Torah Summary:

As the observance of Passover draws to an end, the Torah portion includes the dramatic recounting of the splitting of the sea in this poem known as “The Song at the Sea.” Written with great emotion, this poem attempts to convey the power of “God’s might hand.” So powerful is the imagery that verses of this poem have become part of the Jewish liturgy. The poem comes to a climatic finish with Miriam, the prophetess, picking up her timbrel and leading the women in dance.

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