Parshat Emor

Emor
Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23

The kohanim were required to keep themselves ritually pure. This meant that they were to avoid contact with corpses, stay out of cemeteries. Any blemish on the kohen disqualified him from officiating in the Sanctuary. They were not permitted to marry widows, or divorcees. They could not attend the funeral of anyone except for his nearest relatives. The rules for the Kohen Gadol were even stricter. He could not attend the funeral of anyone, even for his closest relative. He was required only to marry a virgin.

The sacrifices made on the altar were to be free of blemishes. An animal had to be eight days and a mother and its young could not be sacrificed on the same day.

During the year, there were several occasions on which the people were told to gather and worship. These were holy convocations or appointed seasons (moadim) during which no work was permitted:

1. The Shabbat

2. The first and last days of Pesach

3. Shavuot

4. Rosh Hashannah

5. Yom Kippur

6. Succot

Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot were known as the Shalosh Regalim or Three Pilgrimage Festivals.

The people were reminded to provide pure olive oil for the lamps of the Tabernacle. These lamps were to be kept burning continuously by the kohanim. The showbread was to be made of twelve loaves of fine flour arranged in two rows. Finally, a convert, that blasphemed G-d’s, name could be put to death by Holy Tribunal called a Bet Din.

The parsha begins with an interesting twist of words:

“And the Lord said (va-yomer) to Moses saying: Speak (emor) unto the priest, the sons of Aaron and say (v’amarta) unto them…”

What is interesting is the double use of the root word for “say” (alef, mem, reish). Also, the Torah, after the introductory phrase “And the Lord said…”, usually uses the word “da-ber” to indicate that G-d wants Moses to say something to someone. This can be seen in the phrase “va’yidaber Hashem el Moshe leimor…” Why does the Torah switch from da-ber to emor?

The words da-ber and emor are similar, but the sages interpret the change as emphasizing a teaching and a warning. Moses was to instruct the sons of Aaron in the laws of Taharot (ritual purity) as it applies to kohanim. The emphasis on teaching the children is taken by the sages to include the teaching of all of our children or, if we are not competent to do so, to higher a teacher for our children. Moses was ensuring that the next generation of priests would understand that all the laws taught by Moses to the adults also applied to them.

To the sages, the warning can be seen in the use of emor versus da’ber. When the Torah uses emor, the indication is that the teachings were not meant to be mere words or lecture. Practical instruction was necessary to prevent further deaths like those of Nadav and Abihu (the two eldest sons of Aaron). Thus, by using emor, the priests are being warned to heed the lessons of Moses so that they do not suffer the same fate by making a error.

The Torah states that any priest that is blemished is unfit for Temple service. This included not only skin blemishes, but physical deformities as well. The Torah (and the Talmud in tractate Bekorot, chapter seven) lists and expands on those items. They include being blind, lame, having enlarged breasts, flat noses, a deformed head, eye aliments, having one arm or leg longer than the other, having crushed testicles, or even being bald!

As chukim, we cannot demonstrate any logical reason why these particular deformities are chosen. These restrictions were limited to offering sacrifices in the Mishkan. The kohen was not disqualified from performing other duties (such as a pidyon haben).

In the middle of the second part of this parsha, enumerating the Festivals, there is the commandment to leave the corners of our fields (peah) unharvested for the poor. This seems like a strange place to include the mitzvah of peah. The sages write that “this was to teach us that whoever gives gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and leaves the corners of his fields for the poor, is credited as if he had personally built the Temple and offered sacrifices within it!

The Talmud devotes and entire tractate to the subject of peah. The importance of this mitzvah is stressed in the opening mishnah (chapter 1, mishnah 1)which links peah with Torah study and other mitzvos we have learned:

“These are the things which have no fixed measure: the corners of the field, the first fruits, the three festival offerings brought when appearing before the Eternal, charity, and the study of Torah. These are the things the fruits of which remain for him in the World to Come: honoring one’s father and mother, charity, and making peace between man and his fellow; but the study of Torah is equal to them all.”

This seems to be a strange way to introduce a tractate on the laws of reaping fields. Upon reflection, however, I think you see that its performance embodies a whole range of ideals we must practice to achieve the perfection of Holiness. If one is not born a kohen, one cannot become a kohen. That aspect of holiness is reserved to for them. The same holds true for the Leviim, those descended from the tribe of Levi, but not directly from Aaron. Everyone, however, can achieve a state of Holiness through their portion of Torah study and the performance of mitzvos. In the Siddur, we pray for G-d to “grant us our portion in the Torah”. Each of us can find our portion, like an inheritance buried beneath the ground.

There is an aspect of Torah study for everyone, each to his/her own level. Some like studying, Chumash, while others prefer Midrash. Some like to study gemara, with its intricacies of logic, while others prefer the directness of mishnah. Some like studying the moral ethics of the prophets and writings, while others like the exactitudes of studying halachah. Each of us can find some aspect of the Torah (both the Written and Oral) to study and keep as our own!

Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the kohanim no longer offer sacrifices to bring us near to G-d. Instead, the sages say that Torah study, prayer, and gemilut chassidim (acts of lovingkindness) achieve the same purpose today. Each of us can find a way to fulfill those requirements through tzedakah, giving up time to help the synagogue, praying with a minyan, and spending a few minutes each day in study with a Jewish book. In this way, we will be fulfilling the mitzvos of the korbanos and bring our community closer to G-d. Making the Torah become rich and real for each of us, is a worthy goal to strive for.

	Oceanside Jewish Center Weekly Parsha By Jonathan Wolf
	Emor Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23 The kohanim were required to keep themselves ritually pure. This meant that they were to avoid contact with corpses, stay out of cemeteries. Any blemish on the kohen disqualified him from officiating in the Sanctuary. They were not permitted to marry widows, or divorcees. They could not attend the funeral of anyone except for his nearest relatives. The rules for the Kohen Gadol were even stricter. He could not attend the funeral of anyone, even for his closest relative. He was required only to marry a virgin. The sacrifices made on the altar were to be free of blemishes. An animal had to be eight days and a mother and its young could not be sacrificed on the same day. During the year, there were several occasions on which the people were told to gather and worship. These were holy convocations or appointed seasons (moadim) during which no work was permitted: 1. The Shabbat 2. The first and last days of Pesach 3. Shavuot 4. Rosh Hashannah 5. Yom Kippur 6. Succot Pesach, Shavuot, and Succot were known as the Shalosh Regalim or Three Pilgrimage Festivals. The people were reminded to provide pure olive oil for the lamps of the Tabernacle. These lamps were to be kept burning continuously by the kohanim. The showbread was to be made of twelve loaves of fine flour arranged in two rows. Finally, a convert, that blasphemed G-d’s, name could be put to death by Holy Tribunal called a Bet Din. The parsha begins with an interesting twist of words: “And the Lord said (va-yomer) to Moses saying: Speak (emor) unto the priest, the sons of Aaron and say (v’amarta) unto them…” What is interesting is the double use of the root word for “say” (alef, mem, reish). Also, the Torah, after the introductory phrase “And the Lord said…”, usually uses the word “da-ber” to indicate that G-d wants Moses to say something to someone. This can be seen in the phrase “va’yidaber Hashem el Moshe leimor…” Why does the Torah switch from da-ber to emor? The words da-ber and emor are similar, but the sages interpret the change as emphasizing a teaching and a warning. Moses was to instruct the sons of Aaron in the laws of Taharot (ritual purity) as it applies to kohanim. The emphasis on teaching the children is taken by the sages to include the teaching of all of our children or, if we are not competent to do so, to higher a teacher for our children. Moses was ensuring that the next generation of priests would understand that all the laws taught by Moses to the adults also applied to them. To the sages, the warning can be seen in the use of emor versus da’ber. When the Torah uses emor, the indication is that the teachings were not meant to be mere words or lecture. Practical instruction was necessary to prevent further deaths like those of Nadav and Abihu (the two eldest sons of Aaron). Thus, by using emor, the priests are being warned to heed the lessons of Moses so that they do not suffer the same fate by making a error. The Torah states that any priest that is blemished is unfit for Temple service. This included not only skin blemishes, but physical deformities as well. The Torah (and the Talmud in tractate Bekorot, chapter seven) lists and expands on those items. They include being blind, lame, having enlarged breasts, flat noses, a deformed head, eye aliments, having one arm or leg longer than the other, having crushed testicles, or even being bald! As chukim, we cannot demonstrate any logical reason why these particular deformities are chosen. These restrictions were limited to offering sacrifices in the Mishkan. The kohen was not disqualified from performing other duties (such as a pidyon haben). In the middle of the second part of this parsha, enumerating the Festivals, there is the commandment to leave the corners of our fields (peah) unharvested for the poor. This seems like a strange place to include the mitzvah of peah. The sages write that “this was to teach us that whoever gives gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and leaves the corners of his fields for the poor, is credited as if he had personally built the Temple and offered sacrifices within it! The Talmud devotes and entire tractate to the subject of peah. The importance of this mitzvah is stressed in the opening mishnah (chapter 1, mishnah 1)which links peah with Torah study and other mitzvos we have learned: “These are the things which have no fixed measure: the corners of the field, the first fruits, the three festival offerings brought when appearing before the Eternal, charity, and the study of Torah. These are the things the fruits of which remain for him in the World to Come: honoring one’s father and mother, charity, and making peace between man and his fellow; but the study of Torah is equal to them all.” This seems to be a strange way to introduce a tractate on the laws of reaping fields. Upon reflection, however, I think you see that its performance embodies a whole range of ideals we must practice to achieve the perfection of Holiness. If one is not born a kohen, one cannot become a kohen. That aspect of holiness is reserved to for them. The same holds true for the Leviim, those descended from the tribe of Levi, but not directly from Aaron. Everyone, however, can achieve a state of Holiness through their portion of Torah study and the performance of mitzvos. In the Siddur, we pray for G-d to “grant us our portion in the Torah”. Each of us can find our portion, like an inheritance buried beneath the ground. There is an aspect of Torah study for everyone, each to his/her own level. Some like studying, Chumash, while others prefer Midrash. Some like to study gemara, with its intricacies of logic, while others prefer the directness of mishnah. Some like studying the moral ethics of the prophets and writings, while others like the exactitudes of studying halachah. Each of us can find some aspect of the Torah (both the Written and Oral) to study and keep as our own! Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the kohanim no longer offer sacrifices to bring us near to G-d. Instead, the sages say that Torah study, prayer, and gemilut chassidim (acts of lovingkindness) achieve the same purpose today. Each of us can find a way to fulfill those requirements through tzedakah, giving up time to help the synagogue, praying with a minyan, and spending a few minutes each day in study with a Jewish book. In this way, we will be fulfilling the mitzvos of the korbanos and bring our community closer to G-d. Making the Torah become rich and real for each of us, is a worthy goal to strive for.