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Because we are approaching Pesach, I thought a Passover-themed message would be appropriate...
A Passover Story: Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev (1740-1809) spent his life acting as the self-appointed character witness for the Jewish people, engaging in a constant dialogue with G‑d, pointing out the unique qualities of every Jew he met. The following is one of the best-known "Berdichever" stories: It was the afternoon before Passover, and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was wandering through the streets of the Jewish quarter seeking out local smugglers. From one he quietly asked for a quote on contraband tobacco, from another he enquired about the availability of smuggled brocades and embroideries. No matter the merchandise he sought, everything was available for the right price. However, when he started asking his newfound acquaintances to supply him with some bread or whiskey, those very same businessmen who had previously proved so accommodating balked. "Rabbi," said one, "are you trying to insult me? The seder will be starting in just a few hours and no Jew would have even a speck of chametz left in his home or business." Not one merchant was able to come up with even a crumb of bread or dram of alcohol. No matter the price offered, not one merchant was willing or able to come up with even a crumb of bread or dram of alcohol. The town had been converted into a Chametz-Free Zone. Thrilled with the results of his failed quest, the rabbi looked up to heaven and declared: "G‑d Almighty, look down with pride at Your people! The Czar has border guards and tax-commissioners dedicated to his commands. The police and the courts are devoted to tracking down and punishing smugglers and black-marketers, and yet, anything one could possibly want is available. Contrast this with the faith and fidelity of Your Jews. It has been over 3,000 years since you commanded us to observe Passover. No police, no guards, no courts and jails enforce this edict—and yet every Jew keeps Your laws to the utmost!" "Mi k'amcha Yisrael – Who is like Your nation, Israel?!" Please see the Sale of Chametz form available from our office or thru this link CHAMETZ CONTRACT We strive to make our homes a Chametz-Free Zone!! A Sweet Pesach to All!
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The book of Leviticus is all too often described as a book that deals merely with sacrifices. While sacrifice and ritual are an important topic in the Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, the major theme of this volume is Kedusha, holiness. Leviticus presents the Jew with a guide for leading a life of holiness as well as ethical, spiritual, and physical purity. Later in Leviticus we read not only of sacrifices but also the laws of Kashruth. The book also contains some of the most important statements of morality ever written, such as “Love your neighbor as yourself”.
Some questions about this momentous book of the Torah: 1. In Eastern Europe, it has been the custom of Jews to begin teaching the Torah to their children by introducing them to the book of Leviticus first. Only after the child had mastered Vayikrah would he or she be introduced to the books of Genesis and Exodus. Why begin teaching children the third book of the Torah first? What special significance is there in Leviticus for youngsters who are discovering the world of Judaism? 2. Despite the importance of sacrifices for the Jewish people in ancient Israel, many of the prophets condemned and even made fun of this practice. Hosea, among others, criticized the Jewish people by saying, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings”. If sacrifices were such an important aspect of the Torah, why were the prophets so critical of them? 3. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is Korban (Chapter 1, Verse 2). This Hebrew word is derived from the Hebrew root word Karayv - to come closer to God. In what ways did the sacrificial rite help the average Jew come closer to God? What means do we use today, outside of prayer, to come closer to God? How are prayer and Korbanot similar to one another? 4. Parshat Vayyikra presents a sliding scale of sacrifices based on economic ability. Whether the individual offered a peace offering, a burnt offering, or a sin offering, he was given the right to choose how large an animal he sacrificed. Since the size of the animal apparently did not affect the worth of the offering, why was it necessary to have larger and smaller animals? Why not have a small symbolic sacrifice for everyone? 5. The sin offering which is described in our parshah (Chapter 4-5) was offered when a sin was committed through error. Why should a person be held accountable if it was only forgetfulness or ignorance that led a person to sin, why should the person be held accountable? When someone commits a wrong against us, do we consider the person’s intentions before criticizing or forgiving him? Why doesn’t the Torah do the same with regard to an unintentional sin? Our parsha of Pekudei tells us:
“And Moshe did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. It came to pass in the first month, in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the Mishkan was set up.” And the Talmud tells us: “When (the month of) Adar enters we increase in joy!” So, there is clearly a connection between the building of the Mishkan, the moveable sanctuary, and the month of Adar, which includes the joyous holiday of Purim. What is so significant about building the Mishkan that it takes up so much space in the Torah? We have about 4 and ½ chunky Torah portions packed with detailed descriptions of what was commanded and how it was executed with precision. And every year we revisit this account of what was essentially a singular event in history for the plan for a Temple that we’ll never replicate. And, throughout the rest of the year, we confront so many places in the Torah where the hallachot are not clear, and the narratives of our ancestors are thin and full of missing details. Why? And how does that connect with Purim and the month of Adar? In other words... why are the building of the Temple and the month of Adar intended to bring about an increase in joy? To provide a possible answer, I want to tell two stories. Here’s one: A Jewish comedian (is that redundant?) once went to the airport to pick up his mother in-law. On the way home, he asked her, “How long are you staying?” She replied, “As long as you want.” He responded in amazement: “You’re not even coming in for a cup of coffee?” And here’s the other: When the Kotzker rebbe was a precocious child of three, his rabbi asked him, “Where can God be found?” The child answered: “Everywhere!” His Rebbe shook his head and made clear that that answer was incorrect. So, he asked the child again, only to get the same response. Finally, the Rabbi told him the RIGHT answer: “God can be found only where He is invited to enter.” Here we are at the end of Exodus, and after so many parshiyot devoted to details, it’s easy to miss the big picture, to confuse the forest and the trees. Here, at the end of parshat Pekudei, we witness the completion of the Temple, and we see the manifestation of God’s presence in cloud and fire, a presence that it meant to protect us throughout the rest of our journey. But, even as we travel, and we need to travel, we have a building, a home, a sanctuary, a sacred space where we invite God into our lives. Where we became a true people. The name of the month ADAR in Hebrew is ALEPH-DALET-REISH. ALEPH stands for G-d, Adonai, Who is one. The first time ALEPH is used at the beginning of a word in Torah is ELOCHIM. DALET- REISH spells DAR, to reside. HASHEM finds residence with us in ADAR. It’s not just when we enter the time zone of Adar that we increase in joy but rather when ADAR enters and penetrates us, to that extent joy is multiplied. Purim is packed with eating and drinking with gusto. Yet, in just such a setting, we joyously welcome God into our very midst, in complete fulfillment of the destiny of the Jews. This Shabbat we read from two scrolls
The Vayakhel Scroll Studying the Mishkan: Rabbeinu Bachaya strongly encourages us to study, as deeply as possible, the entire system of the Mishkan/Tabernacle, the dimensions of all its vessels, etc., for there is great advantage in this pursuit. He states that whether or not we reach the higher plane of discovering some of the secret meanings in these items and their measurements, or even if we determine little more than the mathematical computations involved, in the z’chut, merit, that we show such dedicated interest in the Mishkan, God will restore it to us. This is the deeper meaning of the daily Psalm that we read on Mondays (Psalm 48,) which concludes with these verses: "Surround Zion, count its towers, note carefully its courtyards" (i.e. study well its dimensions... for what purpose?... so that the day will come that you can say: "This is God, our God" i.e. the Shechinah will once again be present and felt in the rebuilt Mikdash.) Shekalim: The Maftir Scroll This section is read to mark this Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Adar II-Shabbat Shekalim. It is a preparation for Purim which we will commemorate during the coming month. It mandates a contribution from each Jew of a half-shekel for the upkeep of holy space. The funds also underwrote the communal sacrifices offered daily in the Temple. The fiscal year for the Temple began in Nissan, the first month of our calendar, so the reading served as a reminder of the due date approaching for this tax and of the necessity to pay it over to the Kohanim. Haftorat Shekalim This prophetic reading reinforces the message of individual contributions for the greater good; for the administration of sacrifices and the upkeep of sacred space. As we have evolved from the concept of animal sacrifice as a method of atonement of sins to our present practice of pursuing acts of chesed and tzedakah, this Haftorah urges us to support our religious and charitable institutions. We can do this with funds as well as donating our time and talents to the public good, to our Temple and to other worthy organizations. Mishkan/Tabernacle
Hashem designates Betzalel as the master craftsman for the construction of the Mishkan/Tabernacle and all its utensils. The Torah identifies Betzalel by his lineage; Betzalel is Chur’s grandson. According to the Midrash the people killed Chur during the debacle of the Golden Calf. Perhaps Hashem calling for Betzalel by name was to choose somebody, not just for his wisdom, but for the fact that his grandfather was an important part of the story. Betzalel becomes the agent for the people to gain atonement, not just for the sin of the Golden Calf but also for killing his grandfather. The people had to agree to have Betzalel do this work. Even though he was quite young (according to the Midrash Betzalel was 13!) it was really necessary for them to agree. In general, the people had to agree to all of its leaders, even if the leader was chosen by Hashem. The Golden Calf When the Jewish people were about to exit Egypt, the angels complained to Hashem, bringing up the people’s past while in Egypt. They had been seriously immersed in idolatry, which was the standard culture of Egypt. That immersion for a couple of centuries played a very important role in the makeup of the Jewish people. When Hashem brought the Ten Plagues it was not only to liberate the Jews but also to destroy the Egyptian deities. This was a public display of Hashem’s power and his ability to destroy other gods and demonstrate to all that these other gods and idols are false. B’nei Yisrael would require a vast education and not just a year of miraculous divine events. When Moshe left and ascended Mount Sinai the people lapsed into what they were used to back in Egypt. Even after the Revelation at Sinai, with the Torah at their doorstep, the people had already articulated Na’aseh V’nishma – we will do and we will listen (accept), this was not lasting and strong enough to totally eradicate and uproot centuries of idolatry. This is what the Golden Calf made us realize. How many Jewish people really served the Golden Calf? Judging from the count of the dead, approximately 3,000, yet all the people were going to suffer for this. Hashem was going to punish them all. It seems unfair that few people committed such a crime and everybody would suffer. The rest of the people were not able to step it up. They were not able to stop the ringleaders from creating the Golden Calf. Midrashically, as mentioned earlier, they killed Chur, Moshe’s nephew. Most of the people stood aside; there was no involvement and no objection. In fact, when Moshe called for support and action, only the tribesmen of Levi came forward. That meant that most of the people at that time were not ready to step up and act on behalf of Hashem for the glory of Hashem. The Golden Calf is a prime example of the sin of a few that can bring great harm to the many. |
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