Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa and based in Mason City. Glad you have come by to learn a bit. As I write this it is Yom HaShoah or Yom HaZikaron (The Day of Remembrance). It falls on the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan and was made official in 1959. It is the day we remember all of those who perished during those dreadful years. And so, today, and every Jewish holiday or event the flag flies in front of our house. The scary part is that in a recent survey of people under 40 many had no idea about the Holocaust and 11% said the Jews started it. Here is that story from NBC News. Education...matters.
This week we read from Parsha Shemini (Lev. 9 - 11) the word Shemini means "eighth", "It was on the eighth day, Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel..." So what is going on? It is the start of the Priestly Service and the sacrifices in the Tabernacle. When you read this section it is very descriptive of what was involved and how the people reacted.
We also read about the fiery death of Nadab and Abihu, the two sons of Aaron. They were so overwhelmed with the service they decided to perform an unauthorized service. The rabbis tell us they wished to show their love and devotion to G-d and so they entered the Mishkin (Tabernacle) with incense because they thought it was proper to do so. It's one of those cases where the emotion gets in the way of intellect. And, haven't we seen so much of that?
Wine? No Thank You!
It is here where we learn that Hashem spoke directly to Aaron about drinking on the job. "Do not drink intoxicating wine, you and your sons with you, when you come to the Tent of Meeting, that you not die..." Pretty strict...right? But the idea is one should perform the rituals, even today, with a clear mind. Some have used this commandment to the extreme and rail against any use of wine, beer or liquor but when put in context the prohibition becomes clear.
OK, Let's Eat!
Now in Chapter 11 we learn about the laws of Kashrus...what is kosher to eat and what is not. We are told in the opening lines, "These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the animals that are upon the earth. Everything among the animals that has a split hoot, which is completely separated into double hooves, and that brings up its cud, that one you may eat." I'll not share the entire approved and prohibited list of creatures, feel free to read on your own. What is important here is that, once again, we are given direction about that most basic of actions...eating.
I have heard, for decades, people try to rationalize the Kosher Laws saying things like, "Oh those things were forbidden because there was not refrigeration." Or, "Those old laws were (somehow) done away with by a dream." Sorry not buying it. They are there for a reason and that reason is to praise G-d through the action of making a choice of what we eat to sustain ourselves. In addition a Jew may eat forbidden food only if it is all that is available because staying alive, rather than dying of starvation, takes precedence.
One other thing that is amazing about this chapter is how G-d singles out the pig. Clearly the pig has completely split hooves however it does not chew the cud. Now, stay with me on this...Moses and Aaron did not have Google. There was no Wikipedia. The pig is the only animal that is singled out. (Sorry National Pork Producers...) Now if we could find another animal that had a split hoof and did not chew the cud then one might say the entire Torah is made up, that it is an inaccurate story. But, the fact is, there is not, on all the world, another animal that is like the pig. Pretty heady stuff huh?
Why This Matters
What is the duty of the Jew? The simple answer is that we exist in order to praise G-d. How do we do that? By following His commandments. That issue is very clear as we get to the end of this Parsha, "For I am Hashem your G-d - you shall sanctify yourselves and you will be holy, for I am holy... For I am Hashem Who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a G-d unto you, you shall be holy, for I am holy."
Every time we make a choice to follow the commandments or cast them aside we are making the choice to turn our backs on the relationship we have and seek to have with G-d. It's really as simple as that.
Shul News
It was such a strange Passover and I had forgotten to share with you that the scribe from Chicago has been to the shul and did examine the Torah scrolls. I have forwarded on his report to Alan Steckman and to Gary Levenson for their review and actions. I will tell you that, according to Sofer Nathan, none of our scrolls, in their current condition, would be deemed as kosher and usable by the Orthodox movement. That was a big blow. What we now decide to do matters.
One other thing that happened that afternoon. When I pulled up to the shul another vehicle pulled up beside me and I was shocked to see my old friend David Lekowsky who served with me on the Board of Beth El Jacob the Orthodox congregation of Des Moines that has now closed. David owns American Plumbing Supply in Des Moines and was in Mason City to make a delivery. He said when he goes to a town that has a shul he'll often drive by. This time, however, we were there and the doors were open. He came in and we had a wonderful visit about this history of the shul and so much more. This is a photo of David (right) with Alan Steckman the congregational president. Pretty cool...and nothing happens by accident.
Shabbat Shalom!
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