YOU'RE GETTING CLOSER

Parashat Vayikra
6 Adar II 5774 / 7-8 March 2014
Torah: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26
Haftarah: Isaiah 43:21 - 44:23


Calendar of Events follows.  Full calendar available at: http://www.bethmeier.org/ 


Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
--------------------------------------------------
You’re Getting Closer


“When a person from among you should offer (yakriv) an offering (korban) to the Lord ...” Leviticus 1:2


Rabbi Elazar: Doing deeds of charity is greater than all of the sacrificial offerings (korbanot). BT Sukkah 49b


The word “korban” has an interesting etymology. The word is usually translated as “offering” or “sacrifice”. The book of Leviticus uses the word, or some variant of it, numerous times in this and succeeding parshiot, describing in graphic detail the various animal and grain sacrifices. The root of the word is k-r-v, which means “to draw near”.


The rabbis wondered why the sacrificial rite should use this particular term. One classic explanation is that the smoke of the sacrifice rose up to God, and drew God near to the person making the offering. Another explanation is that, by offering something of significant value, the person was bringing him/herself closer to God, a not-so-subtle difference. There were many types of sacrifices: atonement, freewill, thanksgiving, purification, and others. With the Temple destroyed and the sacrifices gone, we might ask how it is possible to draw close to God. I do not believe that Rabbi Elazar’s answer is sufficient, for giving charity, or performing any other “good deed”, in and of itself, does not necessarily make any spiritual connection for us, even if fulfilling the commandment makes us “feel good”.


Now consider this brief statement, recited before donning tefillin: “For the sake of the unification of the Holy One Blessed is He, and His Presence ... Here I am, intending to fulfill the mitzvah of my Creator ...” The Kabbalists teach that performing the mitzvah of tefillin brings us closer to God, and God closer to us, IF THAT IS OUR INTENT. I would go a step further. We ought to focus on bringing ourselves closer to God whenever we observe ANY mitzvah, whether it is giving charity or lighting Shabbat candles or reciting the Sh’ma or praying.


In other words, every mitzvah is a “korban”, an offering of drawing closer to God, if we intend that it be so. There is a world of difference between lighting candles for atmosphere and reciting a blessing over them. And there is a significant difference between reciting a blessing by rote and intending that one truly bring God into one’s life through an act and accompanying blessing. But that is a sacrifice that should be easy to make.


Shabbat Shalom!


Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Congregation Beth Meier
Studio City, CA
http://www.bethmeier.org
Visit me on Facebook


"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still."  Isaiah 62:1
--------------------------------------------------------
Candlelighting: 5:36 pm


Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday: Religious School – 9:30 am. Adult Hebrew Class – 10:00 am. Installation of Rabbi Flom and Silent Auction – 1:00 pm. Contact the Beth Meier office for details and tickets.
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn - noon.
Wednesday: (Re)Introducion to Judaism class– 7:30 pm.
Saturday, 15 March: Purim evening – 8:00 pm havdalah followed by reading of Megillat Esther. Come and party down! Wear a costume! Nosh hamentaschen! Imbibe a bit! Barukh Mordechai; Arur Haman!
Sunday, 16 March: Purim morning – 9:30 am. Religious School Purim fun. Don’t forget to wear a costume and nosh some hamentaschen!


The Rabbinical Assembly's annual guide for Pesach is available on-line for download. It's not too early to start thinking about your spring cleaning and Passover prep! The guide is available at: rabbinicalassembly.org/pesah-guide


This d'var torah is offered in honor of my mother, Annabelle Flom, whose birthday (second bat mitzvah!) is on Tuesday, March 11. Yom huledet sameach, ima! Ad meah v’esrim!


This d’var torah is offered in honor of the members of the Rabbi Installation Committee, under the leadership of Ken Goodman, for the great event this coming Sunday. Y’yasher kochakhem!


This d’var torah is offered in honor of Rabbi Dan Shevitz, my teacher, colleague and friend, who is presiding at my installation this Sunday. Thank you!


This d’var torah is offered in honor of the members of Congregation Beth Meier in thanks for the honor and privilege they have bestowed upon me. Thank you!


This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Blimah Reizel bat Ruchel, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Eve Beatty, Howard Ehrlich, Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Rose Jordan, Steven Kleiger, Lizzie Legnine, Frank Marcovitz, Phil Raider, Margeurite Rassiner, and Neil Turbov.


Please let me know if there is anyone you would like to add to this list or if there is anyone who may be removed from this list.


My divrei torah are also available via e-mail from the Cyber Torah list.
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net