Parashat Vayikra (Shabbat Zakhor)
9 Adar II 5776 / 18-19 March 2016
Torah: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26
Maftir: Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Haftarah (Zakhor): 1 Samuel 15:2-34 (Ashkenazim); 1 Samuel
15:1-34 (Sephardim)
Calendar and dedications follow below. For a full calendar
of events and other info about Congregation Beth Meier, check out: www.bethmeier.org
The Rabbinical Assembly’s Pesach Guide 5776 can be
read and downloaded at the following site:
Additional Pesach resources from the Rabbinical Assembly may
be found at:
I’ll have more Pesach resources available next week. In the
meantime, Happy Purim!
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please
cite the source
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ON THE NATURE OF SACRIFICE
ON THE NATURE OF SACRIFICE
"Speak to the Children of Israel, and say to them, 'If
one from among you (mikem) shall sacrifice a sacrifice to the Lord
...'" (Leviticus 1:2)
This parashah, like nearly all of the book of Leviticus, is about the sacrifices that were offered, first in the Tabernacle, later on various high places, and finally in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Jews have struggled for centuries over the significance of the sacrifices. Rambam (Maimonides) taught that the sacrifices were a compromise - the ancient Israelites, being exposed to sacrificial cults inEgypt
and Canaan , could not comprehend a God or a
religion that did not involve the offering of sacrifices. In his view, the
people needed to be weaned from the idolatrous practices they saw all about
them. The Temple
was ultimately destroyed by God because there was no longer a need on the part
of humans for animal sacrifice. God had never needed them.
Ramban (Nachmanides) rejected this view. He saw the sacrifices as having moral and spiritual symbolism which was essential to Jewish religious practice. This dispute is still played out within the various movements of modern Judaism. Orthodox prayer books retain the prayers for the re-establishment of theTemple and the
sacrificial cult. Over 120 years ago, Reform Judaism deleted these prayers
altogether. About 80 years ago, Conservative Judaism reformulated the prayers
to be in the past tense, as a remembrance of what once was.
Regardless of one's viewpoint, what does one do today with these Torah passages about the sacrifices? Obviously, the sacrifices cannot be offered. The beauty of the Hebrew language and the absence of punctuation in the Torah allow the instruction of our verse to be read as a double entendre: "If one sacrifices, let it be from yourselves (mikem)." The Torah itself gives a clue. It is not animals which we must sacrifice. Rather, we must give of ourselves.
This idea was clearly articulated shortly after the destruction of theTemple by Rabban Yochanan
ben Zakkai. Asked how one might make atonement in the absence of sacrifice, he
replied: "We have another way of gaining atonement which is equal to it.
What is it? Deeds of loving-kindness, as it is written: 'For it is
loving-kindness (chesed) I desire, and not sacrifice.'" (Avot
D’Rebbi Natan 11a, quoting Hosea 6:6, which was written before the First Temple
Deeds of loving-kindness, the giving of charity, the donation of time and energy to the betterment of the community and the world - these are what God wants from us. Is that too much of a sacrifice?
Shabbat Shalom U’Mevorakh - a Shabbat of peace and blessings.
This parashah, like nearly all of the book of Leviticus, is about the sacrifices that were offered, first in the Tabernacle, later on various high places, and finally in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Jews have struggled for centuries over the significance of the sacrifices. Rambam (Maimonides) taught that the sacrifices were a compromise - the ancient Israelites, being exposed to sacrificial cults in
Ramban (Nachmanides) rejected this view. He saw the sacrifices as having moral and spiritual symbolism which was essential to Jewish religious practice. This dispute is still played out within the various movements of modern Judaism. Orthodox prayer books retain the prayers for the re-establishment of the
Regardless of one's viewpoint, what does one do today with these Torah passages about the sacrifices? Obviously, the sacrifices cannot be offered. The beauty of the Hebrew language and the absence of punctuation in the Torah allow the instruction of our verse to be read as a double entendre: "If one sacrifices, let it be from yourselves (mikem)." The Torah itself gives a clue. It is not animals which we must sacrifice. Rather, we must give of ourselves.
This idea was clearly articulated shortly after the destruction of the
Deeds of loving-kindness, the giving of charity, the donation of time and energy to the betterment of the community and the world - these are what God wants from us. Is that too much of a sacrifice?
Shabbat Shalom U’Mevorakh - a Shabbat of peace and blessings.
Purim Sameach! Barukh Mordechai! Arur Haman!
Grand Rabbi Abba Reuven ben Menachem Mendel Flom, Sh’lita
Der Heiliger Shlabodkieville Rebbe
Av Beis Din - Chelm
Av Beis Din - Chelm
Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Simcha! With the entry of the
month of Adar, we increase joy! Be Happy! Adar 2 is here!
Congregation Beth Meier - Studio City , CA
Website: http://bethmeier.org
Blogging at: http://rav-rich.blogspot.com
"From the place where we are absolutely right, flowers
will never grow in the spring."
"מן המקום שבו אנו צודקים לא יצמחו לעולם פרחים באביב"
Yehuda Amichai
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Candlelighting: 6:45 pm
Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat
follows.
Saturday: Shabbat morning service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday: NO Religious
School
Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon
Wednesday: Purim Program – 7:00 pm. Abbreviated Megillah; Purim
Shpiel; Refreshments! Barukh Mordechai! Arur Haman!
Friday, 25 March: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.
Saturday, 26 March: Shabbat morning service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.
Sunday, 27 March: NO Religious
School
Tuesday, March 29: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon
Saturday, April 23: Congregation Beth Meier Second Seder – 7:00 pm. Watch your
mail for details.
Next time you come to Beth Meier,
please bring some non-perishable canned and packaged foods and personal
items (no glass) for SOVA.
This d'var torah is offered in memory
of David Morris, who passed away Tuesday night. Funeral is Friday at Mount Sinai Memorial Park
This d'var torah is offered for a
refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Miriam Minya
bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet
Brosky, Peter Chernack (Pesach ben Idit), Jerry Daniels, Maya Fersht
(Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard
Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Lynda Foster, Stephanie
Kane, Philip Kovac, Suzanne Rosenthal (Sima Devorah bat Chanah), Deborah
Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), and Lily Snyder.
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 weekly divrei torah are available through free
subscription to the Cyber Torah e-mail list. No salesman will
call!
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