THE CHILDREN OF AARON

25 Sivan 5776 / 18-19 June 2016

Torah: Numbers 8:1 - 12:16
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7 (This is also the haftarah for Shabbat Hanukkah)

Dedications and upcoming events follow below. Full calendar and lots of other info available at: www.bethmeier.org

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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THE CHILDREN OF AARON

"Speak to Aaron, saying, 'When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the menorah (the candlestick).'" Numbers 8:2

The Midrash, Bamidbar Rabbah, says that Aaron was upset. The heads of all the tribes, except Levi (the tribe of Aaron and the kohanim, and he was the head of Levi) had offered sacrifices (see last week’s Parashat Naso). He feared the Levites were being punished because of his sins. Rather, teaches the Midrash, Aaron and his descendants were given a greater honor - the lighting of the menorah in the tabernacle. Sacrifices would be offered only so long as the Temple stood, but the lamps would always give light in front of the menorah, and all the blessings God instructed the kohanim to bless the Jews with (see Naso, Numbers 6:22-27) would never be abolished.

Ramban (Nachmanides), in his commentary, wonders what this really means. After all, the menorah was not lit after the destruction of the Temple - it didn't exist either. He says the reference is to the menorah of Hanukkah, for that would go into exile with the Jews after the destruction, just as the blessings offered originally at the dedication of the desert tabernacle would be given to the Jews forever.

The interesting thing about all of this is that, just as every Jew can (and should!) offer the blessings of the kohanim over his/her children, so is every Jew obligated to light the menorah of Hanukkah every year. The real comfort to Aaron is not simply that his descendants get to light the menorah. It is that all Jews are in a sense his descendants, for we are a "kingdom of priests (mamlekhet kohanim) and a holy nation (goy kadosh)." (Exodus 19:6) We are all Aaron's children - so long as we keep the lights burning and bring blessings to our people.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Congregation Beth Meier - Studio City, CA

Website: www.bethmeier.org

Blogging at: www.rav-rich.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @DrahcirMolf

"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: 7:50 pm

Friday: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.

Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am – Kiddush lunch follows.

Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 Noon.

Friday, 1 July: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows.

Saturday, 2 July: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.

Tuesday, 5 July: NO Lunch and Learn – Rabbi Flom serving on bet din

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 honor of Myra Goodman, celebrating her 97^th birthday. Ad meah v’esrim! Mazal tov!

This d’var torah is offered in honor of Alan Morinis and Judith Zaruches of the Mussar Institute, Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Rabbi Brian Strauss, Rabbi Carie Carter, Rabbi Dan Shevitz, Rabbi David Cantor, Rabbi Ilan Glazer, and Rabbi Mark Fasman. Thank you for sharing the light of your Torah this week!

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for  Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, HaRav Yisrael Shimon ben Liebah Breina, Berel ben Feigel, Yaakov Rani Ben Margalit, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Jackie Aaronson, Susan Arbetman, Scott Beatty, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Beverly Erenbaum (Blimah bat Sarah), Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint (Eliezer Moshe ben Esther), Jerry Forman, Myra Goodman, Stephanie Kane, Philip Kovac, Carolynne Lavoie-Schwartz, Toni Linder, Deborah Schugar Strauss (Devorah bat Chaya Feiga), and Beatrice Weide (Bayla bat Malkah).

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!

Cyber Torah list management:

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To dedicate a Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah, send an e-mail to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net with the heading “Dedicate Cyber Torah” and provide details in the message body.