TAKE A SECOND LOOK

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

Iyar 1, 5783 / April 21-22, 2023

Torah: Leviticus 12:1 – 15:33
Maftir (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh): Numbers 28:9-15

Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24 (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh)

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This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.

This d'var torah is offered in honor of the women of Temple B'nai Hayim who are chanting Torah and Haftarah and conducting parts of the service this Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.
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Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live.
We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
On April 18, we'll be at BT Shabbat 59a, page 158 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 - "ולא בעיר של זהב" - "Nor with a golden city” (NO MEETING APRIL 25 OR MAY 2)

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
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Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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TAKE A SECOND LOOK

“And the priest will look on the nega (plague) in the skin of the flesh, and if the nega has turned white and the appearance of the nega is deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a nega of tzara'at (usually translated as "leprosy"); and the priest will look on him, and pronounce him impure." Leviticus 13:3

Burning the  Clothes of the Leper (Wikimedia Commons)

Rabbi Yisrael Yehoshua Tronk of Kutno (1820/1821 - 1893, author of Yeshu'ot Malko ) teaches: This is a hint that when one looks at a person, one should not see only the bad points - where he has been afflicted - but should look on him as a whole, including the good points. This is why it first says, "the priest will look on the nega", and afterward it says, "The priest will look on him" - as a whole human being. (Quoted in Itturei Torah)

Just as beauty may be only skin deep, so might ugliness such as that of tzara'at be only at the surface. Who knows what wonders lie within? We don't judge a book by its cover – we look inside - why do less for a human being? Perhaps this is why Pirkei Avot says, "When judging any person, give the benefit of the doubt" (1:6) and "Do not judge your fellow until you arrive to his situation" (2:5).

Look twice before judging others.

Shabbat Shalom! Chodesh Tov!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus
TBH/CBM

.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1 
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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!): 

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, and receive Cyber Torah every week in your mailbox, 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 

THE SEARCH FOR MEANING

Parashat Shemini

Nisan 17, 5783 / April 14-15, 2023

Torah: Leviticus 9:1 - 11:47

Haftarah: 2 Samuel 6:1 - 7:17 (Ashkenazim); 2 Samuel 6:1-19 (Sephardim)

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
-------------------------------------------
Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live.
We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
On April 18, we'll be at BT Shabbat 59a, page 158 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 - "ולא בעיר של זהב" - "Nor with a golden city” 

Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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THE SEARCH FOR MEANING

"'Now Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu each took his fire pan, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered (or "came close" – vayakrivu – root k-r-b) before the Lord strange fire, which He had not commanded them. And fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them; and they died before the Lord. Then Moshe said to Aharon, "This is what the Lord meant when He said, 'Through those near to Me (bikrovai – root k-r-b) I sanctify Myself, and gain glory before all the people.'" And Aharon was silent. "' Leviticus 10:1-3

The Two Priests Are Destroyed (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

What happened here? Moshe seems to understand, to know what God "meant", but do we? Why were Nadav and Avihu slain? What was the nature of their sin? Did they sin?

There are a number of Midrashim and commentaries which attempt to address these questions. Their sin might have been: 1) offering (root k-r-b) strange fire (i.e., that was not permitted, or that was prepared for the purpose of idol worship); 2) offering incense when it had not yet been commanded; 3) trying to usurp their father's position as High Priest; or, 4) approaching (also from k-r-b) God while under the influence of alcohol (see Leviticus 10:8-11). There are other possibilities as well.

Other Midrashim suggest that they did not sin at all, that their deaths were not a punishment, but a reward. They are "near to" (root k-r-b) God, and God's Holy Name is sanctified by the lives (not the deaths) of those nearest and dearest to Him. Or, again from the root k-r-b, they are "korbanot" (sacrifices), and they willingly "offered" themselves in order to "get close" to God. They were brought directly to God as a reward. 

Perhaps they were neither punished nor rewarded. One Midrash says that God's intent was to initiate the very first incense offering with a holy fire direct from heaven, and they happened to be struck by it because they were too close (k-r-b). Sort of "collateral damage", or maybe the victims of "friendly fire." (Yes, a bad pun)

Which of these possibilities is the correct meaning? I believe that none of them are correct, and that each of them is correct! The reason is actually found in the parashah itself. 

Leviticus 10:16 contains the phrase "darosh darash" - Moshe "diligently inquired", or "searched for an explanation". The words of this phrase, according to tradition, occur at the exact middle of the Torah (in terms of the letters in the Torah). The root here is d-r-sh, the same as the root for Midrash. The appearance of the root twice, when read without vowels, as it appears in the Torah, might be viewed as a command to each of us to seek our individual understandings of the events of this parashah, and for that matter, of the meaning of the entire Torah. Each of us can be k-r-b (whatever that means!) to God.  

The search for God, or for the meaning of the Torah or of our lives, will be fruitless - unless we are diligent, unless we do it with fire in our bellies. Then the sacrifice will be worthwhile.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus
TBH/CBM

.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1 
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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!): 

To subscribe to Cyber Torah, and receive Cyber Torah every week in your mailbox, 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 

 

PEOPLE OF DISTINCTION IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Pesach 5783 (Part 1)

Nisan 15-22, 5783 / April 5-22, 2023
 
Torah Day 1: Exodus 12:21-51
Maftir Day 1: Numbers 28:16-25
Haftarah Day 1: Joshua 3:5-7; 5:2 - 6:1; 6:27 (Ashkenazim); Joshua 5:2 – 6:1; 6:27 (Sephardim)
 
Torah Day 2: Leviticus 22:26 - 23:44
Maftir Day 2: Numbers 28:16-25
Haftarah Day 2: 2 Kings 23:1-9; 23:21-25
 
Shabbat Chol Hamo'ed
Torah: Exodus 33:12 - 34:26
Maftir: Numbers 28:19-25
Haftarah: Ezekiel 37:1-14

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This d'var torah is offered in honor of my wonderful wife and life partner Lynn Kronzek, celebrating her birthday this Shabbat, April 8. Ad me'ah v'esrim, my dear!

This d'var torah is offered in honor of my aunt, Gertrude "Gig" Flom, whose yahrzeit falls on Nisan 12. Y'hi zekherah liv'rakhah - May her memory be a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
-------------------------------------------
Lunch and Learn meets Tuesdays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live.

NOTE: NO MEETING ON APRIL 4 - CLEANING FOR PESACH.

We're continuing to read and discuss the Midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. 
On April 11, we'll be at BT Shabbat 56a, page 149 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 -  "...גופא רב אמר" - "This is the substance of that which is mentioned above: Rab said...” 
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
https://hebrewbooks.org/9630 
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria: 
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents  
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/ 
----------------------------------------------------------------
My annual Pesach Resources page is now available! Check out:
https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2023/03/pesach-resources-5783.html  
The page will be updated as needed before Pesach.
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Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at: 
https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 
 
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at: 
https://midrashsrp.wordpress.com 
 
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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PEOPLE OF DISTINCTION IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

'(Moses said to God): "If Your Presence (literally, Your face) does not go along, do not bring us forward from here. How then will it be known that I have found favor in Your eyes - I and Your people - unless You accompany us, and I and Your people be made distinct from every people on the face of the earth!"' Exodus 33:15-16

Moses' plaintive cry to God asks for two things: first, that God's Presence remain with the Children of Israel; they would have preferred staying in the desert rather than going forward without God; and, second, that the Children of Israel be made distinct from every other nation.

There is no question that the second request has been granted. The Jews are unique, and have been for millennia. The first to worship the One God, the recipients, beneficiaries and distributors of God's Torah, the first to observe Shabbat, the only people ever to revive a nation and a language (after two thousand years, no less!) - our practices and beliefs set us apart from the other nations of the world. We are the Choosing People, as well as the Chosen People.

A Ukrainian 19th-century lubok (print) representing the Seder table

Sometimes, though, it seems that God's Presence is far away - especially with the recent rise in antisemitism in the US and elsewhere, and Jews fighting amongst themselves, even in their own Land. It might be tempting to ask God, "What have You done for us lately?" The Seder shel Pesach offers its own answer - God has done more than enough for us over our history. Dayenu. That we are still here, that we can celebrate that history, and that we continue to make history, provide the proof that God's Presence has not left us. And that is the greatest distinction of them all.

Chag Pesach Sameach U'mashma'uti!

Have a Happy and Meaningful Pesach!
 

Rabbi Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus

TBH/CBM

הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1 

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Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!): 
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, and receive Cyber Torah every week in your mailbox, 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