Parashat Shemini
Torah:
Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 (Ashkenazim); 2 Samuel 6:1-19 (Sephardim)
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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Cruel Kindness
“… They shall not be eaten…. the stork …” Leviticus 11:13, 19
The Torah refers to non-kosher birds as an abomination. Interestingly, Rabbi Yehudah taught that the stork is called “chasidah” (the kind one) because it acts with chasidut (kindness) toward its fellows. On the other hand, Rambam (Maimonides) taught that every non-kosher bird is naturally cruel. So, why is the stork considered not kosher?
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 (Ashkenazim); 2 Samuel 6:1-19 (Sephardim)
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cruel Kindness
“… They shall not be eaten…. the stork …” Leviticus 11:13, 19
The Torah refers to non-kosher birds as an abomination. Interestingly, Rabbi Yehudah taught that the stork is called “chasidah” (the kind one) because it acts with chasidut (kindness) toward its fellows. On the other hand, Rambam (Maimonides) taught that every non-kosher bird is naturally cruel. So, why is the stork considered not kosher?
Chidushei Ha-Rim ("Insights of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir", the first Gerer rebbe) says it is because the stork helps “its fellows” and no one else. He continues, “One must help all others, for a person who helps only his fellows is not kind, but cruel.”
The Gerer’s teaching is a logical extension of the more familiar teaching of Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” (Avot 1:14)
Indeed, neither the quality nor the timing of our kindness should depend upon our attitude toward or our relationship with the one who requires kindness. The bottom line is taught in Leviticus 19:18, “You shall love your neighbor (who is, after all) as yourself.”
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom - ZSRS '00
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"For the sake of Zion I will not be silent; for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still." Isaiah 62:1
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Candlelighting (Los Angeles): 6:58 pm
Lunch
and Learn is an ongoing program of Beit Midrash Shalom that meets Tuesdays to discuss
Jewish texts and other topics of Jewish interest. It is open to all regardless
of affiliation. Next meeting is Tuesday,
April 9, 12:00 noon, at Congregation Beth Meier, 11725 Moorpark St., Studio City 91604.
PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY FOOD UNLESS IT IS IN ITS ORIGINAL SEALED CONTAINER AND
BEARING A HEKHSHER AS DAIRY OR PAREVE. Lunch will be provided by Congregation
Beth Meier. Donations gratefully accepted.
Yom Hashoah V’hag’vurah, Holocaust and
Heroism Day, begins Sunday at sundown and continue through sundown Monday. It
is customary to light a yellow or regular yahrzeit candle in memory of those
who perished.
The Days of Remembrance program conducted by
the Burbank Human Relations Council will take place on Tuesday, April 23. A
brief program and presentation will be held at the Burbank City Council meeting
at 6:30 pm, followed by a full program and speaker at 7:30 pm at Temple Beth
Emet, 600 N Buena Vista St., Burbank.
This
d'var torah is offered in memory of the Six Million.
This
d'var torah is offered in honor of my wonderful wife, Lynn Kronzek, whose
birthday is Monday, April 8. Happy birthday, dear! Ad meah v’esrim!
This
d'var torah is offered in honor of my aunt, Helen Schugar, whose birthday is
Monday, April 8. Ad meah v’esrim!
This
d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Deb Berenbach, Gabor ben
Devorah, Selby Horowitz, Pamela Huddleston, Micah Kosche, Sara Lanxner, Emily
Levin, Frank Marcovitz, Phil Raider, Helen Reiter, Len Reiter, Gil Robbins,
Rachel Robbins, Judith Sakurai, Kitty Schmerling and Helen Tomsky.
My weekly divrei torah are also available via e-mail subscription to Cyber Torah.
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