* Regulations Governing the Priests

The Kohaneem (Priests) and the Kohayn Gadol (High Priest) were designated as the religious authorities of the people. They had to live according to high moral standards to win the respect of the people and to fulfill their spiritual obligations. In addition, the Priests had to satisfy specific physical criteria; anyone with certain physical defects was disqualified from becoming a Priest. This may seem harsh and discriminatory, yet even in our society there are professions which demand rigorous physical standards. We know many people who “defied the odds” and became successful despite severe physical or emotional obstacles. The Torah is not trying to discriminate against anyone; yet as the rabbinic Priesthood demanded much time, stamina and ability, it was one profession which – at least in the Biblical age – maintained strict criteria.

Part of the Priests’ responsibilities were to carry out animal sacrifices on behalf of the people. The sacrifices were offered by Israelites and non-Israelites (living among them) as expressions of gratitude, thanksgiving, remorse, etc. Just as the Priests had to meet certain physical qualifications, the sacrificed animal had to meet specific qualifications as well. Unblemished animals symbolized the kind of wholesomeness by which the people must live.

 * Kiddush Hashem and Hillul Hashem

The Torah establishes categories of behavior regarding one’s relationship to God.

Kiddush Hashem refers to honoring God's name in a variety of ways: Living a moral life, being honest and sincerely devoted to the Jewish people, and remaining a faithful Jew even in the face of individual or national danger.

Hillul Hashem refers to a person who “profanes” God’s name by rejecting moral values and living a more self-centered, uncaring life in both action and speech.

The two terms refer not only to our interaction with God but to our interpersonal relationships. For example, one who acts maliciously toward another person essentially offends not only that person but God as well. As the Torah suggests, it is not enough to refrain from gossip; a person must actively take steps to chastise those who use harmful and abusive words. As we know, bullies often speak powerfully through words and not only through actions. On another level, however, Kiddush Hashem has been understood in a global sense: One who actively embraces Jewish teachings and values for the sake of humanity does so in the spirit of Kiddush Hashem. We also apply the term to individuals and communities perpetuating Jewish life under dire conditions. As a teenager, I learned about Jews in the Former Soviet Union – Jews who risked their lives and their careers to publicly express their Jewishness. Despite all government attempts to suppress the Jewish religion, many Soviet Jews defied the authorities and resolutely sought ways to live active (albeit often in secrecy) Jewish lives. During my high school years, the fate and future of Soviet Jewry was the most important social justice cause in my life. Those Jews behind the Iron Curtain exemplified the values of Kiddush Hashem.

* Detailing the Major Jewish Holidays

The triennial reading includes reference to the festivals of Passover and Shavuot. Although the holidays are detailed elsewhere in the Torah, the portion of Emor provides an agricultural dimension for each. Jews were primarily known for the values of learning and study, which we have certainly embraced from the beginning of our history. However, the classic stereotype of the Jewish yeshiva student is not entirely accurate, nor does it reflect either antiquity or contemporary times. Emor’s reference to all the Jewish festivals highlights our intimate association with the land and with agrarian living.

When the halutzim (pioneering Jews) first returned to modern Palestine in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they pledged to work the land. These pioneers intended to alter all images of the Jewish stereotype. Although Torah study would persevere as a central Jewish value, the pioneers identified themselves with the more agricultural-oriented Jews of the Bible. The new Jew would be muscular and strong, eschewing the Eastern European/Diaspora image of the frail student totally immersed in worship and study. In fact, we often refer to Israel simply as ARETZ, the Hebrew word for land. In Emor, both Passover and Shavuot (the holiday now observed as the festival when the Israelites received the Torah at Mt. Sinai) are described primarily in agricultural terms. The Torah portion even highlights a seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot – a period known as the Omer. The Omer was a measure of grain brought to the Temple as an expression of thanksgiving. Much of the holiday section we read today concerns the Omer. Throughout the reading, we appreciate the identification of Judaism with agriculture as well as with intellect.

Haftorah: Ezekiel 44:15 - 44:31

Today’s Haftorah comes from the Prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel was exiled to Babylonia (along with many of his compatriots) during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.  He envisions a Jerusalem of the future.  Living in exile, the prophet envisions a future time, when the Priests will return to their duties in a rebuilt Temple. We read from Ezekiel today because the Torah reading begins with references to the Priests and to their qualifications from centuries earlier. While Ezekiel's vision was never realized according to his specifications, his dream of a return to Israel and Jerusalem was shared by many of his time. It was also a dream shared by Jews over the 2,000-year period between the destruction of the Second Temple and the re-establishment of a Jewish state.