In this second year of the Triennial Cycle of Torah reading, our congregation, like many others throughout the Jewish world, begins to read not at the beginning of parashat Emor but with chapter 22, verse 17. This is about one-third of the way in, since the Triennial Cycle makes its way through one third of eachContinue reading “Shabbat Emor: Against the Cruelty”
Tag Archives: Emor
Shabbat Emor: With All Your Heart
Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven’t time, and to see takes time – like to have a friend takes time. – Georgia O’Keefe Parashat Emor begins with a series of commands regarding the priests and their behavior: lo y’tama’ b’amav, they shall “not become defiled among their people”. (Lev. 21.1) Priests,Continue reading “Shabbat Emor: With All Your Heart”
shabbat Emor: the price of disrespect
Parashat Emor includes, coincidentally, the mitzvah (command) of Sefirat haOmer, the counting of the omer (a sheaf of barley). The original idea is probably agricultural: during the ongoing barley harvest, bringing a sheaf from each day’s harvest for a formal count may have been some kind of ritual effort to keep the harvest abundant. It is true that we sometimes delight in countingContinue reading “shabbat Emor: the price of disrespect”
Shabbat Emor: Acting Our Age
In parashat Emor, the first words describe G-d speaking to Moshe – not unusual. But then G-d goes on to tell Moshe to speak to Aharon, who in turn is to instruct the priests, his sons and their descendants. The parashah later will turn to the rest of us, the b’nei Yisrael, often translated “children ofContinue reading “Shabbat Emor: Acting Our Age”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 