Parsha Emor - 5/8/04

[iitb]

Here are the texts for this weeks readings:
Parsha Emor - Vayikra (Leviticus) 21:1-24:3 (http://www.chabad.org/parshah/TorahReading.asp?AID=15583) (chabad.org)
Haftarah - Yechezkiel (Ezekiel) 44:15-31 (http://www.chabad.org/parshah/TorahReading.asp?AID=15583&name=Haftorah)(chabad.org)

David Stern's recommended Brit Chadasha readings:
Matthew 5:38-42 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&passage=Matthew+5%3A38-42%3B+Galatians+3%3A26-29&version=NASB)
Galatians 3:26-29 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&passage=Matthew+5%3A38-42%3B+Galatians+3%3A26-29&version=NASB)

[Henaynei]

Todah rabah Sir Hulsey :)

[simchat_torah]

brought to you by www.chabad.org (http://www.chabad.org).... and more to come by the infamous Yafet later....




The Parshah in a Nutshell
Emor
Leviticus 21:1-24:23
The Torah section of Emor ("Speak (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2253)") begins with the special laws pertaining to the Kohanim (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2180) ("priests"), the Kohen Gadol (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2838) ("High Priest"), and the Temple service (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=1314): A Kohen may not become ritually impure through contact with a dead body (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2882), save on the occasion of the death of a close relative (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=1163). A Kohen may not marry a divorcee or a woman with a promiscuous past; a Kohen Gadol can marry only a virgin. A Kohen with a physical deformity (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=1099) cannot serve in the Holy Temple, nor can a deformed animal be brought as an offering.

A newborn calf (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=39595), lamb (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=42008) or kid (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=1093) must be left with its mother for seven days; one may not slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day.

The second part of Emor lists the annual Callings of Holiness (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2758) -- the festivals of the Jewish calendar: The bringing of the Passover offering on Nissan 14; the seven-day Passover (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2856) festival beginning Nissan 15; the bringing of the Omer offering from the first barley harvest (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2776) on the 2nd day of Passover and the commencement, on that day, of the 49-day Counting of the Omer (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=42896), culminating in the festival of Shavuot (http://www.chabadonline.com/shavuot/) on the 50th day; a "remembrance of shofar (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2009) blowing" on Tishrei 1; a solemn fast day (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2513) on Tishrei 10; and the Sukkot festival -- during which we are to dwell in huts for seven days and take the "Four Kinds" -- beginning on Tishrei 15 (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2557).

Emor concludes with the incident of a man executed for blasphemy (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=3187), and the penalties for murder (death), and for injuring one's fellow or destroying his property (http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?AID=2938) (monetary compensation).

[debi b]

Lev 21:12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him; I am the Lord.

The word translated here as “crown” (other translations consecration, separation) comes from rzn nun zayin resh. We get nazarite from the same root meaning to separate.

Lev 22:10-11 There shall no stranger (rz zayin resh) eat of the holy thing; a sojourner (toshav) of the priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. But if the priest buys any soul with his money, he shall eat of it...

So....one bought with a price by the Cohen CAN partake of “holy things”

Lev 22:12 If the priest's daughter also is married to a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

The word “stranger” (others outsider, layman) comes from rz zayin resh. The same word is used is the passage that talks about the strange fire that was offered by Nadav and Avihu.

Lev 22:18 Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the people of Israel, and say to them, Whoever he is, of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his offering...

The word “stranger” (others - proselytes, foreigners living among you, aliens in Israel, the sojourners in Israel) is rG gimel resh, a gere. The verb that this word comes from means to sojourn. These are the ones that there is no difference between them and the native born (ezrach).

Lev 22:27 When a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, is born, then it shall be seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day on it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire to the Lord.

The word “offering” (others - sacrifice of an offering, sacrifice) is the word corban !Brq, comes from the root brq qof, resh, bet meaning to draw near. How many of you have heard or read in Mark 7:11 the transliterated word corban and thought it had a negative meaning? Sacrifice or offering does not capture the essence of the word corban.

Lev 23:2 Speak to the people of Israel, and say to them, The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy gatherings, these are my feasts.

The word “feasts” (others- appointed festivals, appointed times, appointed feasts, appointed seasons, set feasts) is the word moedim and is a noun from of the root d[y yod, ayin dalet meaning to appoint, to fix (a time or place) to betroth, to give in marriage.

The festivals including Shabbat are called moedim “appointed times”. Just as moed in space refers to the locality which people have as their appointed place of assembly (e.g. the Ohel Moed, the Tent of Meeting) so moed in time is a point in time which summons us communally to an appointed activity - in this case an inner activity.
Rabbi Hirsch

[debi b]

Lev 23:5
In the fourteenth day of the first month at evening is the Lord's Passover.

Num 9: 10-12
Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean because of a dead body, or is in a journey far away, he shall still keep the Passover to the Lord. The fourteenth day of the second month at evening they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it to the morning, nor break any bone of it; according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.

Consider the yearly pilgrimage cycle. Passover is the first moed on the list. Each moed has a message and strung together speak of a specific plan of Adonai.

I find it interesting that Passover is the only one that provision is made for one to start late. Then one is expected to “get on board” so to speak. I find that interesting.

[Henaynei]

very kewl stuff deb!!

[debi b]

Henaynei

I guess I didn't "get it" when you tried to tell me how to add Hebrew letters before :scratch: .

pleez forgive me for being sloooowww :bow: