Parshat Emor

2 Iyar, 5768

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Parshat Emor

This Week in the Calendar
Shabbat is Day 20 of the Omer
Shabbat Torah Readings
Torah	Vayikra 21:1 to 24:23
Haftorah	Ezekiel 44:15-31

As we continue our reading of Vayikra ("He called" aka Leviticus) we are receiving a major dose of the traditional 613 mitzvot.  In parshat Emor we have over 60 mitzvot. The first set has to do with the conduct of a kohen (priest who served when the 1st and 2nd Temples were operating). In particular, who a Kohen may not marry, and under what circumstances a kohen cannot serve in the Temple. These are followed by some particulars regarding animals to be sacrificed, and finally be prohibitions from work and commands to offer the musaf offering on the High Holidays and the Pilgrimmage Festivals (Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot).

The last commandment derived from this parshah is that the Israelites should dwell in sukkot (booths). This is based on Vayikra 23:42-43, where the Torah says the "you shall dwell in booths seven days, all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths; that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your G-d."

Why are gerim not included in the commandment to dwell in Sukkot?  They are included in the "criminal law" provisions of Chapter 24 which is also in our Parshah.

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Shabbat Shalom

Join us Shabbat morning as we read the parshah and wrestle with what the Torah is teaching us!

Section 613

This is a prohibition that may be hard for many people to accept. We have already been told not to make any graven images (Shemot 20:4) in order to keep ourselves from idolatry.  That mitzvah was limited to making images for the purpose of worshipping the; this mitzvah is more extensive.  It requires that we make no human figures out of anything whatsoever. I suspect that most readers can more easily embrace the prohibition against making manifestations of HaShem than they can against making a sculpture of their neighbor Fred, or Venus, or Apollo. (OK, maybe sculptures of Venus and Apollo are a little too close to the idea of "gods.")

Study of this prohibition reveals the connection between humanity and the divine. As the Talmud understood it, man, or woman, is made in the image of HaShem.  So when an image of a human is made, in this understanding, an image of the divine is also being made, and the border between ornamentation and idolatry begins to be blurred.  This mitzvah is considered to be in effect in all times and places, for both men and women.  Do you / would you observe it?

Share your thoughts or ask a question

Want to learn more about the traditional mitzvot? Start here.

Members in need of prayers for healing

Joann Betschart, Mary Drabkin, Jeff Highett, Izzy Kurland, Brenna Au Miller, and Manny Trauring.

• Adult B'nai Mitzvah organizing meeting. May 18 at 9:00 AM.
• The next Religious School meeting will be held on Thursday, May 8 at 5:30 PM.
• The next and final Sunday School session is May 18.  Hebrew school continues each Thursday afternoon through May 22.
• Inter-Faith Ministries food pantry is in desperate need of non perishable foods. As a member, CBS has been contacted to help.  As always, we have a donation basket in the foyer.
• Please return your Cafe Shalom ticket money as soon as possible.

• Confirmation Service will be held on Friday, June 13th at 7:30 PM. Date Change
• The CBS office will be closed Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day.

Regularly Scheduled Activities

• Friday evening 7:30 PM and Saturday morning 9:30AM. Davening led by Rabbi Gould and members in the CBS sanctuary.
• Save the Date, Save the Date Sunday, May 18. Family fun day and picnic to close the religious school year.