Torah Portion for this Shabbat 5/8-9/20 and Pirkei Avot

MOTHERS DAY/DIA DE LAS MADRES (Sunday, May 10, 2020)

Mazal Tov – Mazal Bueno to all who celebrate this special occasion. 

 

May the Eternal One bless you and keep you. 

May the Eternal One look kindly upon you and be gracious to you. 

May the Eternal One reach out to you in tenderness and give you peace.

 

PARSHA

The Torah portion for this Shabbat is Emor (אֱמֹר — Hebrew for "speak"), Leviticus 21:1-24:23. 

 

From My Jewish Learning and other sources:

God gives Moses a series of laws specific to the priests (כֹּהֲנִים, Kohanim); God then instructs Moses to tell the people about the festivals including the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer – the Counting of the Omer from the second night of Pesach until Shavuot; describes the preparations for the lights and bread in the sanctuary; in addition to laws of blasphemy and murder.

 

SUMMARY (From ReformJudaism.org): 

• Laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests are presented. (21:1-22:33)
• The set times of the Jewish calendar are named and described: the Sabbath, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the Pilgrimage Festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot. (23:1-44)
• God commands the Israelites to bring clear olive oil for lighting the sanctuary menorah. The ingredients and placement of the displayed loaves of sanctuary bread are explained. (24:1-9)
• Laws dealing with profanity, murder, and the maiming of others are outlined. (24:10-23)

 

PIRKËI AVOT 

It is traditional to study a chapter per week of this section of the Mishnah for the six weeks between Pesach and Shavuot:

 

SAYINGS (Sefaria.org translation) 

From Chapter 3 [18 aphorisms]:

“…Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah says: If there is no Torah, there is no worldly occupation, if there is no worldly occupation, there is no Torah. If there is no wisdom, there is no fear of God; if there is no fear of God, there is no wisdom. If there is no knowledge, there is no understanding; if there is no understanding, there is no knowledge. If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah, there is no flour. [3/17]”

 

From Chapter 4 [22 aphorisms]:

“Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from every man, as it is said: ‘From all who taught me have I gained understanding’ {Psalms 119:99}. Who is mighty? He who subdues his (evil) inclination, as it is said: ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that takes a city’ {Proverbs 16:3}. Who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot, as it is said: ‘You shall enjoy the fruit of your labors, you shall be happy and you shall prosper’ {Psalms 128:2} [4/1].”

 

“He [Ben Azzai]  used to say: do not despise any man, and do not discriminate against anything, for there is no man that has not his hour, and there is no thing that has not its place. [4.3]”

 

“Rabbi Yose said: whoever honors the Torah is himself honored by others, and whoever dishonors the Torah is himself dishonored by others.” [4.6]

 

“Rabbi Yannai said: it is not in our hands (to explain the reason) either of the security of the wicked, or even of the afflictions of the righteous. Rabbi Mathia ben Harash said: Upon meeting people, be the first to extend greetings; And be a tail unto lions, and not a head unto foxes.” [4.15]

 

“Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Do not try to appease your friend during his hour of anger; Nor comfort him at the hour while his dead still lies before him; Nor question him at the hour of his vow; Nor strive to see him in the hour of his disgrace.” [4.18]

 

“Shmuel Hakatan said: ‘If your enemy falls, do not exult; if he trips, let your heart not rejoice, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and avert his wrath from him’ (Proverbs 24:17).” [4.19]

 

COUNTING THE ‘ÕMER – preparing for Shavuot

Today is 29 Days in the ‘Õmer, which is four weeks and two days of the ‘Õmer. Day 30 begins Friday evening at sundown. The Lag Ba‘Õmer holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the ‘Õmer will begin the evening of Monday, May 11 and end the evening of May 12. Sefardim celebrate on the 34th day of the ‘Õmer known as LaD Ba‘Õmer.

 

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

During a recent Zoom session on “The Wisdom of Pirkë Avot”, during a discussion something was said to the effect that as Reform Jews, we are more “spirit-of-the-law” people than “letter-of-the-law” people. In another session on “Judaism and the Afterlife” it was affirmed that Reform Jews are definitely not a “letter-of-the-law” people. Hopefully, this leads to questions about the views and practices each of us holds dear and why.

 

Psalm 92 MIZMOR SHIR L’YOM HASHABBAT (A psalm. A song; for the Sabbath Day.)

 

From the Friday Evening Service, some of us are familiar either with verses 2-5, which start with “Tov L’hodot l’Adonai” (it is good to give thanks to Adonai) and/or verses 13-16, which start with “Tzaddik katamar yif’rach” (the righteous bloom like a date-palm.)

 

There are additional significant verses in Psalm 92, however, which are chanted/recited in other traditions. It seems that verses 7-13, which are a central part of the psalm and contrast with the opening and closing verses, provide an important perspective when we struggle with the issue of why bad things happen to good people and why the evil seem to flourish. 

 

Verses 7-9 follow. You may want to read the whole Psalm to put them into context (translation found at Sefaria.org.):

 

v.7    A brute cannot know, a fool cannot understand this:

v.8    though the wicked sprout like grass, though all evildoers blossom, it is only that they may be destroyed forever.

v.9    But You are exalted, O Lord, for all time.

 

PRAYERS
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, violence, and war; for all those in need of physical, emotional and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!

We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh'loshim; those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of disease, natural disasters, war, violence; and of the Holocaust, who died at this time of year and have only us to say "Kaddish" for them. “Zichronam liv’rachah” – May their memories be for blessing.

 

Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat,

-Ruben

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