The double portion of Behar-Bechukotai closes out the Book of Leviticus. We get listings of moral and ethical behavior that now seem to be incumbent upon the entire Israelite community (whereas much of the rest of Leviticus can be read as an instruction manual for the priests and Levites). A central theme here is the notion of sabbatical and jubilee years, which are given much attention in Parashat Behar. The rules of the sabbatical are designed not only to give the land an opportunity to rest (an important idea well before the significance of crop rotation was fully appreciated), but also to level the playing field for Israelites (and resident aliens) of all socio-economic backgrounds. The sabbatical/ jubilee year included forgiveness of debts, cancellation of real-estate contracts, release of indentured servants, and other rules designed to help all members of the community get back on equal footing. And in later generations, when he saw people "gaming the system" to their own advantage, Rabbi Hillel instituted a legal overlay known asa the "prosbul" to move contracts into the hands of the courts and once again try to restore a sense of fairness to the process.
Nowadays, the sabbatical and jubilee are no longer practiced and we do see class and socio-economic striations pulling at the fabric of our society. This month is the centennial of folksinger Pete Seeger, who used his songs to try to shed light on disparities in our world and advocate for change. He famously had a sticker on his guitar that read, "This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender." This song, Seeger's final single, is but one in the pantheon of folk songs that Seeger wrote and/or popularized that talk about working together to achieve social justice.
Please note, I do not own-- nor do I claim to own-- these songs. Copyrights are held by the various artists. I include them here for illustrative purposes. God's Counting on Me, God's Counting on You- (Behar-Bechukotai- Leviticus 25:1-27:14)
Music and lyrics by Pete Seeger and Lorre Wyatt; performed by Pete Seeger with Lorre Wyatt & Friends. Billy Barone Productions, 2012.
Parashat Emor continues the listing of Levitical and priestly duties. Among the ideas discussed in this portion, we find the details of the Israelite liturgical calendar.
The Torah would have us believe that the pilgrimage festivals were faithfully observed be each and every Israelite household. The implication is that three times a year (for Sukkot, Passover, and Shavuot), the entire country would shut down as pilgrims made their way to Jerusalem. If we take a step back, however, we can see that this would not have been practical nor feasible.
The Torah presents the festivals in this way, and engages in such "wishful thinking" about the universality of these pilgrimages, in large part to emphasize the importance of the festivals, cement the role of the priests in helping the citizenry observe the festivals, and encourage continued compliance with the rituals connected to the festivals. Additionally (whether or not it entered the consciousness of the authors of these passages), the detail with which the pilgrimages are described is helpful in informing our own practice in modern times.
Though as modern Jews living in the diaspora we lack the means or the wherewithal (and perhaps, the desire) to take livestock to Jerusalem three times a year, we nevertheless engage in other aspects of the holiday celebration, projecting ourselves back in time as we dwell in sukkot, or hold a Passover seder, or commemorate the giving of the Torah. As we repeat these rituals each year, we can imagine what it would have been like for our ancestors as we, in our own way, traverse the Holiday Road...
Please note, I do not own-- nor do I claim to own-- these songs. Copyrights are held by the various artists. I include them here for illustrative purposes. Holiday Road- (Emor- Leviticus 21:1-24:23)
Music and lyrics by Lindsey Buckingham; performed by Lindsey Buckingham. From the album "National Lampoon's Vacation Original Motion Picture Soundtrack," Warner Brothers, 1983.
Thanks to those who are sticking with me on this project. Apologies for another delay...:Acharei Mot-Kedoshim was the double portion prescribed for this past Shabbat (May 2, 2020).
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim picks up the narrative of Leviticus following our brief tangent in Tazria-Metzora in which bodily impurity was discussed. We now get further discussion of how Aaron and his sons will prepare themselves for the responsibilities of the priesthood. We also have chapter eighteen, covering sexual improprieties. This chapter unfortunately has been used over the years to justify great prejudices against the LGBTQ+ community, and it is incumbent on all of us to read and and make sense of its messages, and to atone for wrongs perpetrated through misunderstanding its teachings. But that is not our key topic here...
Kedoshim is famous as the "Holiness Code," a set of moral instructions that are just as instructive in understand Israelite culture as the Ten Commandments-- perhaps even more so. We are told to be holy, because Adonai, our God, is holy. We may wonder how it is even possible for a mortal to even begin to strive toward the same degree of holiness as God. Perhaps an answer can be found in the way that the word that gives the portion its name, קדשים, is written. Ordinarily, in a Hebrew text without vowels, such as the Torah, the word would be written with a "vav" (ו) as its third letter: קדושים. A word written without a "vav" is still legible and understandable in context, yet it is known as "chaser," deficient or defective. When a chaser word appears in an unexpected place such as this, it invites examination: what does it come to teach us? It would seem to imply that humanity's striving toward holiness will always be a bit lacking. Nonetheless, we are still called to work in partnership with God to make ourselves, and this world, as holy as possible. "Just look to your soul/ and open your mind."
Please note, I do not own-- nor do I claim to own-- these songs. Copyrights are held by the various artists. I include them here for illustrative purposes. Crystal Blue Persuasion- (Acharei Mot-Kedoshim- Leviticus 16:1-20:27)
Music and lyrics by Eddie Gray, Tommy James, and Mike Vale; performed by Tommy James and the Shondells. From the album "Crimson and Clover," Roulette, 1969.
