Acharei-Mot Kedoshim Vol.29 No.32.Qxp Layout 1
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6 May 2017 10 Iyar 5777 Shabbat ends London 9.27pm Jerusalem 8.02pm Volume 29 No. 32 Acharei-Mot Kedoshim Artscroll p.636 Haftarah p.1173 Hertz p.480 Haftarah p.509 Soncino p.705 Haftarah p.735 In memory of Harav Uri ben hechaver Naftali "When you shall come to the Land and you shall plant any food tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years… In the fourth year, all its fruit shall be sanctified to praise God. And on the fifth year you may eat its fruit – so that it will increase its crop for you – I am the Lord your God" 1 (Vayikra 19:23-25). Sidrah Summary: Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Shemot 16:1-24 parents and to observe Shabbat. Offerings need God speaks to Moshe after the death of two of to be eaten within their designated time. When Aharon’s sons (recorded in parashat Shemini). harvesting one’s field or vineyard, certain produce Moshe is told to warn Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, needs to be left over for paupers to take free of not to enter the Holy of Holies (Kodesh charge. One may not place a stumbling block in Hakodashim) area of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), front of a blind person. except on Yom Kippur. The sidrah now details the 5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 19:15-32 Yom Kippur service in the Mishkan: Aharon will A judge is not allowed to favour any litigant. It is have to bring a bull as a chatat (sin offering) and forbidden to harbour hatred or to seek revenge. a ram as an olah (elevation offering). The people You shall “love your fellow as yourself”. Eating the will provide two male goats. Aharon must place fruit of a tree during the first three years of growth lots on the two goats, designating one to be a is forbidden. In its fourth year, the fruit has to be chatat and the other to be thrown off a cliff in eaten in Jerusalem. It is forbidden to cut one’s the wilderness. Inside the Kodesh Hakodashim, skin in mourning. There is a mitzvah to stand up Aharon will bring an incense offering (ketoret). He in the presence of a Torah scholar and an elderly will also sprinkle blood from the various offerings person. in specific areas of the Mishkan. Point to Consider: what did Rabbi Akiva 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 16:25-17:7 comment on the mitzvah to “love your fellow as The Israelites are commanded to fast on Yom yourself”? (see Rashi to 19:18) Kippur. When Yom Kippur arrives, Aharon does Question: which three ‘mixtures’ are prohibited in exactly as commanded by God. His special verse 19:19? Answer on bottom of page 6. service is to be repeated every year by future 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 19:33-20:7 incumbents of his office. It is forbidden to bring an animal offering anywhere other than the One must have accurate scales, weights and Mishkan. measures. There was a severe prohibition against giving one’s children over to an ancient cult called 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 17:8-18:21 ‘Molech’. It is forbidden to consume the blood of any 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 20:8-27 animal (Rashi). After doing shechita (slaughter) Cursing one’s parents is forbidden. The on kosher fowl or non-domesticated animals, punishments for the forbidden relationships there is a mitzvah to cover the blood. The laws of detailed in the 3rd aliya (Shlishi) are listed. forbidden relationships are listed, such as with Keeping the laws of kashrut will enable us to close relatives, or with another’s spouse. remain a distinct and distinguished nation. (Revi’i) 4th Aliya – 18:22-19:14 Haftarah The nation’s well-being in the Land is dependent The prophet Amos rebukes Israel for being no upon adhering to the laws about forbidden better than the Pelishtim (Philistine) nation. Those relationships. who were particularly sinful will suffer the harshest [This week’s second sidrah, Kedoshim, contains punishment. But once they have died by the many mitzvot, a selection of which has been sword, the Davidic kingdom will return and the included here]. We are commanded to revere our Land will be rebuilt. United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Ilana Epstein, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Loraine Young on 020 8343 5653, or [email protected] If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected] 2 Solutions in the Sidrah: 1984 by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community One of the most famous mitzvot. It does not subscribe to the notion of a British novels of the ‘holier class’ that has greater responsibilities in 20th century was George life due to any inherent superiority. Instead, the Orwell’s 1984, published in responsibility to seek ‘holiness’ in life is shared 1949. Interestingly, the name equally, and is accessible to all those who itself was not Orwell’s dedicate themselves to it. For instance, the preferred choice. He had priestly caste of Kohanim had particular duties in intended to call his book the area of Temple service. But the Alshich ‘The Last Man in Europe’, because the central reminds us that when any group believes that character in the story, Winston, is the only person they are ‘holier’ than all others because of their left alive with the freedom to think. Everyone particular responsibilities, something has gone else is completely enslaved to ‘Big Brother’, very badly wrong. the ruling Party which governs every aspect of people’s lives and minds. Eventually even Explaining the essence of the Party to Winston in Winston himself succumbs; he even comes to Orwell’s 1984, O’Brian, the protagonist of the ‘love’ Big Brother. 1984 is an eerie and chilling story, declares that, “The Party seeks power work, especially in the context of the post-war entirely for its own sake, we are interested in environment in which it was written. power, pure power… power is not a means it is an end… Now you begin to understand me”. There is an underlying tension highlighted by the novel. On the one hand, a proper form of The opening words of Kedoshim provide a government is essential for society to function. powerful polemic against this terrifying elitist Complete individualism may sound wonderful, ideology: “Speak to the entire assembly of but it creates anarchy. the Children of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy!” Judaism does not seek to Yet on the other hand, a unified community may demote or overpower anyone – we all have carry the threat of totalitarianism, in which even opportunities to become holy. thinking differently is a form of subversion to the aims and ideals of the state. That is Orwell’s warning - a caution against allowing the state to become all powerful. How can a state be prevented from becoming totalitarian? How can individual liberty be preserved, whilst the state fulfils its duty to help society function peacefully? Parashat Kedoshim opens with the famous injunction, “You shall be holy!” (Vayikra 19:2). Notably, before this injunction, the Torah states that “the entire assembly of the Children of Israel” must be present to hear these words. According to Rabbi Moshe Alshich (d. 1593), this is in order to emphasise that Judaism does not believe in the concept of a two-tier system within In memory of Harav Zvi ben Aryeh 3 Dimensions of Holiness by Rabbi Nick Kett, Assistant Rabbi, Hale Synagogue This week’s double sidrah we developed the custom of reciting the famous contains 79 mitzvot, statement of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Chanania representing 13% of all ben Akashia at the end of public Torah study (see the mitzvot in the Torah. green siddur p. 528). He teaches that the reason In terms of ratio of verses for the all-encompassing scope of mitzvot is to to mitzvot mentioned, provide Jews with opportunities to earn merit, parashat Kedoshim, the and to strengthen our connection to God in the second of the sidrot, is World to Come. In fact, even things that we do the densest sidrah in the entire Torah. intuitively will be rewarded. The opening lines of Kedoshim tell us to “be Imagine an employee who was handed a long list holy” (Vayikra 19:2). Holiness in Judaism does of tasks and responsibilities, which would ensure not mean to withdraw and refrain from worldly the success of the firm and guarantee a pleasures. We are entitled to enjoy the finer promotion in the future. The employee may be things in life. The Ramban (Nachmanides d. forgiven for deciding not to take advantage of the 1270) writes that we can in fact achieve holiness opportunity. However, we would have little by enjoying worldly pleasures in moderation. sympathy if that person decided to do the Holiness therefore has a different slant; it means precise opposite of the things written on the list, to set ourselves apart for a special relationship putting the company at significant risk of failure with God. This manifests itself in three key areas, and insolvency. Surely, the employee would be all of which are included in the sidrah, and have fired for such behaviour. numerous mitzvot connected to them. The three key areas are the holiness of time, the holiness Our Divine ‘CEO’ has recommended a lifestyle, of space and the holiness of people.