Kedoshim Nity

Our B’nai Mitzvah Year March 2006 • Sh’vat 5766 www.kolotchayeinu.org congregation kolot chayeinu • • voices of our lives lence; without economic justice, prohibition against breaking a the community will eventually bone of the Passover offering, P’shat: At the Center fragment into opposing classes R. Aharon sets up the literary BY ALYSSA GRAY of exploiters and exploited; fiction that he’s responding and without impulse control to a student who thinks that (expressed in sexual and gas- Passover simply has too many eviticus sits right tronomic terms), a community rules. In response, R. Aharon in the center of the will disintegrate into a hoard of says that a “human being is Torah – preceded pleasure-seeking individuals. To formed according to his (sic) by Genesis and lightenment-era social contract. repeat, God is represented as actions,” and that “his heart LExodus, followed by Numbers Aside from the ubiquitous giving the rules as part of God’s and all his thoughts (sic) always and Deuteronomy – a literary sign-off “I am the Lord (your work in creating the Israelites follow the actions he engages representation of its dominant God)” to various laws, God as a holy community. Libera- in, whether good or evil.” In a symbol, the Tent of Meet- more specifically justifies cer- tion from oppression was step nutshell, holy behavior leads to ing, which sat in the center of tain rules by referring to God’s 1, but the discipline of law was holy thoughts, a holy per- the Israelite camp. The rules liberation of the Hebrews – is – step 2. sonality – and finally, a holy found in Leviticus gener- from Egypt and separation of Implicit in what I’ve said human being. It is not enough ally are the nuts and bolts of them to be God’s own commu- is the notion that the Torah to tell people to be and do the Torah’s vision of how to nity. For example, the stranger represents God not as the what is good – people must be constitute and maintain the (“ger”) must be treated like the capricious Giver of arbitrary educated to do what is good Jewish people as holy – the citizen (“ezrah”) and you must goal being not simply the “love him like yourself ” because holiness of individuals, but “you were strangers in the land the holiness of the commu- of Egypt” (Lev 19:34). Jews Kedoshim nity. Holiness and community must scrupulously observe just are, as it were, the poles of the weights and measures because Learning the ruLes – the hoLiness Code literary Tent of Meeting that “[God] took you out of the is Leviticus. land of Egypt” (v. 36). Israel LevitiCus 19:1 – 20:27 But what does this have to must not practice the behaviors do with “Learning the Rules” of the nations that caused the of Kedoshim? In good Jewish land of Israel to “vomit them rules, but as a Lawgiver Whose through rules that mandate fashion, let’s start to answer out” (e.g., Lev 20:22), for God rules have a point that can good behaviors, which lead in this question with some other separated Israel from the na- be grasped by humans. The turn to good thoughts and a questions: Where do the rules tions (20:24, 26) to be “Mine” issue of which representation good soul. Ultimately, then, come from? Do the rules serve (20:26). These various rules are is correct was a hot topic in the point of the Torah’s rules is any larger purpose? Are the rightly justified by reference medieval Jewish philosophy pedagogical. rules clear in what they de- to God’s community-build- and law. Let’s look briefly at Okay, so what do we do to mand, and how do we read and ing because each plays a role the view of R. Aharon Halevi “do good”? Notwithstanding understand them? in building and maintaining of Barcelona (13th century), the braying of the literalists, Kedoshim represents that community. Without compas- reputed author of the Sefer even the Torah’s apparently the rules come from God, Who sion for the stranger, society Hahinukh, an explanation of clear pronouncements are not commands them on God’s own will come apart through hatred, the 613 commandments. In necessarily clear. Despite its authority. Not quite an En- prejudice, and eventual vio- his discussion of mitsva 16, the continued on page 7 FROM OUR HAZZAN LISA B. SEGAL s we explore the Holiness Code, or “the rules,” in this issue of VOICES, I am thinking about a new focus allow for flexibility? In my experience, and as I learn about the I have on rules in relation to what I’m learning in foundations on which we base our Jewish practice, I say “yes.” Many my first year of cantorial school and how I apply that theologians support the idea that prayer was historically flexible and Alearning to the work I do at Kolot. there was always some diversity in its expression, as opposed to a When I tell people what I “do” – that I’m the cantor at a syna- rigid, fixed system, so I’m in good company. gogue and now going to school to become an ordained cantor – I Now that I’m learning these modes and where they are “appro- hear a lot of “why bother? What’s the difference between what you priate” or not (according to tradition), I find that I look even more do now and what you will do after you are ordained? Will you be closely at my musical choices. For example, there are many, many different when you get done?” This latter question often comes with tunes for the Michamocha, sung both Friday night and Saturday a certain amount of nervousness, as if my learning will turn me into morning. Most of them were composed with a particular “mode” a loud pseudo-operatic “Golden Age” style cantor. The truth is, I’m in mind, and I try to be mindful of which one I use in which ser- seeking to deepen my cantorial work through more formal study vice. But the truth is, I also make a choice based on the emotional and commitment to a path. And another truth is that I AM learning and musical impact of the melody, only now I do it with increased about more traditional forms, which I think will only deepen my knowledge. interpretation and understanding of sung prayer. In an era when people used to attend services several times a day, This past semester I took courses and all throughout Shabbat, there in cantillation, the art of chanting the was a great need for each service to Torah and Haftarah, the structure be clear about content and emotional and history of the weekday liturgy, a tone. But in a world like we share seminar on core concepts of Juda- at Kolot Chayeinu, where people ism, and a course on cantorial modes, � 3 � � attend only one service a week, the which can be defined as the particular � � Rabbi and I have to pay attention to “sounds” of each service. While all of ��4 � the structure and tone of the service, this has been fascinating and revealing, I want� to focus on this last but we also try to approach� it with a conscious effort to create an course in relation to “the rules”. � emotional arch that makes sense for that service. Growing up a Reform Jew in a big Midwestern temple, I never There is a phrase from Pirkei Avot (5:22): “Hafoch bah v’hafoch realized that there were different sounds for different services. bah d’kolah bah. Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it.” It’s While I loved the old and the new music, I didn’t see a recognizable often invoked to describe the richness of possibility in the study of pattern there, other than it was a Friday night or Saturday morning Torah. Arthur tells me he loves studying Torah because even though service. I’ve been studying about the long and rich history of distin- he might reach an understanding of the parsha that feels like an guishing each service by its particular motifs and recurrent melodies “aha” moment, in reading these stories over and over, churning through – Kabbalat Shabbat has a sound and feeling distinct from Shabbat them, he always finds it challenging to keep himself open to morning, a weekday service has a different sound from Shabbat, and encountering a parsha as if it is new. Each new reading reflects holidays differ, as well. where he is in that particular time. I often have the same experience For example, the “sounds” of Kabbalat Shabbat are generally in with music. For example, I may find that singing Psalm 150 one way major tones, intended to evoke a mood of transition, with grandeur really works, week after a week. But then, perhaps because of the news or a vibe in the shul or the weather, I’m likely to find that a and majesty. This particular mode, Adonai Malakh, named after the different versions seems better for that moment. opening words of the 97th Psalm, continues up to the Amidah. At Having a new understanding of the rules – whether in the struc- this point, the mode switches to Magen Avot, whose natural minor ture of service and prayer or the Hebrew grammar and pronuncia- sounds evoke a sense of calm as we usher in Shabbat. tion to the modes and their meanings –leads me toward a stronger Sounds complicated, but it has been fascinating to learn these base of knowledge from which I can intelligently and intuitively modes and their places in the service.

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