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The Blemished Kohen בס“ד Parshat Emor (Diaspora) 13 Iyar, 5779/May 18, 2019 Vol. 10 Num. 34 (#412) To dedicate an issue of Toronto Torah for $180, please contact [email protected] or 416-783-6960 The Blemished Kohen Rabbi Alex Hecht In enumerating the detailed laws and lame or sick [animal], is nothing wrong? may reflect apathy, a blemish in a restrictions of the kohanim, the Torah Present it, if you please, to your person does not demonstrate a lack of warns that kohanim with certain governor: Would he be pleased with you devotion! Should the sight of an physical abnormalities may not or show you favour?” (Malachi 1:8, unusual looking person really perform the priestly service: “The food Artscroll tr.) In this understanding, all compromise our awe of the service in of his G-d from the most holy and from elements of the sacrificial service, the Beit haMikdash? the holy he may eat. But he shall not including the one performing it, must be come to the Curtain, and he shall not aesthetically pleasing in order to Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch explains that approach the Altar, for he has a properly honour G-d. the reason a blemished kohen is barred blemish; and he shall not desecrate my from performing the service is not sacred offerings.” (Vayikra 21:22-23, Respect for the Kohen because he is undesirable to G-d in any Artscroll tr.) Sefer haChinuch (Mitzvah 275) way. Rather, the Torah’s law reflects the understands this prohibition as not reality of human nature. Unfortunately, Why should a kohen, who may possess necessarily relating to the honour of G- people are superficial, and tend to judge outstanding personal qualities, be d, nor to spiritual shortcomings, but to negatively, or be distracted by, those prevented from serving because he has the perceptions of other people. Since it who look different. Even though this certain physical blemishes? Is this law is human nature to be drawn to people outlook is not ideal, the Torah does not not offensive to individuals whose and things that are aesthetically command us to deny our emotions and physical flaws are congenital or born of pleasing, it is necessary that the pretend that they do not exist. (Peninei illness or injury, as well as to a Torah messenger of the people upon whom Da’at al haTorah, Vol. II, pp. 45-47) which emphasizes looking beyond the their atonement depends earns their physical (Samuel I 16:7)? What favour and appreciation. Conversely, if Therefore, the Torah instructs us to give motivates the search for physical the messenger of the people is of the service in the Beit haMikdash perfection in a kohen? unusual appearance, people are likely proper reverence from our perspective. to have less reverence for the service Indeed, korbanot more broadly are Spiritual Perfection and position. understood to be primarily about Rabbi Ephraim Luntschitz suggests influencing us, as opposed to giving that a kohen’s physical blemish may Respect for the Sanctuary anything to G-d, who lacks nothing. The be reflective of a spiritual deficiency. Rambam notes that since most people Sefer haChinuch (Mitzvah 95) notes that He notes that the Torah says, “a are unable to estimate man by his true korbanot are meant to be experiential blemish in him,” indicating that the [internal] essence, it is necessary for the and evoke feelings of regret, repentance blemish the Torah is primarily external aspects of the service - the or gratitude, which a person may not concerned about is internal. (Kli Yakar building, the kohanim, and their always reach on his own. Consequently, to Vayikra 21:17) garments - to be attractive, so that we are required to ensure that this people will have proper awe. (Moreh experience is achieved on both an Respect for G-d Nevuchim 3:45) internal and external level. Rashi (Vayikra 21:18) comments that just as it is disrespectful to bring a While these explanations help to [For other perspectives on this topic, see blemished animal as an offering to G- understand the Torah’s exclusion of Our Blemished Selves (Emor 5771); The d, it is similarly inappropriate for a kohanim with physical flaws, the latter Blemished Kohen (Emor 5773); Do We person with a physical blemish to three seem quite superficial. Can we Believe in Inclusion? (Emor 5775); Only present an offering. He cites G-d’s accurately judge a person’s character G-d is Unblemished (Emor 5776).] displeasure expressed by the prophet based on his external appearance? Malachi: “And when you present a While offering an animal with a blemish [email protected] OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI ELIHU ABBE AVREICHIM EZER DIENA, RABBI ALEX HECHT ADULT SEDER BOKER DIRECTOR RABBI MOSHE YERES WOMEN’S BEIT MIDRASH MRS. ELIANA ABBE ISRAELI CORRESPONDENTS RABBI ADAM FRIEDMANN, RABBI BARUCH WEINTRAUB, RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING Find our upcoming classes on-line at UNIVERSITY CHAVERIM ISAAC BUSHEWSKY, NAFTI DIENA, YISHAI DISHY, COREY www.torontotorah.com KAMEN, ARI KARON, JAY KARON, YEHUDA LEVI, COBY LYONS, JACOB POSLUNS, MORDECHAI ROTH, ARI RUBIN, DANIEL SAFRAN, ILAN SHIELDS, DAVID TOBIS, EYTAN We are grateful to WEISZ, URIEL WEISZ, ELI WELTMAN, MARK WERNER, BARUCH WISE Continental Press 905-660-0311 Journey Through Tanach: Shoftim, Chapter 8 Rabbi Adam Friedmann Summary captured. Gideon carries out his Sukkot and Penuel cannot see how This chapter is the final one in the promise to elders of Sukkot, and then Gideon and his army could possibly Gideon saga. In the aftermath of the destroys the tower of Penuel and kills prevail against Midian, to the point that miraculous battle from the previous the inhabitants of the city. This is they feared helping their fellow Jews for chapter, the people of Ephraim are followed by the execution of Zevach fear of Midianite retribution. Gideon angry with Gideon for not calling them and Tzalmuna themselves. responds that G-d will help to defeat into the fight with Midian (he had Midian. After the war, the Jews view the instead fought with only 300 select Once the war is over the Israelites ask victory as owing to Gideon’s strength soldiers, as G-d instructed). Gideon Gideon to become their king and have and ask him to become king. Once responds by extolling the greatness of his descendants rule over them. again, Gideon must repeat that the war Ephraim’s soldiers and noting that G-d Gideon refuses, stating that only G-d was won by G-d and therefore He is the had given the Midianite commanders will rule over the Jews. He then makes ruler. Ze’ev and Orev over to Ephraim’s a golden garment from the nose rings hands. of all the Midianite soldiers, and he This issue is never resolved. After features it in his home town of Gideon’s death, the Jews go straight After this Gideon crosses the Jordan in Ophrah. The garment is a testament to back to idol worship. They never get the pursuit of Zevach and Tzalmuna, the the sheer number of Midianite soldiers message that G-d and Gideon were kings of Midian. With his troops who had been defeated. (Rashi) The telling them. exhausted, he stops in the Israelite city land is quiet for many years. After of Sukkot to ask for provisions. The Gideon’s death, the Jews return to the This raises a question in our own lives. people in Sukkot doubt his chances of idolatrous service of Ba’al and do great Are there times when G-d’s providence victory, and refuse to help. Gideon disservice to Gideon’s family, as the is staring us in the face and we cannot promises the people of Sukkot that once following chapter will make clear. or do not want to recognize it? G-d has helped him defeat Midian, he will thresh their flesh with thorns and Insight [email protected] thistles. Gideon tries again in the city of The consistent refrain in this chapter Penuel, receiving the same response. is the inability of the people interacting This time Gideon promises to destroy with Gideon to understand that G-d is the tower of Penuel. the One who is saving them. The people of Ephraim are angry that they Gideon and this army then track down were not invited to fight in the war; the Midianite army, which is quickly Gideon responds that it was G-d who defeated. Zevach and Tzalmuna are subdued the Midianites. The people of Law of the Land: Racism? Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner In the early years of the State of Israel, there was much conceded that the Torah recognizes a distinction between a discussion among the political leadership about enabling the Jew and a non-Jew. This distinction, however, is not based aliyah of Ethiopians who claimed Jewish heritage. In 1953, upon race, origin, or color, but rather upon k’dushah, the the Jewish Agency began sending rabbis to Ethiopia to teach holiness endowed by having been given and having accepted Jewish tradition and practice, opening special schools to the Torah. Furthermore, the distinction between Jew and prepare the anticipated olim. However, in 1957 the Jewish non-Jew does not involve any concept of inferiority but is Agency closed the schools, and the initiative for aliyah came based primarily upon the unique and special burdens that to an abrupt halt. are incumbent upon the Jews.” (Civil Rights and the Dignity of Man, Logic of the Heart, Logic of the Mind) Similarly, One reason for the change in policy was a ruling by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote in a published letter, “And I Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yitzchak haLevi Herzog (later was very pained to hear that there are such people in Israel published in Techumin 8), calling into serious question the who refrain from drawing near [the Ethiopians] in spiritual Jewish status of the Ethiopians.
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