Emor: consequences...

Having spent the past week learning at Midrasht Nishmat in Jerusalem, there are numerous stories and tales I could share. Yet, many of the most interesting do not relate to the parsha or have already fled from my awareness with the next joke or deep thought. Not to mention the fact that almost all of them have no relationship to the parsha this week, emor.

In analyzing the parsha, we come across a timeline of the holidays and how we should observe them as sacred time. The conclusion of the parsha is not on sacred time, rather on sacred action and how we should act towards those around us/towards God. There is a man who is the son of an Israeli mother and an Egyptian father who gets in a skirmish with a on Israelite man. Vayikra 24:11 has the man with the Israelite mother blaspheming the name of God. Here we get the question of sacred action and consequences for not acting appropriately.

The man is brought to Moses for punishment, who is consequently told by God that the necessary action to take is to take the man out of the camp, have all who heard the man blaspheme put their hands on his heads, and then the congregation stone him. A rather harsh action, but this is one of the most awful things one can do (according to some), and so needs appropriate repercussions. Next, we get the saying our parents often use as basis  for punishment: an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, etc.

So what is this all about? First, we must realize what we are saying. A awareness of our mouths and how we interact with others is imperative for continual well being in the world. It also allows us to feel more holy, as we are more conscientious and therefore more in tune with what we say and are thinking.

Second, acknowledgment of the consequences of our actions is paramount to continual success in the world. Without consequences, every action we do holds little or no weight. However, when we are aware of what we are doing and how it might affect others, we become more holy, or at least more whole as a person.

Lastly, this parsha demonstrates the importance of community. None of these consequences or even the actions themselves can occur in a bubble, with no one else around. Of course, alone we cannot curse another or have a punishment that deserves its action (especially if we sin against another). Yet, many times the community is the body which passes judgement on us and therefore necessary for maintaining equilibrium.

Shabbat shalom