Preparing for Shabbat

D'var Torah given this Monday at HUC. 

I love running on Friday morning. The run feels great and it’s time I don’t have during the week. Then, I return home to make challah and prepare my part of Shabbat dinner, spending time in the kitchen, spilling flour and tomato sauce, getting even more gross as I go through the day. Of course, I make time for homework, but the Shabbat preparations really take up most of my day. With only minutes before candle-lighting, I finally shower and change my clothes. As I step out of my dirty clothes and into the shower I feel a sense of calm. And as I don my Shabbat outfit, I feel enveloped in calm.

We all feel this need to change out clothes sometimes. We wear a different outfit everyday, sometimes multiple outfits a day. We change for special occasions. The Torah also understands that people need to change their clothes for special occasions.

In Leviticus 6:4 we read: וּפָשַׁט, אֶת-בְּגָדָיו, וְלָבַשׁ, בְּגָדִים אֲחֵרִים; וְהוֹצִיא אֶת-הַדֶּשֶׁן אֶל-מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה, אֶל-מָקוֹם טָהוֹר. He took off his clothes and put on new clothes. He took the ashes to outside the camp, to a pure place. For greater context, this verse is prefaced by the High Priest, wearing his linen uniform to move the ashes to the edge of the alter, changing his uniform, and then going out to perform the second duty as stated above. He changes in order to perform the second required duty associated with the ash of the עולה, the burnt offering.

Exodus 28:43 says that the high priest should only wear his priestly garments in the area of the sanctuary. This makes sense. Yet the Rabbis still had questions about the strange wardrobe change. Rashi and Ramban quoting Rashi, commented on it, saying אין זה חובה אלא דרך ארץ, this isn’t a requirement, but rather the right way to act. They determined that the High priest was not required to change his clothes. Instead, it was a suggestion to demonstrate proper intentions. There are two explanations for this. In one, the High Priest should not dirty his fine linen clothes in disposing of the ash, so he changes into older linen clothes. He still wears בגדי כהונה, priestly clothing, but he does not dirty the grandest ritual garb, saved for the most important of offerings.

The second explanation comes in the form of a parable. When a man makes wine for his master, he dirties his clothing in the process of making it. It would be disrespectful for the wine maker to serve his master in those dirty clothes. So too would disposing of the ash outside the camp in dirty clothes be disrespectful of God.

Both of these interpretations focus on cleanliness and respect for the ritual itself, as well as the master before whom it is offered, in this case, God. The Priest must demonstrate honor for God, and does so by way of a clothing change.

From these verses, we learn the importance of clothing changes in order to make rituals more meaningful and distinct. This is further demonstrated by the Maharasha, a commentator living in 16th/17th century Poland, on the Talmud, in Shabbat 114a, who talks specifically about women’s preparations for Shabbat. He suggests that Levit 6:4 particularly focuses on women who spend their entire Friday preparing the house and meals for Shabbat. These women work diligently to ensure a meaningful Shabbat experience, and likely get dirty,  their hair and clothing imbued with the smells of cooking. Especially these women, the Maharasha says, who may not even attend synagogue for Kabbalat Shabbat, should make sure to change their clothes. They too need to differentiate between the holy acts of preparations for Shabbat and the bringing in of Shabbat itself.

Although Leviticus 6:4 speaks about the high priest and the necessary actions he must take to fulfill his duties in the most holy and respectful way, the general concept of changing one’s clothes in order to demonstrate distinction is applicable in many realms. This change allows a mental and physical distance between the two events or times, even when we don’t specifically see it.

I find this distance most relevant as I move to welcome Shabbat, both physically and spiritually. I need to feel the distinction between Shabbat and the rest of the week, which I do through a clothing change.  Though the Rabbis tell us this clothing change isn’t imperative, we learn that it is “the right way to act.” Shabbat is a holy time and must be treated as such. Were we to enter Shabbat either unwashed or in unclean clothes, we would not be in the right spirit to welcome Shabbat. Rather, we must allow ourselves to be transformed.

This Shabbat, in whatever way you choose, I invite you to try something new. Try separating yourselves from your everyday and putt on something different, something meaningful. Try welcoming Shabbat with a sense of דרך ארץ.

And yes, I did go for a run. And I did get all dirty. But I also showered more than 1.5 hours before Shabbat!

God's Children

K'doshim t'hiuh ci kadosh Adonai eloheinu. You shall be holy, for I The Lord am holy (Leviticus 19:2).

Not only is Jerusalem one of the holiest cities for Jews, but also for Christians. As pesach and Easter come together in this holy city, Jews and Christians mingle in the alleyways. However, that image is broken by the barriers and police officers strewn throughout the Christian section and the ramkolim screaming out the the Lords Prayer in multiple languages.

Good Friday in the old city is an experience. Following the line of Christian pilgrims, we walked the stations of the cross. One of the most moving parts was the arrival at the first station without realization, the Franciscan Monks gathered in an oval and praying aloud. The shock of having arrived at the first station, after following the Arab Catholic Latin scouts from the church of the Franciscans with no sense of direction or purpose. Silence spread around us, even as the hub-bub continued outside the gate. Traveling with the Monks  carried with it a sense of spirituality and power, despite it not being for my spiritual practice.

These people feel a connection to God and yes, to Jesus. Although Judaism does hold Jesus to such an esteemed position, I can respect these people and understand their need to connect to God, or however they feel as closely connected to God. We must respect the holiness of these people. They too are holy, as are all of God's children.

This week. May we find holiness in those around us and appreciation for the beauty each individual provides. Shabbat shalom!

Achrei Mot

Aaron's Son's Nadav and Abihu have died and Aaron is moving on. God gives Moses to command to speak to Aaron about how he should approach the Beit haMikdash and what he should bring with him. God describes the two goats Aaron is to bring, one for sacrifice and one to be let go. The explanation goes on to include that of atonement and specifically, the day of atonement. As it is written in Leviticus 16:30: כִּֽי־בַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה יְכַפֵּ֥ר עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם לְטַהֵ֣ראֶתְכֶ֑ם מִכֹּל֙ חַטֹּ֣אתֵיכֶ֔ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖התִּטְהָֽרו For on this day atonement will be made for you to be pure (to cleanse you) from all the sins/impurities you have made before the lord. The surrounding verses similarly focus on Yom Kippur and give us a detailed explanation of how we must keep the Day of Atoenment, that it is indeed a day of rest and that we must "afflict our souls" during this Shabbat Shabbaton.

Yet the question arises: what does it really mean to atone? Why must we do it? And why now? Does Aaron have something he must atone for, or is God simply continuing the education God started for Aaron before his sons died? If we continue on in reading the parsha, we come across chapter 18, which lays out all the ways someone shall not uncover another person's nakedness. The various ways one might do so, like with a father's sister or a son or daughter's daughter, with one's sister or daughter or father's wife. Basically, the Torah covers the bases.  In 18:27-29, the Torah suggests that we must keep these ordinances and teachings, for if we do not, the land will vomit us out  for defiling it as it vomited out the nations that came before us (yes, the word vomit is actually used!). How are these two parts of the parsha connected.

With regard between the connection between the two parts of the parsha, it seems that God has detailed our path of atonement, and then provides us with specific incriminations for which atonement isn't even feasible. God understands that there may be times when we go astray and therefore do wrong, and that happens. However, we must take heed and atone for those wrongdoings once they occur. The transgressions described in chapter 18 are impermissible and must not be performed under any circumstances. Only with the serious transgressions will God smite the Jewish people and have them vomited on by the land itself.

In considering the first set of questions, of the meaning of atonement, Rabbi Ishmael in Tosefta Kippurim 4(5) 6-8 has much to add. The Tosefta shares with us four divisions in the matter of atonement. The one pertaining to our parsha is that "If one transgresses a negative command and then repents, repentance suspends punishment and Yom Kippur brings atonement" (Leviticus 16:30) The other three are of failing to observe a positive command and repenting, therefore being forgiven on the spot (Jeremiah 3:22), committing a sin punishable by death by repents and participates in the Day of Atonement, the punishment is suspended if the person continues to be good through the year (Psalm 89:33), and the worst that is deliberately profaning God's name, is only atonable by not only repenting and the Day of Atonement, but also suffering and final death. (Isaiah 22:14). Therefore, we find that atonement has different meaning depending on the kind of sin one commits. Atoning is the act of repenting, of apologizing, of making right the act that was so wrong in the first place. Atonement is the cleansing of the soul, the coming face to face with one's actions and taking accountability for them.

I am reminded of my children. Working with kids with special needs, they often don't understand that they need to apologize and simply continue on in their own world after doing something wrong to another. Stopping that child, I bring them over to the hurt party and ask them to apologize, in whatever way they are capable. Whether or not the child understands why he or she is apologizing, the hurt party gets some sense of righteousness and the world continues on, back in proper balance. However, atonement isn't always that simple. The more complex our ability to reason becomes, the easier it is to explain away what we have done as necessary or not painful. Yet we must always recognize that our actions have repercussions and apologize. If not, we must be held accountable for our actions. That is the purpose of Yom Kippur, to hold us accountable for our actions and make us aware that we have caused pain, even if the intentions were entirely pure.

This parsha, on the heals of Aaron's son's deaths, is the time to atone. However, the time to atone is before death. One makes a final death bed atonement, apologizing for the sins and wrongdoings one has done in life. This absolves one of his or her sins and allows one to die peacefully. Although Nadav and Abihu were not given the opportunity to atone for their sins before their deaths, God informs Aaron how he must make atonement in the future. Therefore, Aaron will know what to do with other people if they are to commit sins or transgressions.

This week, we learn about how to atone for our wrongdoings. As Passover approaches, we see that even in slavery, there are people who do wrong and must make the wrong right. No matter where we are in our lives, we must acknowledge that we must take responsibility for our actions and accept the punishment that comes with them.

Shabbat Shalom!

Holot

Metzora. A continuation of the previous parsha, yet this time detailing the process of coming back into the community: how the priest welcomes you back in once you are pure and what a person must do himself to be allowed back into the community.

Holot, the detention center opened four months ago on the Egyptian border, is a place specifically reserved for North African refugees. Some say that they are living in better conditions than before their deportations to the detention center, some say it is simply a degradation. I just know that it is sad. No one should be living in conditions where they have to submit to role call three times a day and don't have the right to work (for the most part).

Where do this week's parsha and Holot come together? Honestly, we see that a group of people have already left their own home (like the Jewish people), and wandered to Israel. Israeli society is claiming that these people are impure, that they need to leave the general society and go into seclusion for a time. The problem now becomes, when is their seclusion over? When will they be welcomed back to the community? Or does their time not come, because they are refugees and not Jews.

Whatever the reason, we must be aware that there are always people in our midst whom we treat as outsiders, who are considered 'impure' by either our standards or those of the community. Let us pray that this week we see a way to help those around us and give them our support.