Discussion of selected verses of parshat Emor through the lens of Mussar, where the middah of Seder / Order will be explored.
...the small individual world that each of us must create in our lives requires a connection between order and will: If we observe an individual whose affairs are in order, we understand that he or she is strong-willed. And if we observe someone who is disorganized, we can assume that he or she lacks the desire to accomplish, or that their will is too weak to organize themselves and the task in front of them. If this is true in one’s mundane affairs, it is certainly true regarding one’s spiritual growth. True service of God is impossible without order! Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur
There are seven characteristics of a wise person. One is that he responds to first things first and to last things later. ~ Foundational Ethics / Pirkei Avot 5:10
This, then, is our first step in teaching ourselves the middah of seder: Contemplate: What do you want? When you have the answer, ask yourself, what—according to your current level—can be done to actualize your resolutions? Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur
Summary
Chapter 21 and 22 deal specifically with the Kohanim / priests regarding their status of Kedusha /holiness (and retaining being tahor/pure). Blemishes related to animal offerings and those on the Kohanim are described.
Chapter 23 outlines annual festivals beginning with the weekly occurrence of Shabbat [Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot].
Chapter 24 outlines additional laws relevant to sacred times related to the Mishkan / Sanctuary: kindling of the lamps, preparing and displaying the 12 loaves of bread, plus the consequences for the serious crime of the blasphemy of God's name [death].
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃
יהוה said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin,
אָמַר (v) heb
Emor opens with the repetition of the verb "Emor" אֱמֹ֥ר . Chazal (our Sages) and the Sfar Emet looked for places and clues in our texts where there is another example of these two words in one verese. In Tehillim / Psalms, the answer is found!
(ז) אִ֥מְר֣וֹת יְהֹוָה֮ אֲמָר֢וֹת טְהֹ֫ר֥וֹת כֶּ֣סֶף צָ֭רוּף בַּעֲלִ֣יל לָאָ֑רֶץ מְ֝זֻקָּ֗ק שִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃
(7) The words of the LORD are pure words, silver purged in an earthen crucible, refined sevenfold.
The proof text: Words are what God used to form the world, words of purity.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃
God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
The Sfat Emet notes that the sentence in Tehilim / Psalms (above, 12:7) introduces the subject of tahara (purity; i.e., “ahmahrot tehorot”), and he seems to wonder what the subject of purity is doing here. To understand what the Sfat Emet says next, some background information may be helpful.
We live with a fundamental metaphysical problem: How can we, as human beings — bassar (flesh, with all of its weaknesses) vadahm (blood = volition, with all its selfishness) — achieve a state of purity?
Sfat Emet replies: We can achieve purity because HaShem created the world with His ma’amoros (spoken words; note that we are back to “Emor”). And HaShem’s ma’amar implants tahara (purity) in the whole world. So, what is learned from this sentence is that amira (speech) brings with it the possibility of tahara. In other words, the double mention of amira at the beginning of Emor is there to remind us that HaShem formed this world with his ma’amar, and thus to draw our attention to the possibility of achieving a respectable level of purity. (edited for clarity, RS)
Rabbi Dr. Nosson Chayim Leff at www.torah.org Parshas Emor • Torah.org
Shabbat, as a day set apart, is distinctive and Kadosh, Holy.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם מוֹעֲדֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִקְרָאֵ֣י קֹ֑דֶשׁ אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מוֹעֲדָֽי׃ (ג) שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֮ תֵּעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י שַׁבַּ֤ת שַׁבָּתוֹן֙ מִקְרָא־קֹ֔דֶשׁ כׇּל־מְלָאכָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ שַׁבָּ֥ת הִוא֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(1) יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: These are My fixed times, the fixed times of יהוה, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions. (3) On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a sabbath of complete rest, a sacred occasion. You shall do no work; it shall be a sabbath of יהוה throughout your settlements.
We are in the midst of the counting of the Omer / S'phirat HaOmer which began on the second night of Pesach / Passover and continues for 49 days until Shavuot [the 50th day]. This is a time for spiritual elevation and traditionally, a time when weddings and festive occasions are suspended, due to this time of 'semi-mourning'.
אמור אל הכהנים בני אהרן (ויקרא כא, א). הענין, כי יש ד' עולמות אצילות בריאה יצירה עשיה לכל אחד יש בחינות חיים וחס ושלום להיפך, כי בעולם העשיה אנו רואים שיש חיים וחס ושלום להיפך. וכמו כן בעולם היצירה שהוא הדיבור יש בחינה כשאדם מדבר דבר הבל זה נקרא היפך וכשאדם מדבר דבורים טובים בתורה ובמצות ובעבדות הבורא ברוך הוא זה הבחינה נקרא חיים. וזהו מרומז בפסוק (משלי יח, כא) החיים כו'. וזהו עיקר בעבדות ה' שישמור האדם בדיבורו. וכמו כן בעולם הבריאה שהוא המחשבה יש בחינות חיים כשאדם מחשב תמיד בעבודת ה' הבחינה הזאת נקרא חיים וחס ושלום להיפך כו'. ויש עולם למעלה מהם שהוא עולם היראה שהוא בטל במציאות שם יש גם כן בחינות חיים וחס ושלום להיפוך. והעיקר הוא הדיבור שישמור האדם עצמו בדיבורו, כי הכל תלוים בדבורים של אדם. וזהו הרמז אמור אל הכהנים כו' ואמרת אליהם לנפש לא יטמא, כי הכל תלוים בדיבור ודו"ק:
Leviticus 21,1. “speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron.” The subject here deals with four different (parts) universes named עולם האצילות, עולם הבריאה, עולם היצירה, עולם העשיה, respectively. In each of these “worlds” there is “life” and G’d forbid, it’s opposite. We in our world of עשיה, a domain representing the physical material world after it had been completed, experience both life and G’d forbid its opposite, death. Similarly, we can visualize “life” and “death” in the עולם היצירה, which for want of a better term we will call the world of speech, דבור, seeing that according to the Torah G’d had created it with verbal directives. When man abuses the power of speech, uttering vain things or lies, he is perceived of “killing” life in that domain. When man employs the power of speech constructively, he is considered as giving life to that domain. This condition is called חיים, “life,” and has been alluded to by Solomon in Proverbs 18,21 where he wrote: חיים ומות ביד לשון, “life and death are within the power of one’s tongue.” ...the thing we have to concern ourselves with first and foremost is the use we make of the power of speech G’d has granted to us, the ability to communicate with our peers and to convey our most intimate thoughts. The influence of this gift cannot be overestimated, and that is why the Torah when speaking to the priests, begins with אמור אל הכהנים ואמרת להם לנפש לא יטמא, “speak to the priests and say to them that the priest must not defile himself on pain of death;” the meaning is that the priest, through misuse of the power of speech, must not commit a capital offence.
(טו) וּסְפַרְתֶּ֤ם לָכֶם֙ מִמׇּחֳרַ֣ת הַשַּׁבָּ֔ת מִיּוֹם֙ הֲבִ֣יאֲכֶ֔ם אֶת־עֹ֖מֶר הַתְּנוּפָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שַׁבָּת֖וֹת תְּמִימֹ֥ת תִּהְיֶֽינָה׃ (טז) עַ֣ד מִֽמׇּחֳרַ֤ת הַשַּׁבָּת֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת תִּסְפְּר֖וּ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֛ם מִנְחָ֥ה חֲדָשָׁ֖ה לַיהֹוָֽה׃ (יז) מִמּוֹשְׁבֹ֨תֵיכֶ֜ם תָּבִ֣יאּוּ ׀ לֶ֣חֶם תְּנוּפָ֗ה שְׁ֚תַּיִם שְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֔ים סֹ֣לֶת תִּהְיֶ֔ינָה חָמֵ֖ץ תֵּאָפֶ֑ינָה בִּכּוּרִ֖ים לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃
(15) And from the day on which you bring the sheaf of elevation offering—the day after the sabbath—you shall count off seven weeks. They must be complete: (16) you must count until the day after the seventh week—fifty days; then you shall bring an offering of new grain to יהוה. (17) You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation offering; each shall be made of two-tenths of a measure of choice flour, baked after leavening, as first fruits to יהוה.
Sfat Emet says that the phrsaing for ma’amar dovetails with Sefirat Ha’omer / The Counting of the Omer. (In the time of the Sfat Emet, the letter “ayin” was pronounced similarly to the letter “aleph.” Therefore, Sfat Emet assumes that we are all aware that he is reading “omer” as an allusion to Emor. Because this remez (interpretive hint) is so obvious, he does not mention the connection.
The Sfat Emet explains that, like the beginning of this week’s parsha (“Emor …”), the Sefirat Ha’omer is about achieving purity. Thus, in the tefilah / prayer that we say after counting the Omer: “You commanded us to count the omer in order that we may be purified …” Our redemption from Egypt showed that we can achieve freedom from all desires and all commands other than those of HaShem. The Sfat Emet tells us that “freedom” means exactly that: to be able constantly to do the will of HaShem. Our redemption from Egypt demonstrated that possibility. That demonstration, however, was limited to the special case in which miracles were in operation.
The Sefirat Ha’omer is a process in which we cut away from our middot — our behavioral qualities — everything that is extraneous to our service to HaShem. By discarding everything that is not conducive to doing HaShem’s will, we can achieve purity even in a world in which miracles are not apparent.
(edited for clarity, RS)
Rabbi Dr. Nosson Chayim Leff at www.torah.org Parshas Emor • Torah.org
Rabbi Aryeh Carmel, Masterplan, Feldheim - p. 205
The Omer on Pesach was from the barley harvest. The offering on Shavuot was of wheat. Barley is mainly food for animals. Wheat is food for human beings. The Torah hints to us that physical independence by itself still leaves man – from the Torah perspective – on the animal level. The counting of the forty-nine days signifies a sevenfold refining process and marks our progress to full human status with our acceptance of the Torah at Sinai, seven weeks after the Exodus.
The concept of Holiness is that a person be so deeply and constantly attached to God so that every action is connected to Him, until the person elevates everything physical…
until every action, even the most lowly and physical will be as sacrifices and Divine service…
The Shechina (Divine Presence) rests on such an individual just like it rested in the mikdash (Tabernacle).
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, (1707 - 1746), Mesillat Yesharim / Path of the Just , Chapter 26
(לא) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ (לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַמּוֹצִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
(31) You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am יהוה. (32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I יהוה who sanctify you, (33) I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I יהוה.
(כא) וּקְרָאתֶ֞ם בְּעֶ֣צֶם ׀ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה מִֽקְרָא־קֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֑וּ חֻקַּ֥ת עוֹלָ֛ם בְּכׇל־מוֹשְׁבֹ֥תֵיכֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶֽם׃ (כב) וּֽבְקֻצְרְכֶ֞ם אֶת־קְצִ֣יר אַרְצְכֶ֗ם לֹֽא־תְכַלֶּ֞ה פְּאַ֤ת שָֽׂדְךָ֙ בְּקֻצְרֶ֔ךָ וְלֶ֥קֶט קְצִירְךָ֖ לֹ֣א תְלַקֵּ֑ט לֶֽעָנִ֤י וְלַגֵּר֙ תַּעֲזֹ֣ב אֹתָ֔ם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
(21) On that same day you shall hold a celebration; it shall be a sacred occasion for you; you shall not work at your occupations. This is a law for all time in all your settlements, throughout the ages. (22) And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I יהוה am your God.
וקראתם בעצם היום הזה מקרא קדש מה שלא פירש הכתוב באיזה חדש ובכמה בו חג זה כמו שפירש בשאר מועדים היינו טעמא אם פירש לך זמנו לא היינו מונים השבעה שבועות רק היינו סומכים לעשות החג בזמנו ודבר גדול תלוי במנינו כדאמרי׳ לעיל ועכשיו כשאנו מונים השבעה שבועות מזמן קצירת העומר ממילא יארע יום החמישים בששה בסיון שהוא יום מתן עשרת הדברות. ולפי שאין ספירת החמישים יום אלא לצורך עצרת אין הבאת העומר קרוי זמן לברך עליו שהחינו.
וקראתם בעצם היום הזה מקרא קדש, “and you will proclaim a holy convocation on this very day.” The reason why the Torah does not spell out in which month this occurs, and on what date of this month, as it does with all the other festivals, is if it had done so, the people would not have been counting weeks and days, but would simply have contented themselves with observing the festival on its appropriate date. The counting was an important feature of these weeks as we have pointed out on verse 15. Nowadays, in the absence of the Temple, our being in exile, and having adopted (therefore?) a permanent calendar, the fiftieth day after the first day of Passover automatically occurs on the same date in the month of Sivan, the date on which the Ten Commandments (orally) were given to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. In light of the fact that the counting is no longer associated with the date of Shavuot as that date was known, the benediction commencing with שהחיינו וקימנו לזמן הזה, “Who has kept us alive and well until this point in time,” is not recited.
This parsha began with an emphasis on speech...and with these verses the importance of words are stressed. It is unclear whether the blasphemer cursed God, or cursed another who used the name of God, or actually pronounced God's name. The power of speech is one that is expounded upon time after time in the Torah. Words created the world and are taken very seriously.
(י) וַיֵּצֵא֙ בֶּן־אִשָּׁ֣ה יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְהוּא֙ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּנָּצוּ֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה בֶּ֚ן הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית וְאִ֖ישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי׃ (יא) וַ֠יִּקֹּ֠ב בֶּן־הָֽאִשָּׁ֨ה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית אֶת־הַשֵּׁם֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וְשֵׁ֥ם אִמּ֛וֹ שְׁלֹמִ֥ית בַּת־דִּבְרִ֖י לְמַטֵּה־דָֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּנִּיחֻ֖הוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר לִפְרֹ֥שׁ לָהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ} (יג) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (יד) הוֹצֵ֣א אֶת־הַֽמְקַלֵּ֗ל אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְסָמְכ֧וּ כׇֽל־הַשֹּׁמְעִ֛ים אֶת־יְדֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־רֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְרָגְמ֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (טו) וְאֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּדַבֵּ֣ר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אִ֛ישׁ כִּֽי־יְקַלֵּ֥ל אֱלֹהָ֖יו וְנָשָׂ֥א חֶטְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וְנֹקֵ֤ב שֵׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ מ֣וֹת יוּמָ֔ת רָג֥וֹם יִרְגְּמוּ־ב֖וֹ כׇּל־הָעֵדָ֑ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח בְּנׇקְבוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם יוּמָֽת׃
(10) There came out among the Israelites a man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. And a fight broke out in the camp between that half-Israelite and a certain Israelite. (11) The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the Name in blasphemy, and he was brought to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan— (12) and he was placed in custody, until the decision of יהוה should be made clear to them. (13) And יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: (14) Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands upon his head, and let the community leadership stone him. (15) And to the Israelite people speak thus: Anyone who blasphemes God shall bear the guilt; (16) and one who also pronounces the name יהוה shall be put to death. The community leadership shall stone that person; stranger or citizen—having thus pronounced the Name—shall be put to death.