Last week, we drove to New Jersey
and attended a Bat Mitzvah. It was a bit of a re-union for me, my wife and
children as the Bat Mitzvah was in a Synagogue where I served as the Rabbi
seven years ago. The Bat Mitzvah girl is
a very close friend to my daughter so it was very nice watching the two of them
remain inseparable over the course of last weekend. The Bat Mitzvah girl invited
both boys and girls to her party. Although both boys and girls attended the
party, were actually in the banquet room sharing space, and breathing the same
air; I was amazed by the lack of interaction between the boys and the girls. As
an overprotective father, I was also quite relieved to see that there was a
lack of interaction between the boys and the girls. They girls sat with the
girls; the boys sat with the boys. The girls talked with the girls; the boys
talked with the boys. While there was no physical barrier separating the boys
and the girls, there might as well have been because neither group went near
the other. It reminded me of my childhood. We didn’t go near the girls. Maybe
we were scared of them. Not for the nothing, the girls didn’t go near us either.
They probably thought we were “gross” and “disgusting”.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha
Tzav. While the previous Parsha, VaYikra spoke of the various rules and
regulations for the number of offerings; the Parsha focused upon Bnai Yisroel,
the types of animals that are brought for Korbonot (usually animal offerings)
and what happens to the animal at the time of the Korbonot. In Parshat Tzav,
the first two chapters, focus is upon the role of the Kohanim, the priests,
their entitlements, their privileges and the responsibilities in the sacrificial
process. Some offering are to be burned completely and the Kohen is not
entitled to anything, and some other offerings are NOT to be burned completely
and the Kohen is entitle to the food that is left over.
Two consecutive chapters
remind us of the importance purity, for both the Kohen as well as Bnai Yisroel.
The Torah text suggests that the transfer of purity and impurity is similar to
our “little boy” perceptions of girls. All we needed to do was touch or be
touched and we could be rendered as pure or impure, or have “girl germs”. Kol Asher Yigah Bivsarah Yikdash Va’Asher
Yizeh Midamah Al Beged Asher Yizeh Aleha
T’Chabeis B’Makom Kadosh – Whatever
touches its flesh becomes holy; and if its blood is sprinkled upon a garment,
whatever it has been sprinkled upon you shall wash in a holy place
(6:20). The area of the clothing that is
stained with blood needs to be washed. Physically that area is stained and
needs to be cleaned. Spiritually, if the offering itself touches the Kohen, the
he and his clothing retain their purity. Later on we read V’HaBasar Asher Yigah B’Chol Tamei Lo Yei’Acheil BaEish Yisareif V’Habasar
Kol Tahor Yochal Basar – The flesh
that touches any contaminated thing may not be eaten, it shall be burned in
fire; but of the uncontaminated flesh, any uncontaminated person may eat the
flesh (7:19) Both the meat that was offered, and the Kohen must be in a
spiritual state of purity in order for the Kohen to partake of the meat.
Unlike the children at the Bat
Mitzvah party, or the children of my childhood”, we adults have a difficult
time with this notion of purity and impurity. Yet from a spiritual perspective
it makes complete sense. If we touch things that are not holy, we are rendered
unholy. If we touch things that are holy, we have become holier. There are
certain behaviors, certain foods and certain people we avoid because it we may
be harmed. The same holds true in the spiritual realm as well. It is nice to
know that if we are indeed receptive to it, when sacred moments touch us: a
life cycle event, a holiday, Shabbat, a beautiful sundown, an inspiring word, a
moving piece of music, or the peaceful slumber of our children, we achieve a
higher degree of holiness, a holiness that washes away all the mundane aspects
of weekly life and allows us a taste of spiritual life.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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