I recently contracted Covid and have spent the past 10 days in our family’s basement, in isolation. For several days I woke up with an awful headache, my joints ached, my teeth ached, I wasn’t particularly hungry but I was incredibly fatigued. I couldn’t hold my head up, not due to nausea but rather due to the fact that I was so tired. For several days last week, I would fall asleep watching college basketball games. Finally, early this past week, I awoke and there was no headache, my joints no longer ached, my teeth no longer ached. I didn’t sleep 18 hours a day. I took a brief walk outside for a few minutes. Then took a nap. Each day, as symptoms faded. Instead of being fatigued after a 5-minute walk, I was now fatigued after a 20-minute walk. While still not great, I felt myself feeling better. By the end of the week, I was out of isolation, participating in family life, and actually working out on our elliptical machine for 45 minutes. Yes, I was fatigued. Yes, I found myself still needing a nap, but I finally feel like I am back to feeling healthy.
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Para because of the special Maftir Aliyah we read concerning the offering of the Para Adumah (the Red Heifer). The weekly Parshat, which we read prior to the Maftir, is Parshat Shmini. Consisting of three complete chapters, the Parsha focuses upon the three parties necessary for the Brit (the covenant) of B’nai Yisroel: God, the Kohen, and B’nai Yisroel. Certainly, God is the embodiment of Purity, the second and third chapters of the Parsha explain how the Kohen and B’nai Yisroel are able to approach God and achieve spiritual intimacy. If either the Kohen or B’nei Israel is not pure, then they are unable to achieve that spiritual intimacy. B’nei Israel can either achieve this desired spiritual intimacy in the offering it brings, but to do so depends on the purity of the Kohen. If the Kohen is impure then no matter how pure B’nai Israel or its offering, spiritual intimacy is not achievable. B’nai Israel can also achieve spiritual intimacy by eating certain foods.
The Parsha begins with Moshe telling his brother Aharon, that before the Mishkan can begin serving the people as a means for them to experience both personal and communal intimate moments with God, he (Aharon) must prepare himself. The first step in Aharon’s self-preparation is his own self-purification process. That first step is reflected in Moshe’s instruction: Kach Lecha Eigel ben Bakar L’Chatat V’Ayil L’Olah T’Mimim V’Hakreiv Lifnei Adoshem - Take a calf of the herd for a Sin-Offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and bring them before the Lord. Before Aharon could serve B’nai Israel, he had to atone for his “sin”. Rashi, the 11-century French commentator, cites the Midrash Tanchuma and explains that “this animal was selected as a sin offering to announce to him that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted him atonement by means of this calf for the incident of the golden calf which he had made.” The “Chatat” offering, literally a “sin” offering was to atone for Aharon’ role in the incident of the Golden Calf. Ibn Ezra describes this offering as Aharon’s atonement for that Cheit. Once atonement is made, Aharon is spiritually purified, cleansed, and ready to serve the people.
According to Ontario Health, a person needs to remain isolated for ten days from when Covid symptoms appeared. During those ten days, the symptoms were acute and eventually waned. By the 6th day, I did not feel any more symptoms, just incredibly tired. I still tested positive. Howsoever on the tenth day, I no longer tested positive. I was able to leave the isolation of the basement and return to normal family life and my responsibilities. Aharon’s atonement allowed him to be purified in order to begin his communal responsibilities. While there was no atonement, ten days in isolation allowed me to be considered purified enough to leave the basement and resume my day-to-day responsibilities to my family and my community.
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