Torah Commentary - Emor
*Commentary courtesy of Menahem Me-Zahav
Our Sidrah is named for one word in its first Passuk: “And God told Moses: Emor el Ha’Kohanim – Tell the Kohanim” (Leviticus 21:1). In today’s reading we find the Kohanim being set apart from their Jewish brothers and sisters.
The Kohanim.
In past readings we learned that the Jewish community must distinguish itself, in being Holy. Today’s Sidrah diverts its attention to a much smaller group - the Kohanim. Whereas the rules to preserve the holiness of all the Jewish people were quite demanding, the rules for the Kohanim are even more challenging. A much higher standard applies to those who were selected to “Watch God’s watch”. The Kohanim, are to abide by special obligatory restrictions, special obligatory abstentions and a host of demands that apply only to them. They have to follow specific rules concerning marriage, divorce, personal hygiene, permanent injury, death in the family and also rules regarding general appearance. As to their daily activity, the Torah requires that the Kohanim maintain a permanent presence at the Sanctuary, for the purpose of representing the Jewish people before God. “And they (The Kohanim) shall keep my watch…I am God (who is) consecrating them” (Leviticus 22:9).
The Torah then details all the religious events throughout the year, including the followings:
(a) The Shabbat.
“On the 7th day there shall be a Shabbat…You shall do no work...It shall be a Shabbat for the Lord wherever you live” (Leviticus 23:3).
(b) Pessach.
It is to be observed for 7 days starting on the 15th of Nissan. Pessach has few additional names:
(I) Chag Ha’Matzot, (II) Chag Ha’Aviv - Holiday of the Spring and (III) Chag Ha’cherut - Holiday of Freedom.
(c) The Count of the Omer – Seffirat Ha’Omer - “The Seffira”.
“And you shall count 7 weeks. They must be full weeks, until the day after the 7th week” (Leviticus 23:15-16). The 49 days of Seffirat Ha’Omer are generally referred to as “The Seffira”.
It starts on the 2nd day of Pessach. This was the day that the first grain was harvested in the fields surrounding Jerusalem. A specific amount (The Omer) of the first harvested grain was brought to the Temple and given to the Kohanim. (The ‘Omer’ represents a unit of volume – not weight. It equals approximately 1-1/2 cubic ft.). The counting of the 49 days of the Omer represents the high anticipation for the giving of the Torah to our forefathers on the 50th day - Chag Ha’Shavuot.
(d) Leaving portion of the produce for the needy.
“And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of the field. And you shall not collect what fell off. You shall leave it for the poor and for the stranger, I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 23:22).
(e) Shavuot.
It is named also Chag Mattan Torah - Holiday of Receiving the Torah and Chag Ha’Bikkurim - Holiday of the 1st Fruit. In addition to the special offerings, special bread, made of the 1st grains of the year, is to be brought to the Sanctuary from all corners of the land.
(f) Rosh Hashana.
Rosh Hashana falls on the 1st day of Tishrei. Years later it was expanded to 2 days. It happened at the time of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai’s presidency of the Sanhedrin. Since then, Rosh Hashana is being observed for 2 days everywhere, Israel included.
(“Why do we observe 2 Days of Rosh Hashanah, while the Torah ordered us to observe only One Day? – Please see note at the end).
(g) Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur falls on the 10th day of Tishrei. “But on the 10th of the 7th month, is the day of atonement… You shall practice self-denial (Fast), It shall be a Shabbat Shabbaton for you’’ (Leviticus 23:27 & 32).
(h) Sukkot and its 8th day - The Shemini Atzeret.
Sukkot falls on the 15th day of Tishrei. It is observed for 7 days. The 8th day is the Holiday of Shemini Atzeret. The Holiday of Sukkot is named also Chag Ha’assif - Holiday of the Ingathering (of the produce from the field). “You shall sit in the Sukkah for 7 days since I (God) made Sukkah’s for the Israelites when I brought them out of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:42-43).
(i) Shemini Atzeret – The Eighth Day of Assembly – The 8th day of Sukkot.
It was once celebrated in Israel by reading the last portion of the Torah. Then, years later the name - Simchat Torah - was added to it. in Israel, both Holidays (Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah) are celebrated on one day (The 8th day of Sukkot). Outside Israel, the 2 Holidays are celebrated separately, on 2 consecutive days (The 8th day of Sukkot and the following day).
(j) The “Eye for an Eye” Law.
A variety of laws are mentioned towards the end of the Sidrah. The most notable is the law known as ‘The Eye for an Eye Law’ (Leviticus 24:19-20).
Ancient codes of law, interpret ‘Eye for an Eye’ literally (IE Hammurabi’s Code). Rabbinical interpretation however, calls for a humane punishment, like a heavy jail time and/or a heavy fine.
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31, pg. 735.
Ezekiel was among the prominent Jews forcibly brought to Babylonia with “The exile of King Yehoyachin” (598 BCE). The backdrop to our Haftarah is as follows: The Jewish exiles, having been in Babylonia by now for over 20 years, are desperate. They are longing for redemption. Ezekiel is determined to instill in them the hope, that God will soon restore them back to their own land. Babylonia will be defeated by King Cyrus who will restore the Jewish people to their homeland. Ezekiel uses allegory in order not to irritate the Babylonians. He dedicates 9 full chapters (Ezekiel Chapters 40 through 48) to describe the land of Israel, (The soon to be resettled) Jerusalem and the (soon to be rebuilt) Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Since the Kohanim, are an important component of Ezekiel’s great vision, a special chapter (One of the above 9 chapters) is thus dedicated to the Kohanim. It is our Haftarah (Ezekiel Chapter 44) that fulfills this purpose.
Ezekiel, himself a Kohen, foresees the Kohanim, re-establishing themselves in the new Temple. “The Levitical Kohanim, descendants of Zadok who maintained My (God’s) watch…they will be my servants”
(Ezekiel 44:15).
Zadok was the forefather, of a long established, dynasty of Kohanim. Serving both Kings, David and Solomon, as the “Bearer of the Holy Ark” - Zadok assumed later in his life, the position of Kohen Gadol. The dynasty of Zadok served in both the 1st as well as the 2nd Temple. The service of this great Dynasty of Kohanim ended with the destruction of the 2nd Temple (70 CE).
Ezekiel details the duties of the Kohanim, hence also the linkage to our Sidrah. He expands their role to become also spiritual leaders, teachers and judges “And they shall teach my people to distinguish between the holy and the common…and to the disputes they will listen and judge…and My (God’s) Holidays they will observe and My Shabbats they will sanctify” (Ezekiel 44:23-24).
The Legend of Zadok - The Kohen Gadol.
The Majestic Biblical Persona of Zadok the Kohen Gadol, who presided over King David & King Solomon’s
Coronations, inspired over 2,000 years later, the great Composer Handel. In his Anthem to King George II’s Coronation (1727 CE), Handel named the final (4th) part: Zadok the Priest”.
Timeline for some events that are mentioned in the Haftarah.
605 BCE: Babylonia decisively defeats, the Assyrians and the Egyptians at Carchemish. Babylonia is now
the main power in the old world.
598 BCE: Babylonia exiles King Yehoyachin and many of the nobles of the Kingdom of Judea. Ezekiel, a
young Kohen, is exiled too.
593 BCE: Living in Babylonia near the River Kevar, Ezekiel has his 1st and most famous revelation The
Devine Chariot – The Merkavah.
586 BCE: Destruction by the Babylonians, of Judea and the Holy Temple. Most of the Jewish people are
exiled to Babylonia.
580 – 560 BCE (20 years): Most of Ezekiel’s prophecies, including the 9 Chapters about Jerusalem, which
also contain our Haftarah.
537 BCE: King Cyrus (Koresh) defeats the Babylonians. King Cyrus proclaims that The Jewish people may
(and should) return to Zion.
Circa 515 BCE: The 2nd Temple is inaugurated. The Prophet Ezekiel is not alive anymore.
It is the generation of the last 2 Prophets (Zechariah and Malachi).
The Bible will soon be canonized, in the generation of Ezra & Nehemiah.
70 CE: The 2nd Temple (In existence for almost 600 years) is destroyed by the Romans.
Note:
Q. Why do we observe 2 Days of Rosh Hashanah, while the Torah ordered us to observe only
One Day (The 1st day of the 7th month – Tishrei)?
A. Rosh Hashanah is the only Holyday that is celebrated at the beginning of a month (The month of
Tishrei). In the old days, the new month (Including the month of Tishrei) was varying from year
to year. This, due to the position of the Moon. The new month was decided by the sighting of the new
moon. Pending the above sighting, the month of Ellul (The month that precedes Tishrei) could be
either 29 or 30 days long (Same as each of the other 11 months of the year).
The exact day of Rosh Hashanah, fell therefore (only) sometimes on the exact day according to the
Torah.
In order to correct the above, it was decided by the Sanhedrin, that Ellul will always consist
of (only) 29 days (Regardless of the sighting of the new moon). Rosh Hashanah will then always be
observed for the next 2 days that follow the 29th of Ellul.
Whenever Rosh Hashanah does now fall, we are always sure that one of these 2 days (That are been
observed), is the exact day, according to the Torah.
