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קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua

פורסם ברביעי, 25 נובמבר 2020 07:57

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Kohanim - For G-d or for Man? – Portion of Tazria

One of my students in the U.S. this week asked me:
"What is a Priest (Kohain) doing in the Jewish religion?" 

Rabbi Carlebach used to say – jokingly – around Purim time: 

"What do you call a drunk Kohain? A "High" Priest! 

Last week's Torah portion talked about sacrifices in the Temple the Kohanim needed to know how to perform.
This week's portion talks about – giving birth! And about illness (skin diseases)!
Were the Kohanim Butchers? Or Doctors? OR – Teachers and confidants to the people?

In short - Sacrifices – as performed by the Kohanim –
are for atonement – to teach us the value of life and the life cycle of the PEOPLE –
entrusted by the Almighty to DO MITZVOT. 

ALL the Kohanim's work was to HELP US DEAL WITH putting
DAILY HOLINESS- of all sorts – into LIFE.

The Bottom Line for Judaism is, as I saw in a poster in a synagogue I was in this week ,
Rav J B Soloveitchik said something like:

"holiness in Judaism is NOT an out-of-worldly
Judaism is to bring sanctification every day" –

And it was the Kohanim who were given the task to TEACH that and help ACHIEVE that.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz

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