Torah Commentary with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal – Parshat Metzora

Posted on by Damon Fonooni

Torah Commentary with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal

Parshat Metzora
Leviticus 14:1-15:33
Seeing the Metzora

By Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal

There is an unusual sentence at the beginning of this week's sidra which is drawing my attention. In Leviticus Chapter 14, we learn about the encounter of the metzora, a person with a scaly skin condition which has required quarantine outside the encampment of Israel, with the priest who is acting as the clinician. Our parsha opens at the end of the quarantine period and after healing has occurred. We are told that the Cohen goes out of the camp to examine the individual in question. The Torah makes some assumptions about this person's condition. The text begins by telling us,

זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע בְּיוֹם טָהֳרָתוֹ וְהוּבָא אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן:

"This is the Torah (lit: teaching) of the metzora in the day of their purification, and when they are brought to the Cohen" (Leviticus 14:2).

Interestingly, the next verse states that this 'teaching of the metzora's purification' is predicated on the Priest seeing that healing has occurred. I find it noteworthy to point out that if this was truly the day of their purification, wouldn't the examination (the "seeing") already have taken place? Meaning, if the priest didn't find the infection to have cleared then presumably the metzora would have returned to quarantine. More important is the discrepancy between verse 2 and verse 3:

וְיָצָא הַכֹּהֵן אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְרָאָה הַכֹּהֵן וְהִנֵּה נִרְפָּא נֶגַע־הַצָּרַעַת מִן־הַצָּרוּעַ:

"The Cohen goes outside the encampment and the Cohen sees and behold, the one who is afflicted with the infection was healed from the infection" (Leviticus 14:3).

In verse 2 it states that the metzora is brought to the Cohen and in Verse 3 is appears that the Cohen goes to the metzora who has been waiting outside the camp. Finally, we get to the sentence that I am branding unusual:

וְצִוָּה הַכֹּהֵן וְלָקַח לַמִּטַּהֵר

"And the Cohen commanded and he took for the one to be purified" (Leviticus 14:4).

What am I finding unusual about this sentence structure? Firstly, although we have learned a lot about the work of the Cohen, I don't remember the Cohen "commanding." The term "tziva" (related to the word, Mitzvah) is usually reserve for God. However, it appears that the Cohen is not only being instructive he is doing so aggressively, "the Cohen commands." Next, it isn't clear what the Cohen is commanding or who the Cohen is commanding. The inclusion of the letter "vav" with the next word "lekakh – and he took," seems to indicate what the Cohen did next, not necessarily what the Cohen commanded others to do. And to drive this point even further, the patient's new title, "the one to be purified," has the prefix letter of lamed which means "for," indicating that the birds which will be offered later in the verse are to be taken "for" the one who is to be purified, not from. This is all to say that it remains unclear who is being commanded and what exactly that commandment is in this case.

The remainder of the verse and subsequent verses share ritual instructions which are familiar to the many chapters and instructions that have preceded this verse throughout the book of Leviticus. So why and what is the priest commanding? I imagine that the priest must speak boldly and commend others on behalf of the exiled because others might be hesitant to let them back in. The Torah states that the metzora is to be brought to the Cohen but eventually, the Cohen needed to get up and go out to the metzora. Why wasn't the metzora brought to the Cohen as instructed by the Torah? Was there nobody willing to escort the metzora to the Cohen? Have the barriers of the community become so impenetrable that the Cohen needed to go out because the metzora couldn't gain access? Additionally, it's telling that the Cohen changes the person's title from metzora (afflicted one) to metaheir (purified one).

Since I am not a dermatologist, these verses speak to my spiritual life slightly differently, but the challenges are still the same. As one of the leaders of our community, I am ever mindful of those who have been "sent out" of the community and the work that needs to be done to bring them back in. Sometime the exile is specific to an individual – a death, a divorce, an unfortunate legal misstep, a political disagreement. For those cases, time often will help fade away the community's recollection and bias allowing those individuals clearer passage back into community. Other times, the reason or exile is more insidious and is steeped in cultural bias, fear, and bigotry – homosexuality, non-binary, and transgender people, Jews of color, intermarried, people who convert, to name a few. These situations require us to boldly state what these individuals mean to us as a community – they are Jews and we must embrace and bring them into our community. The metzora in these cases afflicts the eyes and mind of those keeping them out and not as a stain on those being kept outside the camp. It's important that we do as our Cohanim did, venture outside the camp, see them, really see them, and call them by a new name, one that is loving, caring and humanizing.

Schmooze and News at AA

Posted on by Damon Fonooni
Schmooze and News at AA

Special Message

Shabbat Corner

Candle Lighting: 7:45 p.m.
Shabbat Evening Service: 6:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Shabbat Morning Service: 9:30 a.m. (Zoom)
Mincha/Ma'ariv/Havdallah Service: 7:45 p.m. (Zoom)
Conclusion of Shabbat: 8:29 p.m.
Torah Parsha: Leviticus 14:1-15:33
Haftara: Malachi 3:4-24
Torah Commentary with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal: Parshat Metzora – Seeing the Metzora
Parsha Video of the Week (~4 min):
Dr. Gila Vachman (Schechter Institute) – "Failing to See our Own Faults" 
Bible Video of the Week (~60 min):
"Moses and his Cushite Wife"

Feel-Good News

Events

Whoever Saves a Single Life: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust

Fri, Apr 1–Sun, May 8
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Rebbe's Tish

Sat, Apr 9 @ 12:15 p.m.
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Arlington Cemetery Info Session

Sun, Apr 10 @ 11:00 a.m.
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NEW

Shoreshim Grand Prix

Sun, Apr 10 @ 12:30-2:30 p.m.
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IKEA Scavenger Hunt with Machar and Kadima

Sun, Apr 10 @ 1-3 p.m.
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mAAc Meets: Movie Discussion - Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel

Mon, Apr 18 @ 7:30 p.m.
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Atlanta Interfaith Hunger Seder

Wed, Apr 20 @ 6–9:00 p.m.
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Latte and Learn

Thu, Apr 21 @ 10:30 a.m.
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Sisterhood at the Exhibit

Mon, Apr 25 @ 10:00 a.m.
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Blood Drive

Sun, May 1 @ 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
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Naomi's Book Club

Mon, May 2 @ 10:15 a.m.
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Sisterhood Minyan

Tue, May 3 @ 7:15 a.m.
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Congregational Retreat - In Person Together Again

Friday, May 6-8, 2022
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For more events, please visit our events calendar.

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Other Things Happening at AA

This coming High Holidays, we will be switching from the the Machzor Hadash to the Lev Shalem Machzor! This new machzor, put out by the Conservative movement, is a huge improvement over the past movement machzorim. In addition to being nicely laid out and formatted, it has a modernized translation with more inclusive God language and transliteration for most of the commonly sung pieces of the liturgy, making it more accessible to use for all our congregants. A well-used siddur or machzor is like a trusted friend–it accompanies us through the ups and downs of our life's journey. While we know that it may be sad to say goodbye to the old machzor, we hope that this new machzor will open up the liturgy for you and deepen your experience of prayer and transformation on the Holidays.
 
Each regular copy is $40. Pulpit editions, which are printed in larger font, are available for $60 each. We encourage you to purchase a book for yourself AND a copy for the synagogue. Each congregational book will include a bookplate honoring the purchaser, and each personal copy will include a bookplate with the owner's name. Orders will be accepted through Friday, April 8.
 

We are looking for nominations for The Marvin C. Goldstein and Rita Goldstein Wolfson Volunteer of the Year Award (presented to a volunteer who has shown outstanding efforts to strengthen our congregation and community) to be presented at the Annual Meeting in June. To submit recommendations, please contact Jackie Nix (jnix@aasynagogue.org; 404.603.5743). Along with names, please include the rationale behind your recommendations. Each recommendation received will be vetted and researched by our clergy, professional staff, and officers for final award determinations.

Extra 2022 cards available! To order your card(s), please email Barbara Nathan (bgnathan@mindspring.com) with a list of names and addresses of all recipients so they can receive their cards in the mail. To pay, please write a check, payable to AA Sisterhood, and mail to Barbara Nathan (200 Brandon Place, Sandy Springs, GA 30328). Standard card = $9; large card = $10

We are grateful for your continued support, patience, and fortitude as our community, country and world move through one of the most challenging times in modern history. With the guidance of the Center of Disease Control's (CDC) latest guidelines, we are sharing with you our updated protocols which will allow our synagogue building and community to live up to its traditional name, a Beit Knesset (A House of Gathering). Effective today, Friday, March 11, the following changes to our safety protocols will be in effect for our worship, cultural events, adult learning, and business meetings:
  • Fully vaccinated adults (16 years old and above) and individuals who have fully recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection in the last six months may attend indoor activities with or without a mask.
  • If you are not vaccinated or have not recovered from a COVID-19 infection in the last six months (natural immunity), we invite you to use our virtual platform to participate with our community.
  • If you are immunocompromised, a high-risk individual, or spend time around others who are, we encourage you to continue the use of masks when attending synagogue functions.
  • For programs that share spaces with kids under five years old, including Family Shabbat, Kesher, and holiday celebrations, we will continue to require masks while inside the building for all attendees. We will always strive for outdoor gatherings for these communities whenever the weather cooperates.

We are hopeful that we are in the final stages of this pandemic, and we can continue to go from strength to strength (Hazak, Hazak, vNet'hazek). As we slowly reemerge from these difficult two years, there will be anxiety, concern, and caution. We anticipate some people will continue to wear masks. It is understandable to still be nervous about removing our masks indoors. Whatever choice you make regarding masks, we ask that, in the spirit of the cohesive and empathetic community that we are, you respect the choices that others make, even if you disagree with them. We will be monitoring the CDC recommendations carefully and will continue to adjust as we know more; this might mean that we revert to more stringent protocols if guidance changes. We appreciate your understanding, support, and patience as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times.

A joint committee representing AA Synagogue and The Temple, consisting of Betsy Teplis, Ivan Millender, Janice Rothschild Blumberg, Emilie Posner Haas, and Sperry Wilder (a tour guide at Oakland since 1999) has been formed to collect and compile your most relevant family history of those family members buried in Oakland Cemetery. Please note we are not soliciting funds for this project. It is voluntary. The information will be included on the tours of the AA and Temple sections in Oakland Cemetery and archived at the Breman Museum. We appreciate your participation in this worthwhile project. Please submit a brief synopsis of your interesting family history, hopefully by year-end, via email to Ivan Millender (ivanmillender@earthlink.net) or postal mail (addressed to the Synagogue – 600 Peachtree Battle Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30327). We look forward to your response. Thanks in advance for your help and participation! – Betsy, Ivan, Janice, Emilie, and Sperry
We're excited to announce that the Sisterhood Directory is now available digitally on our website! The following password is required to access the directory contents: Sisterhood21. We ask that you please refrain from sharing the password with those outside our congregation. The directory can be accessed through the Sisterhood webpage or by clicking here.
Do you know an AA congregant who is in the hospital or infirm? We are concerned about loved ones and friends who are in the hospital or infirm. Although our synagogue office remains closed, we are still working and would like to connect with you, especially in regards to pastoral care. If you have information about friends or family in the hospital or other care facilities, please contact Rabbi Rosenthal (lrosenthal@aasynagogue.org) directly. We always appreciate the opportunity to speak with anyone in need and offer support in any way we can.

We are excited to move forward in aligning Ahavath Achim with United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism's (USCJ) membership section of Standards for Congregational Practice: "We celebrate diversity among and within our synagogues and encourage the engagement of all those who seek a spiritual and communal home in an authentic and dynamic Jewish setting." Most of us have or know Jewish families with loved ones of other faiths. Embracing these families will allow us not only to support their Jewish growth and identity with AA, it will also help them create a Jewish home of their own. To this end, we will soon be introducing proposed changes to our by-laws

We are in need of an online gabbai to help us deepen our Shabbat morning hybrid service experience. This opportunity will be facilitated from the comfort of your in-home "sanctuary." We seek somebody who can welcome our Zoom participants and invite selected individuals to participate in the service with honors like online aliyah to the Torah, English readings, etc. This position requires the use of the Zoom chat feature, computer camera, and a smiling, outgoing personality. Detailed instructions and training will be provided. We are looking for several individuals to create a monthly rotation. If you are interested, please contact Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal (lrosenthal@aasynagogue.org).
We have so many wonderful activities at Ahavath Achim Synagogue, from communal to spiritual to social action. The Membership Committee is requesting your help in asking others to come WITH you to any/all synagogue events! Share how many wonderful things are going on at AA with your friends and family! If you know of anyone who should be on our prospective member list or should be contacted by leadership in any way, please reach out to Miriam Habif Gelfond, Director of Outreach and Engagement (mhabif@aasynagogue.org). Thank you for your good word and promoting what Ahavath Achim – the synagogue of brotherly love – has to offer!
Ahavath Achim's Sisterhood is a dynamic organization of women of all ages with diverse experiences, talents, and interests within our synagogue, community, and the Jewish world. Every woman counts for Sisterhood to grow and thrive. Basic membership dues are $45, but we encourage you to join at a Chai-er level. Your generous dues and donations are vital for Sisterhood to continue to offer programs and projects that strengthen and sustain our Jewish values.
 
We need your involvement in AA's social action programs! Motivate your family and friends "into action" towards the betterment of our community, and envision our current programs continued for the future. Reach out to your nieces, nephews, friends, and new neighbors for new contacts and ideas to help us increase our pool of volunteers for our wonderful existing and future programs. We need you! Find out how you want to be involved by reviewing the list of social action programs in which our synagogue has been involved for many years. If you'd like to become involved, please email our Social Action Chair: Alan Wexler (alanwexler@databankinfo.com; 404.872.8880).
Are you a warm, friendly, dedicated volunteer who wants to make a difference in a fellow congregant's life through acts of loving kindness? Are you willing to make a personal call or visit to comfort and support a congregant who has lost a loved one or been ill? These caring touches – acts of loving kindness – make all the difference in the world to those receiving them. If you want to be a part of strengthening our community, then AA's new Chesed Initiative is for you! This committee will work with our clergy, staff, and lay leaders to connect members who need help with members who want to do good deeds! Additionally, if you know of a congregant who is facing personal difficulties related to health, loss, or grief, please contact Fern Schorr (fschorr@aasynagogue.org; 404.355.5222) to let us know. Help us reach out to members in need. We welcome your help and time with this important project.

Donate to the Ukraine Emergency Fund of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

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Tribute donations offer the ability to memorialize or honor friends and family through donations to a variety of designated funds. Tribute donations can be made in honor of B'nai Mitzvah, the birth of a baby, a graduation, a wedding, or other special occasion. Donations in memory of loved ones are a thoughtful and meaningful way to remember those who have passed away. Your donation will be acknowledged with a card to the recipient of this tribute. Please note that Tribute Donations require a minimum contribution of $18.
 
The Rabbi Neil Sandler Education Scholarship is funded by the Sisterhood to further promote Jewish education in the older adult population. To be considered for a scholarship, the program must benefit the Ahavath Achim community and be targeted toward older adult Jewish education. Please fill out the application form for your program to be considered for funding.
 
We are proud and grateful to formally launch the Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein Cultural Arts Program Fund. Formerly the Cultural Arts Program, established in 1977, this fund was established by congregant Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein to perpetuate AA's broad cultural arts program offerings. AA's cultural arts programming currently consists of: the Fran Eizenstat and Eizenstat Family Memorial Lecture Series, the Chamber Concert Series, the Liturgical Music Artist-in-Residency Program, weekly Shabbat and annual High Holiday musical offerings, and jazz, pop, vocal and instrumental concert offerings. The Cultural Arts Program has long been recognized for its breadth of offerings and its excellence. We hope that you will consider making contributions to this fund as the Marilyn Ginsberg Eckstein Cultural Arts Program offerings continue to present world-renowned speakers, dignitaries, artists, and virtuoso musicians.
 
We are grateful and privileged to announce the launch of the Sonia Fishkin Memorial Fund. This fund was established by Dr. Andy Zangwill in Sonia's memory. The Sonia Fishkin Memorial Fund will honor Sonia's passion for the connection between song and Jewish spirituality. Contributions to the fund will sponsor individuals to create and bring new and singable Jewish music to Ahavath Achim and to the wider Jewish community for use during sacred events and services. Activities may include artists-in-residence, teaching workshops, concerts, and recordings.
 
We are proud and grateful to formally launch the Shirley Reisman Media Outreach Fund. This fund was established by the Reisman family in honor of Shirley z"l. Shirley was always passionate about the AA and together with her family had always been involved in various efforts and regularly attended services at the Shul I have had the personal privilege of knowing Shirley and always treasured my interactions with her, Don, and especially Bruce. This fund has been established to help us to upgrade and maintain the necessary audio/visual equipment to ensure that we give our clergy, staff, and leadership the necessary tools as we embrace the new digital platforms which will only become more important, even after the pandemic has ended. We hope that you will consider making contributions to this fund as we move forward so that we can remain current with the latest technology and trends.
 
AA and Ahava Early Learning Center are proud to participate in the ALEF Fund Scholarship, a program that allows families to make the dream of a Jewish school experience for their child a reality! Parents with children enrolled at Ahava are eligible and encouraged to apply for an ALEF Fund scholarship, which can provide up to approximately $9,000 of support per child per year! The ALEF Fund, Inc. is a registered Georgia 501(c)3 Student Scholarship Nonprofit organization that supports Jewish education in Georgia by helping taxpayers receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit for providing scholarships to students at the Jewish preschools or schools of their choice. This past year, thanks to the many who contributed a portion of their Georgia State Income Taxes to the ALEF Fund, Ahava received more than $100,000 in scholarship funds designated for students in our Pre-K class. Todah Rabah! Please visit the ALEF Fund website for more information about how you can allocate a portion of your taxes to help support Ahava or how your child can receive a financial scholarship for Pre-K. It's simple to qualify! Questions? Contact the Ahava ELC Director: Beth Arnold Helmey (beth@ahavalearning.org; 404.900.9411).