Torah Commentary with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal – Parshat Emor

Posted on by Damon Fonooni

Torah Commentary with Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal

Parshat Emor
Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Name Calling!

By Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal

I'm sure you are familiar with the affectionate nicknames that friends might call each other, names that are the opposite of their stature. Somebody very tall might be called "shorty." Someone very big might be called "tiny." These titles not only call out the obvious, but they also disarm the encounter with such an individual, making somebody who would otherwise be imposing more approachable. Parshat Emor begins with a similar literary technique to help us approach a very difficult topic:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃

And God said to Moses, "Say to the Priests, the children of Aaron, and you will say to them: For a Nefesh [dead body], they will not impurify themselves by means of their people (Leviticus 21:1).

This verse is a bit confusing for many reasons. However, I'm most interested in the term the Torah uses here for a dead body – nefesh. Not only is this not a term regularly used for the dead [Met], it is precisely opposite. Nefesh means "soul." In fact, when God created the first human being in the Garden of Eden, it states:

וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

And God-Elohim, formed the person, using dust from the earth, and blew into its nose a living spirit and it [the spirit] was for the person, a living nefesh [soul] (Genesis 2:8).

Why is this week's parsha using the word 'soul,' which usually connotes life, to refer to death? Is God trying to use a euphemism to make a difficult situation (death) more manageable? There are other terms that could be used to reference a dead body which might soften the edges.

The use of the term nefesh, reminds us of the very essence that makes our bodies sacred to us. As described in Genesis 2:8, the body is material being made of dust and earth. What makes the human experience special is the inclusion of that divine spark, the nefesh, making the body into a human being. This duality – body and soul – is complex and can be dangerous if not managed properly. As with many dualist systems, one side represents the good while the other side represents the bad. If we use this mindset for our body and soul experience, we might be tempted to view the body as bad. Of course, there are many religious communities that do just that. Bodily impulses are considered bad with hunger and sex often seen as dirty, while matters dealing with the soul are considered clean and pure.

As our Parsha wades into the discussion of impurity that is imparted when one has contact with a dead body, there might be a concern that this duality is going to come into focus. By insinuating that encountering a corpse makes somebody impure, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to assume that the body is impure and bad. However, this is not a Jewish idea. Therefore, the text refers to the body as "soul" to remind us that the body is more than dust and earth. The body made possible the experience of the soul on earth and must be treated with dignity, kindness, and reverence. This sort of thinking is what girds many of the rituals surrounding death and burial in our Jewish tradition.

The words we use matter. The terms we use to refer to things, ideas, or even other people make a difference in the way we treat them, include them, embrace them. Imagine what the world would look like if we approached every difficult situation with a bit more nefesh.

Shabbat Shalom

Schmooze and News at AA

Posted on by Damon Fonooni
Schmooze and News at AA

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Special Message

Shabbat Corner

Shabbat Evening Service: 6:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Candle Lighting: 8:12 p.m.
Shabbat Morning Service: 9:30 a.m. (Zoom)
Rebbe's Tish: 12:15 p.m.
Mincha/Ma'ariv/Havdallah Service: 8:15 p.m. (Zoom)
Conclusion of Shabbat: 8:56 p.m.
Torah Parsha: Parshat Emor – Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Haftara: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Torah Commentary with Rabbi Rosenthal:
Parshat Emor – Name Calling!
Parsha Video of the Week (~8 min):
Kiddush Hashem – Sanctifying God's Name – Rabbi David Golinkin from the Schechter Institute
Bible Video of the Week (~70 min):
Orthodox, Masorti, Reform Rabbis Discuss Common Issues as Women Rabbis &Their Impact on Society from Schechter Institute

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Events

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Thu, May 12 @ 6:30 p.m.
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Rebbe's Tish

Sat, May 14 @ 12:15 p.m.
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Community Lag B'Omer Celebration

Wed, May 18 @ 6:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
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Sisterhood Closing Meeting

Sun, May 22 @ 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
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Special Congregational Meeting

Tue, May 24 @ 6:30 p.m.
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Shir Shabbat

Fri, May 27 @ 6:00 p.m.–7:15 p.m.
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Sisterhood Minyan

Tue, Jun 7 @ 7:15 a.m.
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Naomi's Book Club

Mon, Jun 13 @ 10:15 a.m.
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Tikkun Leil Shavuot

Sat, Jun 4 @ 6:00 p.m.–Sun, Jun 5 @ 7:30 a.m.
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The 135th Annual Meeting

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Other Things Happening at AA

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 regular-size 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). Regular card = $9

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.

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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.
 
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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).