Earth Day was on par with all the major holidays for me; I thought it was my personal duty to save the earth. I was the proud, in-your-face, staunch environmentalist. As I study Torah, I've come to realize that God is also an environmentalist.
I study Torah because I'm fascinated by the stories of our people and enjoy studying the various interpretations. However, there are many disturbing passages. How do I come to terms with the challenging laws and narratives in this sacred text that I love so much? Emor features a set of laws that I find particularly challenging.
In Jewish thought, many know the Sh'ma as the watchword prayer of our faith. It says who we are as a people in relationship to God. If there's a watchword prayer that summarizes our beliefs, what is the watchword law of Judaism?
This week's double Torah portion, Tazria - M'tzora, is about a serious skin disease called tzara'at. We learn from the Talmud that tzara'at could be contracted by speaking lashon hara : "Reish Lakish says: What is that which is written: 'This shall be the law of the leper (metzora)?' This means that this shall be the law of a defamer (motzi shem ra).'" (Arachin 15b.)
Sh'mini offers us an opportunity to use discernment. Informed choices are the bedrock of our movement. It's a sacred task to study Torah while respecting its historicity. Can you find relevancy in these ancient words and connect them to our modern lives? This is our holy struggle - and struggling with God is very Jewish.
Torah Commentary
The Holy Charge of Being Earth's Caretakers in B’har and B’chukotai
Seeing Problematic Laws as a Vehicle to Modern Day Justice
What is the “Watchword Law” of Judaism?
A Spiritual Wellness Check Up: Examining My Metaphorical Case of Tzara’at
Reimagining Reform Kashrut through Sh’mini
Pagination