Shabbat

portion Vayikra - Calling to Us? To Remember to get ready for PURIM

פרטים: קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua; פורסם בשלישי, 01 דצמבר 2020 18:34; נכתב על ידי Super User; כניסות: 311

portion Vayikra - Calling to Us? To Remember to get ready for PURIM

This Shabbat in Shul we read the beginning of the third of the Five Books of Moses-

and also to "Remember (ZACHOR) Amalek (and their attacks on us)"

In my review of the portion this morning I had a lot of questions - but will toss around just three of them.

Last night waiting in the POURING rain

for the bus from Jerusalem to home -

I couldn't decide to dance - or to cry.

So what do you do ? You sing! Getting-ready-for-Shabbat-and-for Purim songs!

Fifty people crowded into this bus shelter - and everyone was making room for this older person and that baby carriage!

All the busses came late (One person complained that their 630 bus never arived at all!)

I just moved out of the shelter to make room for a baby carriage and a couple -

and the father called out to me (Vayikra means "calling out" to us - to Moshe - to the world!-

"someone just got on a bus and there's room now!"

Family lives up north in Tzefat.

Made my evening! What sweet American-Israelis!

So the portion uses the word "Nefesh" - a SOUL.

Why did the L-rd create people with SOULS?

Who uses the SOUL side of their personality?

WE DO! And it really ticked off Haman!

And it ticked off the Amalekites so bad that they attacked us in the desert. Because it

THREATENED their ABUSIVE REGIME. So Moshe and Joshua had to fight them to protect our way of life.

The third Aliya tells us when we sacrifice in the Temple we must ALWAYS HAVE SALT on the ALTER.

What does SALT remind us of? The ocean, maybe -

but on a more PERSONAL level it reminds us of TEARS!

Your sacrifices should touch your soul to the point of tears!

The end of the portion orders a leader who sins to also bring a sacrifice.

I don't see the Chinese or Korean - or most American - leaders - or Putin shedding too many tears.

Forget about the Arabs and the Europeans - and all the LACK OF SOUL they evidence.

Maybe that's why WE read "Portion Zachor (Remember)" every year -

And hopefully remind the World that it should have a little more SOUL too...

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz