The middle of Leviticus is where we find ourselves this week in the yearly cycle of Torah readings, smack dab in the middle. The six chapters of Leviticus (16-21) we read this week contain many, many details that pertain to Aaron and the priesthood and sacrifices. These types of details may seem repetitive and obscure in their meaning or intent and this is not a popular portion to preach on when these portions are read separately. This year we read them one right after another, and the first one begins “after the death of two of Aaron’s sons…” (Lev. 6:1) while the second seems to take on a completely new topic: “you shall be holy for I ה'your God am Holy” (Lev. 19:2). This second portion contains what is often referred to as “the holiness code”, which while technically the basis for some Jewish law, is more broadly understood to be the moral underpinning of Judaism. Elaine Goodfriend, a professor at California State University, Northridge, points out that the physical structure of the Torah and our placement in it this week may teach us as much as the words themselves.
We read our Scripture from a scroll. Yes, you already know this, and it’s not THAT interesting, but one of the unavoidable lessons of reading from a scroll is that it isn’t easy to keep your place. No bookmarks for the Torah scroll, they would obviously fall out. Prof. Goodfriend draws our attention to the structure of the five books, two of which we have completed reading and two of which have yet to be read. We have heard the “history” (our version of it at least) of the world from creation through to and including revelation. She would have us understand that the first half of the Torah is preparation; it may have shocked and disappointed us with the failings and mistakes of our people but now we are ready to gain perspective. Chapter 19 of Leviticus, that begins with the statement that because God is holy, we must strive to attain holiness, is quite literally the heart of the Torah, its physical and literal center. Why could we not have heard about the expectation to strive for holiness before becoming slaves? Because we would not have had the experience to comprehend how precious each and every life is until our freedom was taken. Life is capricious it seems, and if God is capricious too then what really is the point?
This portion contains the fulcrum of Torah – the verse “Love your neighbor as yourself” is almost the exact center of the five books. Instead of bringing up the requirement to love God, which figures prominently in our liturgy, we are told, only a few chapters after the shattering deaths of Aaron’s sons, that we need to turn to others to show true religious faith. How cruel it seems to abjure us to show love for others when we have just witnessed how easily the lives of Aaron’s sons are taken. We are told to love our neighbor because we find it so hard to do. We are easily drawn to those we see as like us, with shared outlooks on life. Those are the people we want to love. Torah tells us that it’s not enough to avoid doing wrong, that just not hurting others is not praiseworthy. We have to remember that while we perceive a covenant, a partnership we are bound to with God, all humanity was created in God’s image. The holiness code reminds us that we have an obligation to our families, our communities and human society as a whole to recognize the divine nature of our neighbors. Even when they are spewing hate and attacking the weakest elements of our civilization. We don’t need to turn the other cheek, but we do need to look our neighbor in the eye and see our common link to God. That is difficult spiritual work that we all need to practice more, myself included. If we can take the memory of our pain and filter it through our trust in God we may find the task easier. The goal of holiness is not one that can be attained solo, nor is there one clear path forward, but we are all in this together. May our shared struggle bring strength to us all and reinforce our commitment to making our world better, together. As we say at the end of Aleinu – ‘on that day may God be one and God’s name be one’. If we’re arguing about what to call God we are probably not focused on the values that increase holiness and bring peace…
Shabbat Shalom Rabbi Leah Benamy
