VOLUME 100 NUMBER 9
IYAR 12, 5782
MAY 13, 2022
PARSHAS EMOR
CANDLELIGHTING TIME 7:48 PM

            DURING THE TIME BETWEEN PESACH AND SHAVUOS DEPENDING ON VARIOUS CUSTOMS, WE DON’T HAVE WEDDINGS, LISTEN TO MUSIC, OR SHAVE. THE REASON BEHIND THOSE CUSTOMARY PROHIBITIONS IS BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL MOURNING PERIOD THAT WE OBSERVE. THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS OF THE GREAT SAGE RABBI AKIVA DIED IN A PLAGUE DURING THIS PERIOD, AND WE LAMENT THEIR LOSS. ALTHOUGH THEY WERE PUNISHED FOR THEIR LACK OF PROPER CONDUCT, NONETHELESS THEY WERE YOUNG MEN WITH TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL AND THEIR ENRICHMENT FOR THE NATION WOULD HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE. WE SUFFERED THAT TREMENDOUS DEFICIENCY, AND WE ENDEAVOR TO RECTIFY THEIR SHORTCOMINGS IN OUR LIVES AS A PREPARATION FOR SHAVUOS.

            PERHAPS WHAT WE NEED TO PONDER IS DO WE EVER THINK ABOUT THEIR LOSS AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE THEM IN OUR OWN LIVES? WE ARE CERTAINLY AWARE AT SOME LEVEL OF WHAT OCCURRED DURING THIS TIME AND WHY WE OBSERVE THE AFOREMENTIONED PROHIBITIONS, YET WHAT IS OUR RESPONSE IF ANY?

            THE PARSHA DISCUSSES THE OBLIGATION TO SACRIFICE OUR LIVES FOR THE SAKE OF HEAVEN. WHY IS THIS MITZVAH INTRODUCED AS THIS JUNCTURE IN THE TORAH? SFORNO EXPLAINS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PERFECTION IN SERVING HASHEM. NOT ONLY DO THE KOHANIM NEED TO BE FREE OF ANY BLEMISH, BUT EVEN THE ANIMALS USED IN THE SACRIFICIAL PROCESS MUST BE RID OF ANY FLAW. THIS CONCEPT SETS A STANDARD FOR US TO ADOPT IN GENERAL WHEN WE DO MITZVOS AND STUDY TORAH. WE MUST STRIVE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE WORTHY GOALS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE MANNER. THIS COMMITMENT FOLLOWS OUR PERCEPTION OF HASHEM’S ONGOING MANDATE THAT JUST AS HIS ACTIONS REFLECT HIS PERFECTION, SO TOO, WE MUST EMULATE THAT EXTENT OF EXCELLENCE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

            SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO UPGRADE THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR MITZVOS. CERTAINLY, A MITZVAH PERFORMED WITH FULL RECOGNITION OF ITS IMPORTANCE FAR EXCEEDS IN ACHIEVEMENT THE MITZVAH DONE WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE BACKGROUND ACCOMPANYING IT. THE SCOPE OF OUR OBSERVANCE OF THIS NATIONAL MOURNING PERIOD BECOMES MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTING WHEN WE CONTEMPLATE THE AMBIANCE OF ITS RELEVANCE.

            AND, TRUTHFULLY SPEAKING, THIS NOTION SHOULD BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR OUR GENERAL POSITION ON OBSERVANCE OF MITZVOS. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE PRIME OURSELVES TO RECEIVE THE TORAH ON SHAVUOS. EVEN THOUGH THE FIRST SET OF TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE DESTROYED BY MOSHE WHEN HE DESCENDED AND WITNESSED THEIR DOWNFALL AS THEY WERE DANCING AROUND THE GOLDEN CALF, STILL THE REVELATION THAT WE MERITED ON SHAVUOS REMAINS WITH US. EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE AND BASK IN HASHEM’S PROXIMITY WHICH IS EXTANT DURING THIS YOM TOV! HASHEM’S PRESENCE IS ALL ENCOMPASSING AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE RELATE TO THAT LEVEL OF INTENSIFICATION, SO TOO WILL OUR ACHIEVEMENT OF MITZVOS DEVELOP AND BECOME SUPERIOR AND MORE EXTRAORDINARY.

            THE MITZVAH TO SACRIFICE ONE’S LIFE FOR THE GLORY OF HASHEM CERTAINLY MEANS A TOTAL MARTYRIZING OF ONE’S EXISTENCE. HOWEVER, WHEN WE DEDICATE OUR LIVES AND ENRICH THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, WE CAN TRUTHFULLY STATE THAT WE ARE ALSO SACRIFICING OUR OWN DESIRES AND ASPIRATIONS IN LIFE IN ORDER TO VENERATE HASHEM’S NAME.

BYTE FOR SHABBOS

WHEN OUR ANCESTORS LEFT EGYPT, THEY WERE LOWLY BRICKLAYERS AND IN THE SHORT TIME BETWEEN THEIR DEPARTURE FROM SLAVERY TO RECEIVING THE TORAH THEY REACHED THE LEVEL TO ACCEPT THE TORAH. THESE DAYS WHEN WE COUNT THE OMER ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ELEVATE OURSELVES TO GREAT HEIGHTS AS WELL.     S’FAS EMES

GOOD SHABBOS

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