{"id":2820,"date":"2018-04-26T10:35:21","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T10:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/batkol.info\/?p=2820"},"modified":"2018-04-26T10:35:21","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T10:35:21","slug":"parashat-acharei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/2018\/04\/26\/parashat-acharei\/","title":{"rendered":"Parashat Acharei"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shabbat Table Talk<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Parashat Acharei Mot\/Kedoshim – Erev Shabbat 27th April 2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Week of 22nd<\/sup> \u2013 28th<\/sup> April 2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Torah portion<\/em><\/strong>: Lev 16:1-20:27 \/ Haftarah<\/em>: Ezek 22:1-19<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Download<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cB<\/em><\/strong>ecause I said so!\u201d We all have heard, and often declared, such a minimally robust statement in regards to a forbidden behavior. This double Torah portion includes the source of the levitical \u201cHoliness Code.\u201d It is not uncommon to question and even reject these laws, seen as legalistic, outdated, or just weird! Yet God\u2019s repeated, injunction \u201cBe holy as I am holy,\u201d demands we engage the Holiness Code which spans ten chapters (Lev 17-26).<\/p>\n

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The instructions, grounded in God\u2019s expectation of his image-bearing people who are called and set-apart to shine his light to the nations, do more than restrict behavior. They form a people group, establish their identity and, quite significant, give insight into God himself. \u201cBe holy as I am holy,\u201d requires not legalistic responses, for God is not a legalist. Rather, it demands all people be respected and valued. Parents are to be honored (Lev 19:3), and the reversal of the order given in the Ten Commandments (\u201cHonor your father and mother…\u201d Exod 20:12), suggests \u201can equitable estimation of both parents\u201d (Etz Hayim, 694). The poor and the strangers shall be provided for (Lev 19:9-10). The deaf shall not be insulted, the blind threatened with stumbling blocks (Lev 19:11). Holiness establishes equality, regardless of gender, economic status, nationality or disability. As we struggle today to embrace such bold proclamations, we must emulate a holy God who repeatedly invites, \u201cDo as I do. Be who I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The God who challenges, \u201cBe holy as I am holy,\u201d demands more than holy actions; he commands holy moral interiors. Like him, our word ought to matter, be trustworthy, and righteous (Lev 19:12). Our interactions with others are to be characterized by honesty (Lev 19:11, 13), love, and forbearance (Lev 19:17-18). We again hear guidelines for our lives, but also glimpse the God\u2019s very character. These people- and character-forming laws strike the reader as logical, albeit challenging. But then the Holiness Code continues and enters into what appears to be inexplicable or supra-rational laws (Lev 19:19). The chukkim<\/em> create opportunities for God\u2019s people to extend themselves beyond doing what makes sense, into \u201copportunities to do God\u2019s will\u201d (Etz Hayim, 697). We might be tempted to say such declarations are God\u2019s version of, \u201cBecause I said so.\u201d Or we might recall the Lord\u2019s words to Isaiah, \u201cFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…\u201d (Isa 55:8ff).<\/p>\n

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In such seemingly strange laws, we also might discern God\u2019s concerted efforts at forming a distinctive people group, bound together by traditions, guidelines, even obscurities. Like our family, comprised of Ukrainians, Americans, Canadians, Irish, English, Russians and Haitians, who steadfastly continues my great-grandparents\u2019 \u201cPolish Easter egg fights\u201d tradition, the chukkim<\/em> of the Holiness Code also builds identity. Richard Sosis, an anthropologist at the University of Connecticut explains, \u201cRituals deal with identity, the context in which intellect functions. Identity in turn is the glue by which a tribe is held together.\u201d Sosis\u2019 conclusions build on Emile Durkheim\u2019s 1897 monograph on suicide in which he \u201ccoined the term anomie<\/em>, which means a state of society where nobody knows who they are, what they have to do with one another, or what on earth they\u2019re doing here\u201d (Freeman, chabad.org). God\u2019s injunctions throughout the Holiness Code – both the rational and supra-rational – clearly establish identity. As long as Israel strove to be holy as the Lord is holy and to follow his guidelines, they would never suffer from anomie<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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For Reflection and Discussion<\/em><\/strong>: 1. How have your faith communities tended to read and interpret the Holiness Code? 2. Etz Hayim suggests that the Torah\u2019s reversal of revere\/honor your Mother\/Father in Exodus and Leviticus suggests equity among males\/females. Do you agree? How else would you explain this reversal? 3. God\u2019s \u201cBe Holy as I am holy,\u201d does more than instruct God\u2019s people – it gives us insight into God\u2019s character. What can we discern about God\u2019s character from the Holiness Code that may be overlooked or less commonly discussed? 4. How do you see anomie<\/em> in today\u2019s society? What are the rituals in your life that build identity? What rituals or practices might you begin or re-embrace to address anomie<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Bibliography: <\/em><\/strong>Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary<\/em>. The Jewish Publication Society, 2001. Freeman, Tzvi. \u201cWhy Does Judaism Make No Sense?\u201d www.chabad.org<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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This week\u2019s teaching commentary was prepared by<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rev. Dr. Kristen Bennett Marble, Bat Kol Alumni 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Senior Pastor, West Morris Street Free Methodist Church, Indianapolis IN
Email address: kristen@kristenmarble.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

[Copyright \u00a9 2018]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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PLEASE NOTE<\/em><\/strong>: The weekly Parashah commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.\u00a0\u00a0 The commentaries, along with all materials published on the Bat Kol website, are copyrighted by the writers, and are made available for personal and group study, and local church purposes. Permission needed for other purposes.\u00a0 Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem<\/em><\/strong> 1983-2018<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cChristians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Website: <\/em><\/strong>www.batkol.info<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0\u00a0Parashat Admin:<\/em> <\/strong>gill@batkol.info<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shabbat Table Talk Parashat Acharei Mot\/Kedoshim – Erev Shabbat 27th April 2018 Week of 22nd \u2013 28th April 2018 Torah portion: Lev 16:1-20:27 \/ Haftarah: Ezek 22:1-19 \u00a0 Download \u00a0 \u201cBecause I said so!\u201d We all have heard, and often declared, such a minimally robust statement in regards to a forbidden behavior. This double Torah…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":2822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2820"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2820"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2820\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2820"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2820"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ratisbonne.org.il\/bk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2820"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}