Many of us are hoping that by July 1 – in about two months – some of the restrictions we are living under because of the coronavirus may be eased. Of course, there is no way of knowing now when that threat will be eased.
But there is one thing that we do know about that date. On July 1, Israel’s new government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu with his former bitter rival, Benny Gantz, as his deputy, could begin to annex parts of the West Bank, something no Israeli government has ever tried to do. We Americans who care deeply about Israel’s future must work together with the many like-minded Israelis to stop this threat to Israel’s integrity, which would create a major obstacle to a future two-state solution.read more
All who are in need come and celebrate Passover with us
In the midst of this painful coronavirus we are about to celebrate Passover. As we prepare for the Seder, we, as do other religious communities, experience two different emotions: anxiety and sadness at the devastation of the pandemic as well as anticipation of celebration. Should we stay with our sadness? Would it be right to rejoice? Rather then make a choice we can honor these conflicting emotions and thus follow a Jewish tradition of the two eternal pockets that are sewn into the fabric of life. What are these two pockets about? The Hassidic Rabbi Simcha Bunam tells us that the two pockets are there so that each one of us can reach into them and retrieve in one pocket, “For my sake was the world was created,” and in the other, “I am but dust and ashes.” While firmly stitched in Jewish tradition, the pockets are a universal human experience like this virus moment in our life. Right now I have in one pocket a note with the fragrance of rich spices saying, “Celebrate this Seder with joy,” and in the other, smudged with tears the note says, “We remember those touched by the coronavirus, those who are ill, and those who lost loved ones.” The coronavirus has forced spatial separation in places of worship and in families that cannot be together at the Seder table. Yet Zoom has opened up a getting together in celebration, to bless and be blessed, giving us a communal opportunity to tell and retell the meaning of freedom then, and now in our days.read more
Let me add a few thoughts on Ayala’s wonderful d’var Torah on parshat Tzav. The priests were the first Jewish professionals; the first responders to the sinfulness of the Israelites. Their position was hereditary, but they needed to be trained in their specific tasks; they needed to don specific garments to be used only while performing their assigned roles.
What is a professional? Persons who have special education for a specific role they perform for the rest of society. They need to be licensed in some fashion, and they are generally respected for their abilities. Many professionals have dangerous jobs. That was certainly true for Israelite priests. They were the intermediaries between humanity and God. In this week’s parsha, in Sh’mini we have the story of Nadab and Abihu—the priests who offered God “strange fire” and were in turn incinerated by God. The interpretations of the sad fate of Nadab and Abihu are many. But perhaps what is most important is that the priests who wrote Leviticus thought this story was so important that they interrupted their recitation of laws to highlight the lesson that professionals always need, whatever the situation, whatever their crisis, to remember both their strengths and limitations.read more
A physician recently described the new ritual of protection that health professionals have been taking on in this pandemic crisis. He told us how he is doing his best to protect his family when he returns home. He takes off his clothes he showers at the entrance then puts on clean clothes. We are used to physicians wearing special outfits that distinguish them as a profession as well as protecting them and their patients; we are familiar with unmistakable surgeons’ complete attire. The coronavirus has turned out to be more formidable than surgical protective garments. We are shocked by the new needs of protection of our health workers when they come home and their unmet needs at work.read more
