May 1, 2010 | 17 Iyar 5770

When I interviewed for the position of Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Achim, the fact that there were options to the traditional prayer service experience was a key selling point.  People don’t find their spiritual voice in the same way so I felt that having alternatives was important. Since that weekend in 2008, our synagogue has added several more alternative Shabbat opportunities.  For me, one of the most impressive is Shabbat Shal-OM, the meditation service. There are many reasons why I appreciate this service; too many for me to illustrate here.  But my personal favorite part of the meditation service is… that I don’t have to lead it.  Not only would I make a terrible meditation leader… too fidgety, too scatter-brain (this is probably why I need to be attending the meditation service, but that issue is for another Torah Sparks), but my schedule would not allow me the opportunity to put the thought and care that is necessary for facilitating and creating a space where people can sit, sing, be present and focused. This week’s parsha, Emor, gives us another reason for my hands-off approach to this spiritual opportunity.  It states:

The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the priest, the sons of Aaron, and say to them (v’Amarta Alyhem): None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin. (Leviticus 21:1)

Our pasouk continues by listing the exceptions to this rule; by listing the immediate family members that the priest may become impure by handling and preparing their bodies for burial. This seems like a tremendous loss for the community. With the priest in such proximity to God and holiness through their life’s work, I could imagine that the kohanim were in a perfect position to assist and comfort the bereaved through the process of death and burial. However, because of this mitzvah, they are required to be absent, except in a situation where they must bury their own, at which time they are the ones who are in need of comforting. 

The Siftay Hachamim, a commentary on the commentator RaShI (That’s right, Judaism even has commentators on the commentators) points us back to last week’s parsha, Kedoshim where we find the use of the same phase, “And say to them (v’Amarta Alyhem).” K’doshim states:

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them (v’Amarta Alyhem): You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:1-2)

According to our pasouk in Parshat Emor, the Kohanim are to refrain from interaction with the dead in order to remain pure for the Temple service. However, I don’t believe that this implies that the rest of us are so insignificant that we can become impure buy handling and preparing members of our community for burial. Instead, it is by The Kohanim’s absence that we have the opportunity to make the process of death and dying holy.

I am, of course, not insinuating that my participation in the meditation service would somehow make me impure. On the contrary, as stated above I think that I am in need of some meditation. However, the absence of ordained clergy is one of many things that bring holiness and godliness to that service. Efforts like these are truly the best of what our Ahavath Achim community has to offer.

Over the next few months you will be hearing about new opportunities for all of you to be involved and become leaders within our congregation. I encourage you to step forward and add your unique voice to the mix.  This will not only utilize and build upon your skills and talents but also it will help us create a kehillah kedusha, a holy community.

Shabbat Shalom

To find out more about the meditation service and how you can learn to become a service leader, please contact Steve Grossman or Tanya Jacobson.

To sign up to lead a Shabbat Morning Torah study session, please contact Rabbi Sandler for openings.