By Rabbi Abraham Unger, Ph.D.
Executive Director
This Week’s Torah Portion
Framing the Moment
Of all the ancient peoples, the Children of Israel are the only one that survived. The Jews are the sole survivors of antiquity. This is doubly surprising not just because of the sands of time, but because of so many persecutions. Why are Jews and their tradition so resilient?
We begin this week the third book of the Torah, Sefer VaYikra, the Book of Leviticus. It largely focuses on animal sacrifices in the Mishkan, the traveling Tabernacle in the desert, which served as the blueprint for the Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There seems to be nothing more primitive than sacrifice. Yet this narrative exemplifies the reason behind Judaism’s longevity.
Maimonides, the most influential Jewish philosopher and codifier of Jewish law (known by his Rabbinic acronym Rambam), suggests that animal offerings were common in early civilization. Because of this popularity, they were retained in Jewish tradition, but with one core change. Jews directed these sacrifices towards one G-d – the G-d of Sinai and of ethical monotheism. The Torah understood that it had to speak in the language of the time, but it subtly moved this language towards human progress by replacing its pagan underpinnings with historic Jewish values that lead to a higher morality.
Judaism’s great secret is its external adaptability combined with its internal transcendent values that never waver in their reach for the good and the right.
Weekly Parenting Message from the Parsha
Apology Accepted
I recall when my now-adolescent sons were in pre-K and learned a lesson from their teacher: always say “I’m sorry,” even if you bump into someone by accident. We could have been more careful, and even if the accident was utterly unavoidable, we still impacted another human being. It does no harm to apologize, and reminds us of our humanity.
This week’s Shabbat Torah portion captures this value. It commands that a person who commits a trespass inadvertently should bring a sacrifice. Jewish law recognizes that some legal and ethical violations are unintentional. The Torah notes that explicitly. But, an offering – something precious – still has to be given up to atone for that unwitting moment of less than ideal behavior.
I once asked my own Rabbi about this ancient practice. He advised that the Torah is suggesting we not be negligent in our behavior. Take a look around, scan the room, and weigh the best course of action. Don’t just jump into a situation and hope for the best.
We teach our children to act with care, speak with care, and understand different social contexts. Why? All out of concern for not hurting another human being. Yes, our tradition understands the frailty of human beings, but it also sees us as potentially great, caring men and women who look out for each other’s welfare.