Summary: Parashot Tazria-Metsorah are the 4^th & 5th in the Book of Leviticus comprising Chapters 12:1 – 15:33. Having previously delineated laws to the Kohanim against drinking wine while serving in the Mishkan, and to the general population laws of eating only kosher animals and the spiritual impurity from contact with that which is not kosher, these two parashot continue to describe a state of personal purity or impurity.

The main themes of Tazria-Metsorah are child birth, Tsara’at (inflammations appearing on skin, hair, clothing or buildings), and unusual genital discharges as well as menstruation.

Tazria declares in great specificity the spiritual status resulting directly from these events, or even indirectly should another person come in contact (through touch, sitting or spittle) with those who were adversely affected.

Metsorah describes various purification ceremonies for those who experienced Tumah (spiritual impurity), including the double-bird ceremony where one was offered and the second was set free. It also includes laws for Tsara’at found in a home, before concluding with laws related to impurity caused by sexual discharges.

Please look here for an Aliyah-by-Aliyah summary.

Comment: The ceremony to cleanse a Metsorah which required taking 2 live birds, offering one as a sacrifice, then dipping the other along with a piece of cedar wood, hyssop branch and crimson thread in the blood of the slaughtered bird appears only one other place in the Torah. A separate reference to using the cedar wood, hyssop and crimson thread combination is related to the Red Heifer whose ashes were used to purify those who had contracted the highest degree of spiritual impurity through contact with the dead.

Several commentators explain that Tsara’at resulted from petty theft, jealousy and/or improperly treating information about others – spreading slander or gossip. They suggest that being forced into isolation outside the encampment was ‘just punishment’ which fitted the crime.

The ritual itself seems distressing. To take a live bird and dip it in the blood of one of its own kind before releasing it into the wild, today would be considered inhumane. But we might suggest the intended impact was to demonstrate to the offender, the seriousness of their crime – they were quite literally standing on the threshold, the dividing line between life and death.

Their actions – intended to harm or destroy the sanctity of national life, verbally harming, shaming or maligning others – caused them to be cast out from the privilege of communal security and safety. For whom among us can survive entirely without reliance on fellow human beings?

Additionally, from the penultimate verse in Parshat Metsorah it explains ‘these laws were intended so the Children of Israel wouldn’t die in their impurity, by making impure My dwelling in their midst.’ Just as the 2 sons of Aharon from Parshat Shemini were struck down in service of the Almighty for their inappropriate behaviour, so too were the general population proscribed to a correct path for their own well-being.

Though today we lack a Temple that houses the Divine presence, it still is in our benefit to take heed to these ritualistic laws, for in so doing we enable our clothing, our homes, ourselves and our most intimate family members to become attuned to and experience G-d’s spiritual presence.

LEVITICUS OVERVIEW: The Book of Leviticus spans the 4-6 weeks in which Bnei Yisrael were encamped at the base of Mt Sinai learning from Moshe that which G-d commanded him atop the mountain. It was a time for inaugurating the Mishkan and inducting the Kohanim before the nation began its journey toward Canaan.

The third of the 5 Books of Moses, Leviticus, is also known as Torat Kohanim (Law of the Priests) because it contains a detailed explanation of the daily, weekly and annual Mishkan ritual cycle. It also contains well-known codes for Jewish behaviour still relevant today – Kashrut, Family Relationships, Shabbat and Festivals. Many of these commandments enabled Bnei Yisrael to remain in a state of ritual purity and become a Sanctified Nation. Ultimately, beyond the laws governing interaction with the Divine, there were social justice laws intended for interacting with a wider world.

Many congratulations to Borehamwood & Elstree residents, Damien Schogger (3’17”) and Paul Deacon (4′ 40′) for finishing last Sunday’s London Marathon.

In advance of the race, of great interest was the conversation about mental health that helped launch a new charity initiative, Heads Together, whose patrons are members of the Royal Family. Click here for a very open discussion about bereavement, addiction and loss between the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

We’re now in the period of Sefirat HaOmer, counting the 50 days from Passover until Shavuoth. For a reminder of Laws & Customs related to the Omer, please click here.

Thursday 27 April is the 16th day of the Omer or 2 weeks and 2 days.

Summary: Parshat Shemini is the 3^rd in the Book of Leviticus spanning Chapters 9:1-11:47. It describes the ritual sacrifices brought by Aharon to consecrate the Mishkan on the final day of its inauguration. The ceremony climaxed with the appearance before all the people of the Glory of the Lord and with a Heavenly fire that consumed the offerings.

In their over-enthusiastic zeal, tragically, Nadav & Avihu, the older sons of Aharon, took upon themselves to bring an unscheduled incense offering and they too were consumed by the Lord’s fire. Cousins had to remove their burned bodies from the Sanctuary.

The same day a series of commands were issued warning the priests not to serve while intoxicated and their remaining brothers, Elazar and Itamar, were commanded to fall into place to complete the day’s sacrificial service. When Moses learned one of the sin offerings hadn’t been eaten but was burnt-up instead, he chastised Aharon’s sons. Quietly, Aharon came to their defense.

The parasha continues with the laws of kosher animals, fish, birds and insects and concludes with commands listing categories of day-long ritual impurity resulting from prohibited animals coming in contact with vessels, food or humans; either through a liquid intermediary, through touch or ingestion.

Please look here for an Aliyah-by-Aliyah summary.

Comment: This week’s parasha offers profound insight into coping with loss and bereavement. On a day which should have been the most joyous in his career as High Priest, Aharon instead suffered the tragic death of his two eldest sons.

Much has been written on Moshe’s initial words of consolation reminding Aharon that G-d said ‘through those who are dear I will be sanctified and in front of the nation I will be honoured’ (Lev 10:3) and on the two enigmatic words VaYidom Aharon (Aharon was silent) describing Aharon’s emotional response.

Those of us who‘ve lost loved ones will upon reflection reach such a point – where there are no longer any words to express our grief. The emotional cycle is triggered by a fond memory, leading to a sense of deep sadness. That’s often followed by the desire to express and share our overwhelming feelings in writing, verbally, or through photographs. What then frequently sets-in is a feeling of helplessness and abandon – knowing that nothing can bring back those we loved. The cycle is completed when we realise the need to again find the fortitude to go forward.

This is also reflected in the peculiar aftermath story in Parshat Shemini where Moshe chastised the remaining sons of Aharon for not having eaten one of the sin offerings. A sin offering was to be partially consumed by the Kohanim in order to restore to its donor the lost sense of spiritual balance caused by the sin. As G-d’s representative to the people, Kohanim consuming the offering were part of the ritual process to bring about atonement.

It seems insensitive for Moshe to have confronted and criticised Elazar and Itamar for not having fulfilled their role. Yet Aharon’s intervention on behalf of his living sons met with Moshe’s approval.

Paradoxically, Aharon as High Priest should have ensured his sons compliance with sacrificial law. But the loss he’d experienced as a father supersede their need for eating the Sin offering. And curiously, this was acceptable in Moshe’s eyes.

What can be gleaned from this obscure Biblical narrative and advances in the field of bereavement counselling is that we all experience loss in different ways. Yet when challenged to perform publicly even while feeling bereaved, an expedient approach is to seek outside help along with internal silence. In that tenuous mental space, we can hopefully realise that our loss is also felt by the Divine and that we aren’t entirely abandoned or alone in our grief.

We trust you had an enjoyable Pesah holiday and have returned to normative work and school routines. We are now in the period of Sefirat HaOmer, counting the 50 days from Passover until Shavuoth. For a reminder of Customs & Laws related to the Omer, please click here. Today is the 9th day of the Omer which is 1 week and 2 days.

Also, please note that our annual Lag LaOmer BBQ will be on Sunday 14 May 2017, and that Rambam Sephardi is once again participating in the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run. To sign up to run with us, please click here.

ELECTIONS PAST/ ELECTIONS FUTURE
The past week has seen several noteworthy decisions and announcements in the world of politics. The referendum victory in Turkey of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the announcement in the UK of a snap election for 8 June have captured headlines.

This coming Sunday’s run-off elections in France are also being watched carefully. So it felt a bit like the well-known Dickensian story – with ghosts of elections past and elections future haunting our imaginations.

The power grab by Turkey’s leader – which passed by a thin margin – seems largely unwelcome by Turkish citizens in the country’s major capitals as well as by Western leaders. While historically in the UK snap elections have more often than not dealt a different result than expected.

At the same time the power showdown between North Korea and the USA added a disconcerting degree of tension to the Passover/ Easter weekend. Recognising the potential cataclysm of nuclear holocaust, one can only pray for the fulfilment of G-d’s redemptive promise to our ancestors.

We beseech the Almighty to ensure humanity will refrain from destroying itself. Our constant hope is to see Isaiah’s prophesy realised (11:6-9, from Passover’s last Haftarah) – that there will come a time when all will learn to live together in harmony.

RECITING PSALMS Introduction: This brief comment is in memory of my late mother (Brainah Leah bat Moshe Aharon) and for all those who read Tehillim for the sake of others. [Note: Quoted verses are taken from the Mechon Mamre website.]

Chapter 38: Psalm 38 is attributed to King David; it is considered a penitential prayer, filled with grief and remorse. Divisible into 5 themes, it begins with G-d’s abhorrence of sin and the resulting pain and self-revulsion David felt about his behaviour. It includes the unkindness and abandonment he experienced from relatives and friends, his enemy’s evil intentions during this period of vulnerability, and his own plea to G-d for repentance and salvation.

ה–אַל-בְּקֶצְפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי; וּבַחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי. O LORD, rebuke me not in Your anger; nor chasten me in Your wrath. (Psalms 38:2)

נַעֲוֵיתִי שַׁחֹתִי עַד-מְאֹד; כָּל-הַיּוֹם, קֹדֵר הִלָּכְתִּי. I am bent and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day. (Psalms 38:7)

The Rabbis of the Talmud (TB Berakhot) advised that when one is afflicted with suffering it is a sign to be introspective in identifying possible misdeeds and mending one’s ways. Such self-reflection and isolation can help one restore a sense of focus and centeredness.

But over time we’ve learned never to under-estimate the role of family and friends in helping mitigate the suffering of others. Sadly, many of us only offer help when times are easy and good, but we become scarce when difficulties arise.

אֹהֲבַי, וְרֵעַי–מִנֶּגֶד נִגְעִי יַעֲמֹדוּ;    וּקְרוֹבַי, מֵרָחֹק עָמָדוּ. Friends and companions stand aloof from my plague; and kinsmen stand afar off. (Psalms 38:12)

If one’s punishment is due to sinful behaviour, an antidote may be turning to G-d to repent misdeeds. Through Teshuvah (returning) one gains confidence to endure the discomfort of our affliction, knowing the torments will pass, and that we will again be restored into the Lord’s presence.

כִּי-לְךָ ה הוֹחָלְתִּי; אַתָּה תַעֲנֶה, אֲ-דֹנָי אֱ-לֹהָי. For in You, O LORD, do I hope; You will answer, O Lord my God. (Psalms 38:16)

אַל-תַּעַזְבֵנִי ה: אֱ-לֹהַי, אַל-תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי. Forsake me not, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me. (Psalms 38:22)

Having just completed the Passover festival and re-experiencing the birth of our national freedom as well as reimagining that demoralizing sense of Egyptian enslavement, some may feel disheartened by the current state of our unredeemed world.

Psalm 38 addresses the issue of a seemingly endless Exile through the lens of David’s troubles, while offering solace as well as encouragement. This Psalm can also be recited by those who suffer personal tragedy and misfortune.

Summary: The Book of Leviticus spans the 4-6 weeks in which Bnei Yisrael were encamped at the base of Mt Sinai learning from Moshe that which G-d commanded him atop the mountain. It was a time for inaugurating the Mishkan and inducting the Kohanim before the nation began its journey toward Canaan.

The third of the 5 Books of Moses, Leviticus, is also known as Torat Kohanim (Law of the Priests) because it contains a detailed explanation of the daily, weekly and annual Mishkan ritual cycle. It also contains well-known codes for Jewish behaviour still relevant today – Kashrut, Family Relationships, Shabbat and Festivals. Many of these commandments enabled Bnei Yisrael to remain in a state of ritual purity and become a Sanctified Nation. Ultimately, beyond the laws governing interaction with the Divine, there were social justice laws intended for interacting with a wider world..

Parshat Tsav is the 2^nd in the Book of Leviticus comprising Chapters 6:1-8:36. It describes how the Kohanim were to perform the sacrifices; the Olah, Minha, Hatat, and Shelamim. Tsav ends with a lengthy description of the elaborate induction ceremony which, significantly, required sacrificial blood to be placed on the right earlobe, thumb and toe of the Kohanim.

Please look here for an Aliyah-by-Aliyah summary.

Comment: This week is also known as Shabbat HaGadol, occurring always the week before Pesah. It recalls the command by G-d to the Jewish people to take their paschal lambs, keep them for several days, then in unison as a people, slaughter and use the blood to paint their lentils and doorposts. The Torah explains this was done so the Angel of Death would pass over the Jewish homes while smiting the first-born Egyptians in what was the 10^th and final plague.

Each paschal lamb was eaten by the family that brought it, and where the numbers weren’t large enough, designated neighbours were invited to join in. Inviting guests to one’s Seder today echoes a tradition dating back to the original Seder night in Egypt.

While parts of the Haggadah are taken directly from the Torah, much of the tradition became formalised by the rabbis of the Talmudic period. (Attached is a diagram showing how the Haggadah was enlarged and expanded over the centuries.)TAL – Panoramic History of Haggadah (6 Mar 17)

The Seder itself is a precious opportunity to explore and re-experience our 3,300-year-old birth as a nation. Done well, children will remember this evening well into their adulthood. And, so it is worthwhile thinking ahead and planning ways to make the evening engaging (a quick Google search will yield many ideas).

As adults we see things with a far more critical eye, yet it is equally good to bring our own questions to this unusual festive meal. An example: The basic mitzvah of Pesah night is to recount the Exodus from Egypt, to drink 4 cups of wine or grape juice and to eat, at the very least, some matzah and maror – to show gratitude to the Almighty for freeing our ancestors from slavery and oppression.

But was it not the Lord who initially told Abraham his descendants would be enslaved for 400 years? Like much of the darker side of Jewish history, how can we be asked to thank G-d for afflicting us first and then redeeming us? For that matter, even today there are many who still suffer from slavery and oppression.

Rather than offer a solution, we’ll leave you, the reader, in preparing for Monday night, to search, enquire and try to find a meaning that resonates with truth.

UK LABOUR PARTY: As a primary school student, it was not unusual to be a devoted fan to our town’s sports team and in particular to one of the team’s key players. For season after season my devotion remained constant; watching games, memorising statistics, keeping tabs on league rankings and scores. A lot of hours and emotion were invested in our team.

My father somehow got tickets to the best games and with pride took his 4 boys regularly. But the year of my bar mitzvah, there was a tragic accident and the lead player went down in a plane crash while on a humanitarian mission to bring food and supplies to his home country. Our disappointment was so great, it was hard to continue being a fan.

Reading comments of Jewish friends in the Labour Party this week evoked a similar sense of loss. While we should probably no longer be shocked when decisions go against expectations, the one-year suspension rather than lifetime expulsion of Ken Livingstone from the Labour Party must be deeply disappointing to those who’ve invested years of support and devotion. We empathise with their sense of abandonment.

RECITING PSALMS Introduction: This brief comment is in memory of my late mother (Brainah Leah bat Moshe Aharon) and for all those who read Tehillim for the sake of others. [Note: Quoted verses are taken from the Mechon Mamre website.]

Chapter 37: Psalm 37 is attributed to David in his older years and is quite long at 40 verses. Generally speaking, in every second verse it appears as an alphabetical acrostic. The theme is Theodicy – belief in Divine Providence despite the existence of evil – following the previous Psalm 36.

Psalm 37 displays a repeating pattern wherein evil doers are despised, the righteous are praised and G-d is called upon to reward the faithful.  It raises the age-old dilemma of why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.

David propounds: not to fret the success of the wicked, vilifying the character of evil doers contrasted with that of the righteous, outlining the punishment or reward awaiting both, describing G-d’s benevolence and encouraging adherence to the good path.

לְדָוִד:  אַל-תִּתְחַר בַּמְּרֵעִים; אַל-תְּקַנֵּא, בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה. [A Psalm] of David. Fret not because of evil-doers, nor be envious of those who work unrighteousness. (Psalms 37:1)

כִּי כֶחָצִיר, מְהֵרָה יִמָּלוּ; וּכְיֶרֶק דֶּשֶׁא, יִבּוֹלוּן. For they will soon wither like the grass, and fade as the green herb. (Psalms 37:2)

בְּטַח בַּ-ה, וַעֲשֵׂה-טוֹב; שְׁכָן-אֶרֶץ, וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and cherish faithfulness. (Psalms 37:3)

וְהִתְעַנַּג עַל-ה; וְיִתֶּן-לְךָ, מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּךָ. So shall you delight in the LORD; and G-d will fulfil the petitions of your heart. (Psalms 37:4)

The pattern repeats four times indicating this Psalm was meant more for educational purposes than as a prayer. Intended to encourage the downtrodden, it reflects the wisdom of David’s advanced years.

כִּי-מְרֵעִים, יִכָּרֵתוּן; וְקֹוֵי ה, הֵמָּה יִירְשׁוּ-אָרֶץ. For evil-doers will be cut off; but those who wait for the LORD, they shall inherit the land. (Psalms 37:9)

וְעוֹד מְעַט, וְאֵין רָשָׁע; וְהִתְבּוֹנַנְתָּ עַל-מְקוֹמוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ. And yet a little while, and the wicked is no more; yea, look well at his place, and he is not. (Psalms 37:10)

וַעֲנָוִים יִירְשׁוּ-אָרֶץ; וְהִתְעַנְּגוּ, עַל-רֹב שָׁלוֹם. But the humble shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in an abundance of peace. (Psalms 37:11)

A few verses occur at the end of Birkat HaMazon, raising the issue: How can one attest to ‘never having seen the righteous forsaken nor their children begging for bread’? Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said, ‘it is a plea to humanity rather than a testimony to G-d’s Providence. We have a duty to ensure that no one in this world goes hungry.’

כִּי-יִפֹּל לֹא-יוּטָל: כִּי-ה, סוֹמֵךְ יָדוֹ. Though he fall, he won’t be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds his hand. (Psalms 37:24)

נַעַר, הָיִיתִי– גַּם-זָקַנְתִּי: וְלֹא-רָאִיתִי, צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב; וְזַרְעוֹ, מְבַקֶּשׁ-לָחֶם. I’ve been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalms 37:25)

כָּל-הַיּוֹם, חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה; וְזַרְעוֹ, לִבְרָכָה. All day long he deals graciously, and lends; and his seed is blessed. (Psalms 37:26)

The final verses are part of Arbit service in the Sephardi liturgy, and are used elsewhere to prompt the recitation of Mourner’s Kaddish.

וּתְשׁוּעַת צַדִּיקִים, מֵ-ה; מָעוּזָּם, בְּעֵת צָרָה. But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD; their stronghold in the time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)

וַיַּעְזְרֵם ה, וַיְפַלְּטֵם: יְפַלְּטֵם מֵרְשָׁעִים, וְיוֹשִׁיעֵם–כִּי-חָסוּ בוֹ. And the LORD helps them, and delivers them; delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they’ve taken refuge in G-d. (Psalms 37:40)

Some view Psalm 37 as a meditation for the persecuted, for those who see the world as ‘unfair’. It admonishes us to put aside our sense of moral outrage while persevering in the difficult work of trying to improve a broken world. It requests of us Emunah; to trust that G-d’s calculations are different from our own.