Dear TBZ community:
Another week has passed in this shared new reality. For some, this time continues to be extremely hard, and others may have found some ease. We are setting new routines, and shifting our expectations. Recognizing that this situation is going to last for a while, I invite us to find inspiration and strength in our tradition, in Torah, in community, in one another.
Several times a day I found myself in tears and heartbreak -- when I read the story of a man who died alone holding his Bible, or the women who must give birth without a partner, or the situation for those in our jails and immigration systems. I worry deeply for an older friend that is infected with the virus we are all combatting.
I take heart that when the President called for reopening the nation by Easter, ignoring the cost to human life, Christian Faith leaders have called this pronouncement an Easter Massacre. In a
letter written
by faith leaders they admonish the President:
Coaxing Christians into crowded church buildings in a time of pandemic is not an act of faith or love: it is a dangerous act with deadly consequences. As our Scriptures teach us, wise people listen to wise counsel and only fools reject it. We urge you to follow the lead of public health officials, who overwhelmingly urge people to continue maintaining social distance.
As people of deep faith, of course we long to gather to worship. We mourn the loss of ritual, fellowship and song. And yet we are convinced that the greatest measure of our faith is summed up by the Great Commandment, which teaches us to love God by loving our neighbors. There is no better way to worship God than to protect God’s children.
I join this call, as a faith leader and as a Jew. Our traditions teach us the protecting life, our life and the life of others comes first.
This week we begin the book of
Vayikra - Leviticus,
the third book of the Torah in which the main focus is the description of the procedures for offering sacrifices. Often people see this book of
Vayikra
as boring and with little there to inspire us in our modern life. But this week, I had the pleasure to hear Dr. Susie Tanchel, Head of School of
Jewish Community Day School,
offers inspiration to the contrary.
Dr. Tanchel spoke about the sacrifice that is offered when someone makes a mistake
b’shgaga
בשגגה, not in purpose. The sacrifice is a
Korban Hata’at
קרבן חטאת, translated as Sin Offering.
Dr. Tanchel suggested that this Sin Offering is actually a Purification Offering. What is interesting is that the ritual requires that even before you bring your offering to the Temple of Jerusalem, the
Beit Hamikdash,
you must wash and purify yourself. If you have made yourself pure by washing ritually before you bring the
Korban Hata’at,
then, what is the purpose of a purifying offering? What is the offering actually purifying? The answer is the
Beit Hamikdash
itself, the offering that you bring is for the sake of the Temple, of the Holy Place, the communal place, the place where we encounter the Divine.
This teaches us that your wrongdoings generate impurity to the
Beit Hamikdash
, and in response your offerings can purify the
Beit Hamikdash
.
We can be inspired by this teaching in our current situation. There are many things we are all learning during this unprecedented time. One is how intertwined we are- all human beings, all over the world. And how OUR actions can create impurity and our actions can create purity. If we think about our world being the
Beit Hamikdash
, and each of us bringing an offering to it, we know that the way we act in the world has a direct influence in the world, Responsible physical distancing and following the leading Public Health officials is not about only one’s self, but about every human being, and in that way, it is about the Divine Presence in each of us and in the entire world.
I said last week, and I will repeat again below, as this message is an ongoing message of this time, and I hope you will hear it and heed it:
Many of us are blessed to have homes and jobs that let us work from home, that continue to provide routine, financial support and continuity. I want to encourage those of us with that privilege to recognize it and to be responsible in the use of it.
This means continuing, thoughtfully, physical distancing because we will protect others by acting responsibly. And, it means if we are able financially, to support our local small business and the people who are financially at risk. If you can, pay your tuition to your child’s daycare or school, keep up your health club membership, pay your cleaning people, your babysitter, your dog walker, even if you are unable to use them right now. Give presents of gift cards for local restaurants, movie theaters, hair salons, book stores and the businesses that we’ve come to love. Donate to local food pantries and other institutions that are taking care of the needy.
I invite you to use this Shabbat as an opportunity to stop for a bit. I know technology is a life saver for all of us now, but perhaps consider using technology intentionally and for the sake of connection and friendship.
Please see the resources we have created to celebrate Shabbat together as a community from home, below. Go for a walk, read a book, talk with someone you love, sleep, sing, jump high and laugh.
May this Shabbat bring blessings to all of you and your loved ones.
May we find strength, courage, patience and open our heart with generosity.
May all those who are ill find healing.
I end up offering this beautiful song to all of us:
When the world is sick, can't no one be well
But I dreamt we were all beautiful and strong.
You can listen to it
HERE
.
May we have a joyful Shabbat!
Shabbat Shalom,
