From The Rabbi’s Study… Shabbat Parah, March 5, 2021/21 Adar 5781
Torah: Ki Tissa (Exodus 30:11-34:35) Haftarah (Numbers 19:1-22;Ezekiel 36:16-38)
This Shabbat Parah has a special Maftir and Haftarah to conclude the Torah section of the Sabbath service. The Maftir reading lays down the regulations for body purification.It relates the mysterious rites of the red heifer, whose burnt ashes helped remove the defilement resulting from contact with the dead. These instructions are quite long, however the theme of preparation and purity has the connection to the forthcoming festival of Passover. Passover Jews kashrut their homes to rid it of all leaven.
The Haftarah is taken from the Book of Ezekiel, which has the theme of moral purification. G-d justly sent Israel into captivity, says the prophet. To vindicate His honor,
G-d will restore the Israelites, not so much because they deserve it, but rather to vindicate His own honor. The restoration will be accompanied by a moral renewal. On one hand, G-d will implant “a new heart and a new spirit” into the nation. On the other hand, Israel’s soul will be swept away by sincere repentance that will cause it to be ashamed of its evil past. This theme of repenting and washing away bad behaviour of our people is a purification and it is the link to the festival of Passover.
The Torah portion continues with Moses receiving instructions to collect a half-shekel from every person over the age of twenty when he takes a census of the community. Moses is told that the sanctuary’s furnishings are to be fashioned by the skilled artisan Bezalel. Moses reminds the people that in observing the Sabbath they celebrate the covenant between themselves and G-d. Moses is given two tablets on Mount Sinai. Forty days have passed, and the Israelites have asked Aaron to make a golden calf. Aaron agrees. When Moses sees the golden calf, he shatters the tablets. G-d instructs Moses to carve two new tablets and return to Mount Sinai. After the second forty days, Moses returns to the people, radiant from speaking to G-d. He covers his face with a veil.
Why after G-d brought the Ten plagues, the wall of fire to protect the Israelites from the Egyptian soldiers and the parting of the Red Sea did they make an idol (golden calf)?
Many scholars and commentators write that the Israelites were in a state of panic. Thinking that Moses had vanished atop Mount Sinai, they decided to take matters into their own hands. They hoped the power of G-d would somehow enter the image they fashioned and offer them proper guidance. The Bible commentator Nechama Leibowitz sees in the story of the golden calf not just Aaron’s failure as a leader or the sin of the Israelites, but a deliberate warning that human beings are capable of acting nobly one moment and badly at the next.
It was lovely to see many of our congregation celebrating Purim. The information of our “Community Seder” celebrating Passover will be coming in the next few weeks.
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
Shabbat Parah (Mwezi wa 3 Machi 2021) - Kihistoria: Ki Tisa (Kutoka 30:11-35) Haftarah (Hesekieli 36:16-38) Shabbat Parah hii ina Maftir maalum na Haftarah kumaliza sehemu ya Torati ya huduma ya Sabato. Mafrit inaelezea taratibu za kusafisha mwili na inaelezea desturi za ajabu za ng'ombe mwekundu, ambaye majivu yake yaliyosha yaliwasaidia kuondoa uchafu uliotokana na kuwasiliana na wafu. Maagizo haya ni marefu sana, hata hivyo mandhari ya maandalizi na usafi ina uhusiano na sherehe inayokuja ya Pasaka. Wayahudi wa Pasaka huficha chachu katika nyumba zao ili kuondoa chachu yote. Haftarah inachukuliwa kutoka Kitabu cha Ezekieli, ambacho kina kichwa cha utakaso wa kiadili. "BWANA alimtuma Israeli uhamishoni kwa haki,"" asema nabii." Kwa kuitetea heshima yake, Mungu atawarudisha Waisraeli, si kwa sababu wanastahili, bali kwa ajili ya heshima yake mwenyewe. Kurudishwa huko kutaambatana na upyaji wa maadili. Kwa upande mmoja, Mungu ataweka "moyo mpya na roho mpya" katika taifa hilo. Kwa upande mwingine, nafsi ya Israeli itachukuliwa na toba ya kweli ambayo itasababisha aone aibu kwa wakati wake mbaya uliopita. "Mtazamo huu wa ""kutubu na kuondoa tabia mbaya"" wa watu wetu ni usafi na ni kiungo cha sherehe ya Pasaka." Katika kitabu cha Torati, Musa alipewa amri ya kukusanya nusu shekeli kutoka kwa kila mtu mwenye umri wa miaka 20 na zaidi. Musa anaambiwa kwamba vifaa vya patakatifu vitatengenezwa na fundi stadi Bezaleli. Musa anawakumbusha watu kwamba kwa kushika Sabato wanaadhimisha agano kati yao na Mungu, na Musa anapewa mabamba mawili ya mawe kwenye Mlima Sinai. Baada ya siku 40 kupita, Waisraeli wanamwomba Haruni afanye ndama wa dhahabu. Aaron anakubaliana na hilo. Musa alipomwona ndama wa dhahabu, alivunja mabamba hayo. Mungu alimwambia Musa achonge mabamba mawili mapya na arudi kwenye Mlima Sinai. Baada ya siku arobaini za pili, Musa anarudi kwa watu, akiwa na furaha kwa sababu ya kuzungumza na Yehova. Anafunika uso wake kwa pazia. Baada ya Mwenyezi Mungu kuleta mapigo kumi, ukuta wa moto ili kuwalinda Waisraeli dhidi ya jeshi la Misri, na kugawanyika kwa Bahari Nyekundu, kwa nini walifanya sanamu (ndama ya dhahabu)? Wasomi wengi na wachambuzi wa Biblia wanaandika kwamba Waisraeli walikuwa na hofu. Wakiwa na wazo kwamba Musa alikuwa amepotea juu ya Mlima Sinai, waliamua kuchukua mambo mikononi mwao wenyewe. Walikuwa na matumaini kwamba nguvu za Mungu zingekuja kwa njia fulani katika picha waliyokuwa wamemfanyia na kuwapa mwongozo unaofaa. Mchambuzi wa Biblia, Nechama Leibowitz, anaona katika hadithi ya ndama ya dhahabu si tu kushindwa kwa Haruni kama kiongozi au dhambi ya Waisraeli, lakini ni onyo la makusudi kwamba wanadamu wana uwezo wa kutenda kwa heshima wakati mmoja na vibaya wakati mwingine. Ilikuwa jambo la kupendeza kuona wengi wa kutaniko letu wakisherehekea Purimu. Habari za <unk>Seder ya Jumuiya<unk> yetu ya kusherehekea Pasaka itakuja katika wiki chache zijazo. Rabi Helene Ainbinder