This Shabbos we discussed parsha Emor including commentary from Rav Yeager. We also discussed the day known as Lag B’Omer, including commentary from Rav Malamed. I would like to thank David and Linda for hosting our Kiddush and Learning. I would like to wish Dave W happy birthday, which was on Lag B’Omer! David Schlesinger led discussion.
Harold Katz, a regular reader of these notes, pointed out that this week’s parsha, at least the first part, is about the Kohen, and special rules that apply to them. Even today in modern times, the Kohen play a very special role in our services. Along with special privileges, the Kohen have responsibilities.
We discussed how the second part of the parsha starts off mentioning Shabbos, and then continues to mention our various holidays including Pesach, Shavuos, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Shemini Etzeras.
We discussed why Shabbos is mentioned first. On Shabbos we focus on our connection with Hashem, which is our ultimate goal. This section of the parsha starts off with our ultimate goal, and only later discusses the holidays which are intermediate steps on the way towards that goal.
On holidays we want to avoid distractions, which would keep us from grasping and experiencing the meaning of the specific day. However on Shabbos, we take it a step further, and more directly pursue our ultimate goal of connection to Hashem. We discussed Yom Kippur, which is considered the “Shabbos of Shabbos”, which is the most intense focus we have on pursuing our ultimate goal.
Because the holidays are an intermediate step towards our ultimate goal of connection with Hashem, the laws of not performing work are less strict. For example, we discussed how we can barbecue on Shavuos and other holidays. We discussed how the penalties for violating the laws of holidays, are less severe than for violating Shabbos. We discussed that when Shabbos and a holiday fall on the same day, we follow the rules of Shabbos. This is because we observe Shabbos more frequently than the holidays. We discussed that whenever there is a conflict between 2 positive mitzvahs, we do the one we engage in more frequently.
We discussed how the purpose of man, is not to be like a “train set”, that automatically makes decisions. Hashem gave us free will so that we can make up our own minds whether or not we want to follow the Torah in making our decisions. Of course, Hashem has preferences. But he leaves it up to decide if we want to go along with these preferences. If Hashem did not leave it up to us, we would be like "train sets", and there would not be much of a purpose in this.
Hashem’s preference is that we follow his Torah, and choose to be partners with him in the act of creation. David pointed out that Hashem did not create “sandwich trees”. What this means, is that Hashem creates the laws of science, and a physical world with raw materials, however, we have to create things for ourselves. This is why it is so important that we engage in the physical world during the 6 days of the week we are not observing Shabbos, or a holiday. If we do not engage in work during these days, Shabbos has less meaning, because we are not really resting from any activity.
We discussed how on the 7th day of the week, it is important that we take a step back and increase our focus on our ultimate purpose. We discussed that if we did not take this seventh day, we would tend to forget who is the “senior partner” in the work in which we engage. It can be easy to forget who is ultimately in charge, if we get lost in the physical world and do not take the time once a week on Shabbos to increase our awareness of Hashem’s presence.
We discussed the holiday of Lag B’Omer, which occurs every year on the 33rd day of the Omer. We discussed that here in the diaspora we begin counting the Omer from the second day of Pesach. Lag B’Omer is a celebratory day, which is a break from the normal mood of the time through-out the Omer. On Lag B’Omer, we can get haircuts, listen to music, and have weddings.
We discussed that there are 2 events that we commemorate on Lag B’Omer. The first is that the death of Rabbi Akiva’s students stopped on this date. 5 students were left, who are the source of Torah knowledge we have today. Lag B’Omer is also the day that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of the Kaballah work known as the Zohar, passed away. Rabbi Bar Yochai transmitted much knowledge on this day, and wanted the day of his passing to be commemorated.
We discussed how on the 7th day of the week, it is important that we take a step back and increase our focus on our ultimate purpose. We discussed that if we did not take this seventh day, we would tend to forget who is the “senior partner” in the work in which we engage. It can be easy to forget who is ultimately in charge, if we get lost in the physical world and do not take the time once a week on Shabbos to increase our awareness of Hashem’s presence.
We discussed the holiday of Lag B’Omer, which occurs every year on the 33rd day of the Omer. We discussed that here in the diaspora we begin counting the Omer from the second day of Pesach. Lag B’Omer is a celebratory day, which is a break from the normal mood of the time through-out the Omer. On Lag B’Omer, we can get haircuts, listen to music, and have weddings.
We discussed that there are 2 events that we commemorate on Lag B’Omer. The first is that the death of Rabbi Akiva’s students stopped on this date. 5 students were left, who are the source of Torah knowledge we have today. Lag B’Omer is also the day that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the author of the Kaballah work known as the Zohar, passed away. Rabbi Bar Yochai transmitted much knowledge on this day, and wanted the day of his passing to be commemorated.
This is a summary of what we discussed. No halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.
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