Recap for 2 Nisan 5776 (Parsha Tazria)

This Shabbos we discussed parsha Tazria, including commentary by Rav Yeager.  We continued our discussion of the upcoming holiday of Pesach.  We discussed how human beings differ from other species, and the special role we have in the world as Jews.  This Shabbos was a special Kiddush as we celebrated Rob's passing of the bar exam!  David Schlesinger led discussion.

We discussed from parsha Tazria how we wait 8 days before a baby boy undergoes a bris milah.  Rob shared some thoughts as to why we wait 8 days.  First, woman under-go a separation from their husband after birth, and it is better to wait until after this time period.  Secondly, it is better to wait until after a woman has recovered emotionally from the experience of giving birth.

We discussed from parsha Tazria the concepts of tumah and taharah.  Physical objects, animals, and human beings can all be in a state of tumah or taharah, impurity or purity.  We discussed the concept of kashrut, and how the Torah presents these commandments with respect to fish, birds, and meat from other animals, in this order.  We discussed how it is customary to have these foods in this order for our meals, especially on Shabbos.  We discussed how it is important to have fish, if possible, with every meal.

We discussed 3 ways in which food can be non-kosher.  First, the species itself can be non-kosher.  An example of this is shell fish.  Secondly, the animal may not have been put through the proper shechita process.  And third, the animal may have been injured, sick, or bleeding.

Like objects and animals, man can also be impure for various reasons.  Some of these are built into nature, such as a woman becoming impure after giving birth.  In other cases, man becomes impure as a consequence of his actions.  Unlike animals, man has control over his pure and/or impure status.

We discussed how man differs from other species.  Hashem created us to have free will and a soul.  The health of our soul, depends on how we choose to use our free will.   Unlike other species, man has responsibility and accountability for his actions.  Man experiences consequences which includes reward and punishment.  It is Hashem’s will that we make moral decisions based on our Torah, however we can use our free will as we please, and as Ellie pointed out, man does not always do the right thing. 

We discussed how species such as dolphins may appear to be acting morally, by helping to protect and save other animals, however they do this automatically.  As human beings, we have the ability to not react automatically and give thoughts to our actions, carefully weighing pros and cons.  We discussed how in the order of creation, we are created last, because the world was created for us.

We discussed how we as Jews, in particular, have the purpose of bringing morality to the world.  We have a mission to make decisions based on what is right and moral, rather than what we have the power to do.  We have a Torah that guides us in how to use our free will, in a way that carries out the will of Hashem, that we bring spirituality to a physical world.  We as Jews are the first to bring this fundamental idea to the world and the human race, that it is best to act morally and spiritually and do what is right.  This is very much unlike the animal kingdom, and much of the human race, that operates in a very self centered, and in a way that is spiritually dead.   

We discussed how as Jews we are under more risk of failing, but also have the potential for greater reward.  This reward comes through our relationship with Hashem and opportunity to grow spiritually. We discussed how there are ways to sign up for an even higher risk/reward scenario by for example making Aliyah and moving to Israel.  Unlike the higher risk of decisions such as stock market investment, we are in control of whether or not we realize rewards of decisions such as making aliyah.  We have free will and can decide whether or not to make the right decisions, based on Torah and our mission to make the world a better place.  Norm has shared about our value of healing the world.  When we engage in healing the world we are going to increase spiritual rewards, growing our soul and having closer connection to Hashem.   

We discussed some more the upcoming holiday of Pesach.  We discussed how it is prohibited to consume even the smallest amounts of chumatz.  Because of this, unless we have separate utensils, pots, and pans, it is necessary to go through a koshering process with boiling water.  It is interesting that this koshering process is considered acceptable, even if boiling oil was used with a pot.  Oil boils at a much higher temperature than water.  We discussed how the 1/60^th rule does not apply with chumatz, in the case of accidental contamination of food.

Finally, Rob pointed out that legumes such as beans do not have to be sold.  We also discussed how men should not use blades, other than electric shavers, and how it is desirable to have sideburns.

This is a summary of what we discussed.  No halachic rulings are intended or should be inferred.