From The Rabbi’S Study…Shabbat, March 22, 2024/12 Adar, 5784
Erev of Purim will be Saturday Night on March 23/Adar13.
Purim Celebration and the Hearing of the Megillat Esther will be on Sunday!
Whether you attend in costume or not Queen Esther will welcome you!
The Book of Leviticus from the Torah contains Jewish laws. This Shabbat is the description of five different kinds of sacrifices that could be offered in the sanctuary: the olah/burnt offering; the minchah/meal offering; the zevach shelamim/sacrifice of well-being; the chattat/sin offering; and the asham/guilt offering.
While we do not have the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, our ancestors considered the sacrifices an expression of faith to G-d. Sacrifice or Korban means to draw closer and reveals the purpose of each offering. These sacrifices were meant to unite the worshipper with G-d., and thank G-d for forgiving them. The sacrifice was a symbol of the person offering something important of themselves to G-d.
Another mitzvah was the duty of giving testimony. The Torah states: “If anyone sins, if he hears a curse, he becomes a witness. If he has seen or known, if he does not testify, then he must bear the guilt. (Leviticus 5:1) Since justice is the foundation of a society, anyone that impedes justice is thereby guilty of perpetuating an act of INJUSTICE. Thus, anyone that fails to help the court with their testimony, has committed a sin. The Jewish courts as a rule would need two witnesses to establish the facts.
Today, we can hear and see people testifying in various courts and a myriad of issues. Will the judge and jury seek justice fairly? Time will tell.
Today, we can hear and see the people of Israel fighting for their very existence and the Jews of the diaspora, freeing the hostages, and freeing their land from barbarian Hamas.
Will the world view the Jewish people as they view themselves?
Will the world see that no sovereign nation gets attacked by another nation or terrorists?
We continue to pray for justice and peace.
Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof! Justice, Justice you shall pursue! (Deuteronomy 16:20)
As Jews we are commanded to strive to establish a society that has justice, rights and protections, equality, which has balances and measures for all people. Keep in mind equality is not equity! The Shoftim/Judges strive to always give just rulings.
Shabbat Shalom v’Hag Purim,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
