Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: Parashat Emor The Duality of Jewish Time

Holiness of time is the key essence of Emor in its list of festivals and holy days. Rabbi Sacks reminds us that the first thing God declared holy was a day: Shabbat. The first mitzvah was the command to sanctify time. The Prophets were the first people in history to see time itself “as the arena of the Divine-human encounter”. Rabbi Sacks continues to address the myriad was in which the holiness of time forms an essential aspect of Judaism.

Rabbi Rachel Barenblat: Place of Promise

Please follow the link below to read Rabbi Barenblat’s beautiful poem — a somewhat different perspective on the parashah

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z/l: Acharei Mot Holy People, HolyLand

Rabbi Sacks explores the theme of why Jews need their own land. On the one hand, the Torah is based on the theme of the promised land, and the journey there. On the other hand, cannot Judaism be practiced anywhere? The text of the parashah stipulates exile from the land for defiling the laws. Parashat Bechukotai also makes the same stipulation. He raises the issue that “Jews never relinquished the dream of return.”