We start our Seder with this phrase, but how practical is it, when taken literally? Literal interpretation changed to mean ‘feeding the poor in advance so they won’t have to beg on Passover’. So why do we still say it if it isn’t meant literally? Rabbi Kaunfer explores how to enact this line in other ways.
Rabbi Sacks carries over the theme of speech in his drash on Metzora. Intriguingly, the Talmud doesn’t address the corollary, lashon tov. Shouldn’t it be a mitzvah to speak well of someone if it’s a sin to do the opposite? Please follow the link below to read his analysis of different Talmudic passages on the topic of speech, both good and bad, where the most common perspective is that both are not advisable:
Tsa’arat, as translated in the Septuagint as leprosy, was not correct. Rambam describes it as a variety of dissimilar conditions, which the Sages attributed to lashon hara. It was, in fact, a Divine punishment, applied not just to individuals, but the location where the wrongdoing occurred. Rabbi Sacks compares this to Shakespeare’s Othello, wherein evil speech literally killed 3 individuals.
Sharon Safra confronts the challenge of rituals for purification the seem so anachronistic in our contemporary society. She questions the requirement to ostracize members of a community when inclusion is so important in our tradition. She interprets the text by emphasizing the purpose of ritual purity to end isolation and establish wholeness. Her drash was written during the time of the pandemic, yet its relevance continues.
Rabbi Sacks writes of the complexity of societies who, after generations of incredible accomplishments, die off. He evaluates potential theories, including how the society responds to severe challenges, e.g., with religious sacrifices or changes in religious observance. Unlike the Mayans, who resorted to extensive human sacrifices to appease deities, the Jews transitioned from a Temple with sacrifices to gemillut hasadim, or Torah Study.
Please follow the link below to read Rabbi Barenblat’s poignant and creative poem about the Seder plate for this year:
Rabbi Sacks observes that Moses acted spontaneously on many occasion; why were Nadav and Avihu punished for their spontaneous, yet sincere, actions? He notes that Nadav and Aviv were Kohanim, whereas Moses was a prophet—two different forms of leadership.
The parashah addresses the chattat—the sin offering, which varies by the particular individual, for sins that were committed inadvertently. A contemporary example would be answering the phone on Shabbat because you forgot that the day was Shabbat. Today, such a sin is typically not viewed as such. He continues with another example: you are caught driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, although you know that your speedometer is inaccurate.
Rabbi Sacks references Rebecca Costa’s argument that civilizations die when their systems are unable to solve complex problems. They tend towards drastic solutions such as human sacrifice and religious consolations. He contrasts this scenario with Judaism, which emphasizes substitutes for sacrifice – acts of kindness and study.
Rabbi Sacks references Rebecca Costa’s argument that civilizations die when their systems are unable to solve complex problems. They tend towards drastic solutions such as human sacrifice and religious consolations. He contrasts this scenario with Judaism, which emphasizes substitutes for sacrifice – acts of kindness and study.