49 TORAH PORTION Lesson Of Leviticus: Cleansing Our Sins bruce m. weiss Jewelers 26325 Twelve Mile Rd. Southeast corner Northwestern Behind Gabe's Fruits I The Mayfair Shops Mon: Sat. 10-5:30' Thurs. 10-8:30 If someone were to ask: "What book is on the best seller list year after year?" Obviously, most people would answer: "The Bible.". Certainly• the Bible is the most bought book in re- corded history. The second question would be: "What is your favorite Book in the Bible?" To this question, there would be a multiplicity of answers. Some might say: "The Book of Psalms," with its God- drenched verses. Some might answer: "The Book of Ruth," with its emphasis on love and loyalty. Some might say: "The Book of Job" with its eternal question: "Why do the good suf- fer, and why do the wicked pro- sper?" Finally, the third question would be: "What is the least Mezorah: Leviticus 14:1-15:33. Malachai 3:4-24. favorite Book in the Bible?" To this question, there would prob- ably be an almost unbroken unanimity of opinion. Most people would agree that the Book of Leviticus is the least favorite and the least read. From its opening pages it seems to be an unceasing, boring reci- tal of laws and rituals regarding the animal sacrifices that were brought in ancient times. Yet, would it surprise you to know that when a Jewish child began to study the Torah, the first book to which he was. ex- posed was this very Book of Leviticus? The reason was that little -children, who are still clean of hands and pure of heart, should begin their educa- tion by reading the Book of leviticus which deals with clean- liness. With that thought in mind, let us read the opening verses of this week's Sidra. "This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: he shall be brought unto the priest ... then shall the priest command for him that is to be cleansed, two living clean birds. And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds ... and let go the living bird into the open field." What a marvelous lesson is to be found in these brief verses. The dead bird symbolized that the disease of leprosy was now also dead in the victim. The bird that was to be let free sym- bolized that a new life of free- dom was available to the re- stored leper. Apply that to life. According to Judaism, nobody is perfect. In the Book of Ecclesiastes we read: "Ayn tsadeek . . . There is no man so righteous that he never sins." We have within us the yaytser ha-toy, and the yaytser ha-rah. — the good in- clination, and the •evil incline- . ] tion. There are times when the evil inclination is victorious. Every day we read about people who are found guilty of stealing, of cheating, of conniv- ing to enrich themselves through illegal means. Why do they do it? Why do they disgrace themselves, and bring shame to their families? There is no one definitive answer. In biblical language, "They have been afflicted with the disease of lep- rosy." Like the ancient leper, they are placed "outside the . camp." Some of them are sent to prison, and removed from society. But there comes a time when they are cleansed, when their isolation ends, when thty are returned to society. When that happens, it devolves upon all of us to Welcome them back, not to remind them of their past sins, and to remember that nobody is permanently good, and nobody is perpetually wicked. In our journey through the desert of life, there are times when we are tempted to follow "leprous paths." When that oc- curs, let us remember the story of 'the two birds found in the Book of Leviticus. 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