I TORAH PORTION I
W.S.U.-Hillel Faculty Forum
Send it for less
at ...
The "Uprising": What Is Really Going On?
ZEIDAN ATASHI
COW141
Exemplary Conduct In
The Service Of God
RABBI MILTON ARM
Special to The Jewish News
T
he entire sidrah
this week which com-
mences the Book of
Leviticus is devoted to the
subject of sacrifices. Whereas
Genesis and Exodus recount
the origins and early events
in the historical background
of the people of Israel,
Leviticus is primarily
legislative.
The earlier portions of this
book, as in this week's selec-
tion, are concerned with
sacrificial regulations,
although in later chapters
Shabbat
Hachodesh,
Parashat Vayikra:
Leviticus 1:1-5:26,
Numbers 28:9-15,
Deuteronomy
25:17-19,
I Samuel 15:1-34
laws pertaining to marriage
and sexual purity are
enumerated.
In addition, an ethical code
affecting interpersonal con-
duct is outlined in this book,
which is also designated ap-
Torat
propriately as
Kohanim, the priestly codex.
Among the various
categories of sacrifice, the
first one to be mentioned is
the olah, the burnt offering,
which symbolizes the in-
dividual's self-surrender to
the will of God. Another offer-
ing known as shelamin, or
peace offering, was, in
essence, an expression of
gratitude for God's
benevolence. A third category
was the sin offering (Chatat)
by which the individual guil-
ty of wrongdoing would
acknowledge his sense of
remorse. This act had to be ac-
companied by personal intent
to avoid future repetition of
the sin as well as to seek
forgiveness. An offshoot of the
sin-offering was the asham
(guilt offering) which had to
be offered by one who had
committed a trespass or
breach of trust. However,
before this offering could
qualify for acceptance,
restitution was mandatory.
Although animal sacrifices
are biblically ordained,
several prophetic volumes
contain apparent opposition
to this practice through the
Milton Arm is rabbi at Cong. Beth
Achim.
severe rebukes which some
prophets uttered against the
people who were zealous in
bringing their offerings, but
failed to adhere to moral stan-
dards of conduct.
A closer examination of the
Jewish institution of sacrifice
reveals that the primary idea
behind this rite is not the of-
fering itself, but the intent of
the person bringing it. Note,
for example, that the affluent
brought an offering from his
herd or flock while the im-
poverished was permitted to
offer a far more inexpensive
sacrifice by bringing a dove or
some flour.
Thus, the value of a
sacrifice did not depend on
how much or how little. What
counted was that it be "accep-
table to God," which implied
that attitude and motivation
were decisive. Large contribu-
tions may be expected from
the wealthy but, by the same
token, the gift of the poor was
not to be treated with disdain.
In his Guide for the Perplex-
ed Moses Maimonides (Ram-
bani) expresses the opinion
that the rationale for Israel
offering sacrifices was for the
purpose of preserving the peo-
ple from pursuing idolatrous
practices. Cultic sacrifices, as
we know, were common
features of religious worship
among ancient peoples.
Rather than uproot a practice
which had been firmly im-
bedded in the religious feel-
ings of the people,
Maimonides suggests that
animal sacrifice was retained,
but with definite limitations
being placed on it.
Regulations, he points out,
were laid down governing the
location where sacrifices may
be offered and who were per-
mitted to serve as officiants at
these rites. As Maimonides
states: "All this (the
establishment of a central
sanctuary for sacrifices and a
priestly order to perform
them) was intended to restrict
this kind of worship!'
To the heathens, the
sacrificial ritual emphasized
a physical identification and
affinity with their deities.
In contrast to the emphasis
on a physical kinship between
the people and their gods,
Judaism established a
spiritual meaning to the
human being's relationship
with God. Man's offering to
God was not to be merely an
animal or some grain. Man
was to dedicate himself, to the
service of God and that form
of service was to consist of ex-
emplary conduct.
Druze Member of Israel's Parliament (The Knesset)
Speaking at:
March 23, 1988, 1 p.m.
Room 667 Student Center Building
2523 W. MAPLE ROAD
BIRMINGHAM
433-3070
577-3459
THE BIRMINGHAM TEMPLE
presents
AN EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM
"THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN DILEMMA"
FEATURING
MONDAY, MARCH 28
MOSHE FOX
"AN ISRAELI PERSPECTIVE"
MONDAY, MARCH 21
NABEEL ABRAHAM
"A PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE"
NABEEL ABRAHAM
MOSHE FOX
Professor of Anthropology
Henry Ford
Community College
U.S./Consul for Press
and Information
Government of Israel
BIRMINGHAM TEMPLE
28611 West 12 Mile Rd.
Farmington Hills
477.1410
8:30 p.m.
Admission $3 per event
'''' Va )AI N Jewish Community Council
AIM
DELEGATE ASSEMBLY"
Will the Arabs Make Peace with Israel?
/G
V
Thursday, March 24, 1988
8:00 p.m.
Temple Emanu-El • 14450 W. Ten Mile • Oak Park
presenter
Dr. Zvi Yavetz
Tel Aviv University
Ancient History and Modern Diplomacy in the Near East
respondent
Ronald Karp
Center for Judaic Studies*
Wayne State University
Third Annual
Max Kapustin Memorial Symposium
JEWISH EXPERIENCE AND POLITICAL STRUCTURES
ANCIENT AND MODERN
[First Symposium Session - 4:00 p.m. - Wayne State University,
Manoogian Hall, Polish Hall - #105 - The Jews and Imperial Rome:
A Reappraisal]
*A cooperative effort of the University and the United Jewish Charities of the Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit
Free Admission
* * Public Welcome