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Torah Portion IP le
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Fan Faith's Fires
With Enthusiasm
the Tabernacle) on a daily basis?
The offering of sacrifices, as described
in this week's sedrah (burnt offerings,
meal offerings, sin offerings, offerings of
well-being), was a public event conduct-
ed in response to the needs of each indi-
vidual. The priests' duties at the
Tabernacle were not scheduled accord-
od spoke to Moses saying.
ing to specific office hours. A trained,
"Command Aaron and his
qualified Kohen or Levi would always be
sons ... A perpetual fire shall
around to assist the Israelite who came
be kept burning on the altar,
to participate in the sacrificial cult.
_not to go out." (Leviticus 6:1-2,6)
Even if no one came for service, the
We are in the midst of exciting, spir-
obligations of Aaron and his sons to
it-filled times. Certainly, as Jews, we
offer the daily sacrifices were
anticipate the upcoming
continuous. The "urging" of
Pesach festival. Families will
Moses command led them to
gather together for the tradi-
a commitment never to miss
tional seder meal. Songs, sto-
a day. But it was precisely
ries, memories, recipes, ques-
because they (the priests) were
tions and answers will help our
always there that the Israelites
generation relive the exodus
could be assured of the
'from slavery in Egypt.
opportunity to fulfill God's
But there are also, in our
commands. The excitement
community, the sports orient-
of the individual participating
ed events of early spring every-
in an extraordinary experience
where we look: March
RA BBI
was possible only because of
Madness (college basketball),
NO RMAN T.
the continuing zeal and
the Pistons and Red Wings
RO MAN
enthusiasm
of those who per-
pursuit of playoffs in basket-
Specia 1 to The
formed
the
duty
day by day.
ball and hockey, the opening
Jewish News
Moses commanded urgency
,-- of a Tiger baseball season. It is
and spirit to Aaron and his
a time of great excitement,
sons for the immediate moment so that
attention and even urgency. Our every-
they would constantly feel the signifi-
day, ordinary activities all seem to fade
cance of their duties and for posterity,
in importance, while we concentrate for
knowing that all who came, if only for
a while on the extraordinary. (Ask any
an infrequent experience, deserved the
balebustah, about it while she prepares
same excitement.
her home for the seder, for example.)
Jewish living, like the offering of sac-
I recall a D'var Torah taught by
rifices by the priests of old, is a daily
Rabbi Reuven Bulka. When God spoke
experience. It is quite difficult to fill
to Moses about Aaron and the sacrifices
each day with zeal and urgency
to he offered, the phrasing was,
(although we are told, in Pirkei Avot
"Command Aaron and his sons." Why
that
"the time is short ... and the Master
the imperative verb "command? Why
of
the
House urgently waits"). The
not instruct or teach or tell? Rashi com-
Shabbat can come about only after we
ments for us that the choice of the verb
work for six days; the Passover Festival
"command" implies an urging (the
of Freedom has meaning only when we
Hebrew is ziruz) for the immediate and
envision ourselves as slaves. The peak of
for the long term.
a holiday season in the synagogue or
To urge someone usually means
Jewish home can be achieved only when
that we see in a particular opportunity
the everyday Jewishness is present and
some pressing need or excitement. The
functioning well.
Kohanim (Aaron and his sons) were
For, as Rabbi Bulka so aptly wrote,
being told by God through Moses to
"In Judaism, as in sports, you only make
approach their sacrificial duties with
the playoffs (Yom Kippur, Pesach, etc.)
enthusiasm, spirit, vitality and zeal.
if you have a good regular season." Our
And, as Rabbi Bulka pointed out, the
teams will only reach their champi-
critical issue was not how they would
onships if they play well throughout the
perform their task the first time, nor
regular season. Like the priests' sacrifices
the second nor third; but rather, God
of our history, our present-day Jewish
and Moses urged them to "keep up
celebrations will only have the excite-
the good work" throughout their lives
ment and fulfillment we desire if we
as priests. Could they maintain their
remember the verse from an opening
enthusiasm for the Avodah (service at
paragraph of our sedrah, "Keep the fire
burning continually (daily, regularly) -
Norman T. Roman is rabbi of Temple
do not let it go out!" II
Kol Ami.
Shabbat HaGadol:
Leviticus 6:1-8:36;
Malachi 3:4-24.
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Detroit Jewish News
69