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Torah Portion

God As Supermodel
For The Jewish People

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worship.
Within its rectangular courtyard
lay two precincts. At the center of one
stood the aron kodesh — the sacred
ark containing the tablets. From
above its golden lid, God's instruc-
tions continued to emanate. At the
center of the other precinct stood the
ar out in the wilderness,
altar, the place where Israel spoke to
remote from civilized soci-
God amidst their sacrificial worship.
ety, is the locale that Jews
On one side of the tabernacle, God
have sought to hear the
instructed Israel; at the other end,
voice of God.
Israel worshipped God. This mutuali-
Perhaps it was the absence of urban
ty symbolized the terms of the
distractions that allowed our ancestors
covenant — "I will be your
to discern the Divine in the
God, and you shall be My
desert. Or maybe it was the
people."
beauty of nature — scrubby
Like a marriage, this rela-
mountainsides and deep
tionship depends on com-
ravines — that startled
mitments from both sides.
ancient Israel into awareness
God commits to continue
of the Creator. One thing is
to instruct and protect
certain, Egypt was not the
Israel; Israel commits to
place for Israel to find and
worship and obey God. The
then worship God.
tabernacle thus symbolizes
To this day, you can visit
RABBI DANIEL this symbiosis.
the ancient temples of
But this week's portion
NEVINS
Karnak and Luxor and stand
contains
much more sym-
Special to the
in the shadow of enormous
bolism
of
the relationship
Jewish News
statues of Ramses. We can
between God and Israel. We
barely imagine the drama
read of the golden menora,
and power of ancient Egyptian pagan-
the ornate priestly vestments, the altar
ism, but we can readily understand
and its sacrifices. Yet, what does all of
how hard it was for Israel to hear the
this mean?
voice of God amidst the clutter of a
It seems that more is required of
pagan pantheon. Away to the wilder-
Israel from God than mere attention
ness they fled, not only for their free-
and obedience. We are also asked to
dom, but also to discover the Torah
imitate God. Midrash Tanchuma
and to enter the covenant with God.
quotes Rabbi Bisna, who explains
From the Decalogue we learned of
every feature of the tabernacle as a
God's abhorrence of figurines and of
human response to the protection
all other idols. Unlike the Egyptians
offered by God. If God provides the
and all of their other neighbors, our
food of manna, Israel must offer sym-
ancestors understood God as ineffable
bolic food in return upon the sacrifi-
— pure being, resistant to plastic
cial altar. If God leads the people with
depictions. Yet this proud iconoclastic
a column of fire by night, then Israel
tradition posed a challenge: How does
must ignite an eternal lamp — the
one worship the ineffable? How does
ner tamid — within its sacred
one imitate the invisible? The wilder-
precinct to demonstrate its unflagging
ness offered solitude and quiet for
devotion to God.
spiritual discovery, yet it was insuffi-
There are many famous passages
cient for a spiritual nation.
about the obligation to copy God's
Individuals can meditate in a dark-
ways. Is it not presumptuous for
ened room, but groups require some
humans to copy God? Judaism has
focal point for their worship.
taught that God must not be reduced
God anticipated this human need;
in stature either by physical depic-
and for this reason, the Book of
tions or even by our own descriptions
Exodus moves from the dramatic nar-
of God's essence. In our attempts to
ratives of redemption and revelation
copy God, we must retain the humili-
to very detailed descriptions of the
ty to understand that God is ulti-
tabernacle that would serve as a sacred
mately ineffable and that we will
center for the Israelite camp. There in
never approach God's essence. With
the tabernacle, which functioned as a
this understanding, we can function
microcosm — they could focus their
within our limitations, striving for
self-improvement in the framework of
Daniel Nevins is a rabbi at Adat
our covenant.
Shalom Synagogue.
In the desert, ancient Israel discov-

Shabbat Tetzava:
Exodus 27:20-30:10;
Ezekiel 43:10-27.

F

ered that God was ineffable, but also
that they had an urgent need to fol-
low God's ways. Just as a loving par-
ent helps a child grow into maturity,
God gave us symbols and practices

We are asked to
imitate God ...
God served us
as the ultimate
supermodel.

that would challenge and ennoble the
human spirit. God served us as the
ultimate supermodel, teaching us the
virtues of kindness, dedication and
discipline. Long after the experiences
of redemption and revelation were
history, these commandments
remained to inspire the Jewish people.
Tetzava (literally, you shall com-
mand) witnesses the importance of
ritual in our mission to imitate God.
We must remember that these rituals
are dedicated to the mysterious goal
of connecting our spirit to that which
is ultimately beyond its reach — the
ineffable essence of God. ❑

Conversations

"A candle of God is the soul of
man." (Proverbs 20:27).
How is the human soul akin
to a flame? Does the menora
have a human counterpart?
Some Jews fervently desire a
return to the style of worship
described in our portion, with
animal sacrifice and a heredi-
tary priesthood, while others
would never want to practice
such an ancient version.of
Judaism. What is your opinion?
Can you make a case for the
other point of view?
Our portion concludes with
the annual atonement ritual
performed by Aaron and his
sons. How does this compare
to our modern Yom Kippur
liturgy? How is our experience
enhanced and how diminished
from the ancient rites?

