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TORAH PORTION

Sacrifice And
Atonement

Shabbat Tzav:
Leviticus 6:1-8:36;
Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-23.

his week's Torah portion con- kindness: He provided the dowry for
tinues with the main topic
the (poor) bride and rejoiced with her;
T of the beginning portions of
he accompanied (buried) the poor
Leviticus, namely, the sacrificial ritu-
who died; he gave money to the poor!'
als.
This midrash teaches that whatever
In Tzav, we are presented
the efficacy of the sacri-
with the details of the
fice, its function would be
duties of the priests as they
achieved through acts of
relate to the various types
kindness. Whether the
of sacrifices and of the pro-
sacrifice created a stronger
cedures for the seven days
bond with God, whether
of the priestly investiture
it was expiation for our
ceremonies.
transgressions, whether it
From the space the Torah
enabled one to acknowl-
allots to the topic of the
edge our dependence on
Tabernacle and the sacri-
and our gratitude to God
ficial rituals and rules it
— these could also be
Rabbi Eliezer
would seem that such rites
achieved through a loving
Cohen
were fundamental, basic
concern and care for our
Special to the
and indispensable to the
fellow man — particularly
Jewish News
observance of Judaism. Yet
the poor.
for the past two millennia,
Having never par-
Judaism has survived and at times
ticipated in bringing a sacrifice or
thrived without such rituals and pro-
experienced the Temple rituals, it is
cedures.
probably impossible for us to know
There is an interesting midrash
the meaning of such a procedure. But
from Avos D'Rabbi Noson (Chap. 4:5)
the midrash tells us that kind and
that speaks to this issue:
generous treatment of our fellow man
One time, Rabban Yochanan ben
can accomplish (and maybe surpass
Zakai was leaving Jerusalem and
— as the verse from Hosea seems
Rabbi Yehoshua was following him
to indicate) the purpose of the rites
and saw the Temple in ruins. Rabbi
of sacrifice. Our relationship with
Yehoshua said: "Woe to us that the
God exemplified by the sacrifice can
place that brought atonement for the
manifest itself in our service to those
sins of Israel has been destroyed!"
whom God created in His own image
He (Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai)
— our fellow human beings.
said to him: "My son, don't be upset.
This we can and are bidden to do
We have an atonement that is com-
even with the Temple in ruins. El
parable to it. And what is it? Acts of
kindness, as it says (Hosea 6:6): 'For I
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation
(God) desire kindness not sacrifice!
Or Chadash in Oak Park.
"Just as we find with Daniel (Daniel
16:17) 'Your God that you continu-
ously serve (usually referring to sacri-
Conversations
fices) will save you Did Daniel bring
What could be the point of sac-
sacrifices in Babylon? Doesn't it say
rifices (which in the past were
(Deuteronomy 12:13): 'Guard yourself
an integral part of worship in
lest you bring sacrifices any place you
most cultures)? How can acts
see, other than the place that God will
of kindness substitute for the
choose ... (only) there shall you bring
sacrifices?
your sacrifices'. But Daniel did acts of

THIS WEEKEND
ATTHE NEW DIA.

Friday Night Live!: Hailed as "four recorder virtuosos" by the

Times, Quartet New Generation

New York

performs live this Friday night!

Saturday: Create origami at the drop-in workshop.

Target Family Sundays: Storyteller Tonga Dallas weaves tales

of captivating women and courageous girls.

Now on View: Life's Pleasures and Julie Mehretu: City Sitings.

Visit dia.org for tickets.

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. Programs are made possible with support from the Mittman Cc
and Cultural Affairs and the City of Detroit.

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DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS

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March 20 • 2008

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