SAME CLASSIC S GS. NEW MOTOWN SOUND . NATURE HU OTOWN SHOW PRESENTED BY The Spiritual Side Of Salt SMOKET ROBINSON Parshat Vayikra: Leviticus 1:1-5:26; Isaiah 43:21-44:23. T he entire world hangs in the balance: If the Jews keep the covenant with God, then a fractured world will be fixed. If we Jews fail, however, those fractures will multiply. That is a lot of pressure and a wee-bit ethnocentric, but it is a worldview that pervades much of Jewish thought and is hinted at in this week's Torah portion, Vayikra—the first of the Book of Leviticus. Leviticus, of course, is largely about the laws and customs of the sacrificial cult. For many of us, these rituals might seem, perhaps, barbaric — an ancient rite for an ancient people who have since replaced sacrifice with prayer, a "high- er" form of worship. Yet, like prayer for the modern Jew, the sacrificial system was an essential part of our ancestors' relationship with God. Indeed, the word used repeatedly to describe the sacrifice is korban, the act of drawing near. Through these rit- uals that took place first at the wilder- ness Tabernacle and then, ultimately, at the Temple in Jerusalem, our people drew nearer to our Heavenly Parent. Yet, while we moderns might be inclined to "skim over" the detailed laws of Leviticus as seemingly irrel- evant to us, buried within the text are deep truths and valuable mitzvot (commandments) that are very much relevant to Judaism in the 21st century. For example, in Leviticus 2:13, God instructs Moses, "You shall season your every offering of meal with salt; you shall not omit from your meal offering the salt of your covenant with God; with all your offerings you must offer sale Three times in one verse Moses is instructed regarding the importance of salt in every sacrifice! Our medieval commentators go on at length about the meaning of this salting ritual. Ramban in particular emphasizes the salt, reminding us that God's covenant with David that granted David and his descendants the kingship over Israel forever, was Made with a covenant of that mineral that seems eternally enduring: salt. Moreover Ramban adds, "For just as saltiness gives flavor to all foods, is an essential nutrient, and at the same time has destructive power (too much salt, for example, can parch a field) so, too, the covenant (between God and the Jewish People) both maintains the world and has the power to destroy it:' The act of salting the sacrifices served actually as a metaphor for our relationship with God. And today, 2,000 years after the sacrificial cult ended, we re-enact that salting ritual at our "little altars" — the family table. Our tradition teachers that whenev- er we eat a meal with bread we are to say a prayer of thanks (HaMotzi) and to dip that bread into — you guessed it — salt. In this way we, as were our ancestors, are reminded daily of our eternal covenant with God and our holy mission as the People Israel to repair a broken world. ❑ Aaron Starr is a rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Smithfield. Conversations • Do you agree with the worldview that the acts of Jews are central to repairing our broken world? Why or why not? • Have you ever sat down to carefully read the Book of Leviticus, seeking to understand the sacrificial system and its implications for Jewish life today? • Do you ever add salt to your bread: daily, on Shabbat, or at other times? About what do you think when you add this salt? How might the lessons of parshat Vayikra change your focus as you salt your bread? Don't Miss his International Pop Sensation on their First US Tour! ONE NIGHT ONLY! • MARCH 24 • FISHER THEATRE TICKETS: FISHER BOX OFFICE • TICKETNIASTEUOM -1-800-982-2787 A MERICAN :11 I NG A iallable at As 0 CD & DVD trallable amazon.com Seen on PBS ice rs: " Simplify your life with... professional organizing services * home & office organization * de-cluttering paperwork control www.livesimplybyannie.com (248) 496-8209 1735080 If you are not wearing L. sell it!... or BORROW on it! You can't enjoy jewelry if it's sitting in your safe deposit box. Sell or borrow on it for immediate cash. We deal in jewelry, watches, diamonds and coins. A Service to Private Owners, Banks & Estates Contact Larry Allan 33700 Woodward Ave. • Between 14 Mile & Lincoln t, Birmingha m 248-644-8.565 March 22 • 2012 41