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Independence
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Is Time Scarce Or Sacred?

Parshat Emor: Leviticus 21:1-24:23;
Ezekiel 44:15-44:31.

I

n parshat Emor, there is an entire
chapter dedicated to the Jewish cal-
endar — the sacred flow of time.
Calendars mark the passage of time
— something we all experience. But
how we value and understand time var-
ies from culture to culture.
Reading this week's Torah
portion raises two questions:
First, what is the impor-
tance of the Jewish calendar
for Jews?
And second, is the Jewish
view of time different from a
secular view of time?
Professor M. Cathleen
Kaveny of Notre Dame
University once critiqued
in the New York Times the
concept of "billable hours"
practiced in many law firms.
Kaveny drew two conclusions: One, that
the concept of billable hours is now "the
view of time dominant in American
life today" Two, a billable hours culture
can lead to the view that time is only of
instrumental value versus intrinsic value,
and that all time is interchangeable.
The idea of billable hours was
expressed more than 200 years ago by
Benjamin Franklin who claimed that
"time is money" In the billable hours
concept of time is the sense that any
time spent not utilized for instrumental
value is wasted time. But this entire
notion that "time is money" is mis-
guided.
Judaism takes a radically different
view of time from "billable hours"
Rabbi Ira Stone writes, "Among the
primary functions of religious life is to

give meaning to time.
"From the perspective of infinity
it is not important whether today is
Monday or Wednesday, whether this is
the first month or the seventh, but from
the perspective of Shabbat, it matters a
great deal whether there are five days of
preparation left or three"
In other words, for
Judaism, all time is not of
equal value.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua
Heschel wrote: "The mean-
ing of the Sabbath is to cel-
ebrate time:'
Heschel emphasizes that
time, in a Jewish framework,
is not interchangeable. We
can live our lives to their
fullest within time, but
we cannot control time —
when a moment passes we cannot get
it back.
Judaism and the Jewish calendar
stress the intrinsic value of time.
Judaism asks us to consider what we
make of time, to use it creatively, to
sanctify it and to get us to live the time
that we have in the best possible way
that we can.
By living the sacred flow of time
in the Jewish calendar, we enter into
sacred history. While we live in the
present moment, we link our lives
with those that have come before and
those that will follow, who continue
to observe the Jewish calendar as the
sacred flow of time.

At the Village

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Imagine waking up and
having a full day of fun
activities waiting for you.

At Independence Village of White Lake, there is
seldom a dull moment for our residents. Indulge in
everything from our gourmet meals to our exciting
social activities or just relax in our comfortable sur-
roundings. We offer the best in class apartments,
amenities and services. It's your life...so come

live it here!

• Distinctly appointed apartment homes

• Monthly rent includes all utilities (except
telephone and cable), gourmet dinners each
evening, bi-weekly housekeeping services,
transportation, scheduled activities and
complimentary laundry facilities

• On-site amenities include Internet center,
library, beauty salon, billiards/game room
and Chapel

• For those that need it, now or in
the future, a full range of health
services are available on-site
with 24-hour response staff

APARTMENTS
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❑

• Pet Friendly

Robert Gamer is the rabbi at Congregation

Beth Shalom in Oak Park.

Conversations
• The Torah presents the Jewish calendar in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
and Deuteronomy. What are the different purposes of each calendar?
• Leviticus 22:31-32 states, "You shall faithfully observe My
commandments: I am the Lord. You shall not profane My holy name,
that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people – I the Lord
who sanctify you ..." How does the fulfillment of mitzvot "sanctify" God
in our midst?
• Why does Shabbat come first in the calendar presented in this
portion?

Independence Village
of White Lake

935 Union Lake Rd.,White Lake, MI 48386
Between Elizabeth Lake Road
and Cooley Lake Road

www.SeniorVillages.com

248-360-7235

©2014 Independence Villages are managed and lovingly cared for by Senior Village Management. 151

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1911530

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