May 2 • 2019 31
jn

Outside The Walls
A

n intrinsic element of human
nature is a seeking out of
sacred space. It’
s something
built into the fabric of who we are.
Monotheists and polytheists,
agnostics and atheists, may
disagree when it comes to
the vocabulary we use or the
accreditation we give to those
holy spaces, but there is a near
consensus that some places
carry with them a different
energy, a sense of awe, of won-
der, of making us rethink the
world as we know it.
Though one would think
that I, as a rabbi, would have a
proclivity to talk about sacred
space from a solely Jewish
context, to speak on the power
of the synagogue and the beit
midrash, my personal experi-
ence has led me to a somewhat
different conclusion, one that I
think about every time I read
this parshah of Achrey Mot.
I believe, truly and deep in my heart,
that the sacred comes not just from
the impressive, not just from tower-
ing structures or incredible natural
landscapes, but rather from a sense
of growth, of education, of learning
something important when in a space.
In Judaism, our sacred spaces have
time and again reinforced this nuance.
Our holy sites have not simply been
revered monuments, but rather points
of communal ingathering in times of
joy, celebration, tragedy, loss and grief.
The Israelites were tasked with
moving forward after the tragic loss of
Aaron’
s sons, but they were also tasked
with changing their entire understand-
ing of life as they knew it: In the wil-
derness, in the open space of redemp-
tion, in freedom, even with God by
their side, there exist incomprehension,
confusion and uncertainty.
And yet, it is the freedom to live and
learn from that tragedy that brings this
community closer together, that allows
the men, women and children of Israel

to cry and to shout, to wail and to
shake their fists at the God who prom-
ised them milk and honey, not loss
and mourning. It is the freedom to be
unsettled to the core that creates
something powerful, something
theologically, philosophically
and existentially challenging
and, yes, something holy.
Because holiness requires
some quality of transcendence,
the whole notion of sacred space
and place takes on a dimension
in Judaism, where we find that
sacred element not just in the
synagogue and in the beit mid-
rash, but also in the hospital,
in the shivah house and at the
cemetery.
We find the Divine in
moments when we let go of
the tethers that keep our hearts
hidden from the public eye,
when we sing songs around the
Shabbat table, when we dance
with a celebrating bride and groom,
when we see our children finding their
own sacred space, their own sacred
time.
Our mishkans, our sacred places,
go far beyond synagogue walls. They
are, in fact, wherever we allow them
to exist, wherever we choose to open
doors of growth and vulnerability,
where we come together as family, as
community to experience the deepest
anguish and the highest joys of life as
we know it, and where we allow our-
selves to turn off our busy brains, to sit
in the present and to feel.
As we march forward into the free-
dom given to us through the holiday of
Passover, may we embrace every holy
place on the path ahead. May we gath-
er the strength to learn and grow with
that holiness, and may that growth be
contagious throughout our families,
our city, and throughout klal Yisrael
and all of God’
s creation. ■

Rabbi Yoni Dahlen is a rabbi at Congregation

Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.

spirit

torah portion

Rabbi Yoni
Dahlen

Parshat

Achrey Mot:

Leviticus

16:1-18:30;

I Samuel

20:18-42.

(Shabbat

Machar

Chodesh)

248-661-5220
TTY 711

People of all faiths
and beliefs are
welcome.

6700 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield

As of May 1, 2019 applications will be accepted for applicants who
Low Income Limits: 1 Person Gross Annual Income: $16,050;
2 Person Gross Annual Incomes: $18,350.

(Enter from Ring Road, across from Henry Ford Hospital West Bloomfield)
Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus

Hechtman I
Apartments

Senior Living At Its Finest

Lillian & Samuel

www.jslmi.org

To schedule a personal tour call:

Minimally Invasive LANAP Laser T
reatment

for Gum Disease

The laser alternative to traditional gum surgery for treating
gum disease.

Minimally Invasive
Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation T
echnique™
Gives patients a minimally invasive option to treat gum
recession, eliminates discomfort and improves the smile.

The Crown Lengthening Procedure

Improves a “gummy” smile by removing excess gum tissue
for a pleasing, natural-looking smile.

Dental Implants

A replacement for a natural tooth root that has the same
function, permanence, and appearance.

www.drnemeth.com

248.357.3100 | 29829 Telegraph Road, Suite 111 |

Joseph R. Nemeth, DDS & Amar Katranji, DDS, MS

Breakthrough Techniques and Impeccable Care for