Dvar Torah: Parshat Emor
by Gabrielle Broome, 8G
When I was five years old I had a knapsack. It wasn't just any ordinary knapsack. It was
my identity. It was the knapsack that anyone who knew me, knew that it was always by my side. I wouldn't take my knapsack off my back. Everywhere I went, it came with me, whether to the movies, the store, I wore my knapsack. I took it in the shower with me and wore it to bed. It was my pride and joy. I would show it off to everyone I saw and loved it with all my heart. My parents decided that wearing a knapsack ALL THE TIME wasn't the most prudent of ideas so they sat me down one day and laid out the laws and rules by which I could continue to keep my knapsack. For example, I was only allowed to wear my knapsack during the day and I couldn't wear it in the shower anymore.
Parshat Emor opens with ground rules. In Parshat Emor Hashem tells Moshe to teach the kohanim the guidelines and rules under which they operate and serve. The Kohanim are limited with many restrictions. For example, they are not allowed to go into a cemetery, shave a bald spot on their heads or the edge of their beard. They are required to be holy to Hashem and not desecrate His Name. Hashem also tells Moshe to tell Aron that any man that has a blemish on himself or any man with any sort of disability (i.e. a broken bone or a man who is blind) should not approach to serve. Just like the korbanot brought have to be blemish-free so do the people that bring these korbanot. A man who committed one or any of these laws may not bring any karbanot. However, he should eat from the kodesh but not approach the mizbeyach. Later, the Parsha describes the halachot of tamei- who can eat the kodesh, the animals that are brought as karbanot, the names of the chagim and their laws. In addition it continues to describe the
halachot of Shabbos. Anyone who speaks badly about Hashem or curses Him should be put to death like it says in perek chof daled passuk tet zayin, "venokaiv sheim Hashem mot yoomat ragom yirgimu bo kole haeidah kigeir kiezrach benakvo sheim yoomat".
Think about the korbanot that have to be brought. Is bringing korbanot a chok? Don't they seem random and pointless? No, they actually don't. Every korban that is brought, is brought for a reason. The zevach shlamim is the peace offering, the asham is the guilt offering and the chatat is the sin offering etc. All these korbanot can seem pointless at times but each of them has a very significant meaning. The zevach shlamim is brought alone and it’s an optional korban. The asham is also brought alone but it is a mandatory offering if one is guilty. And the chatat is also brought alone and mandatory if one did something wrong. These korbanot are not pointless because, it may be hard for us to understand but this was their way of talking to Hashem. Davening wasn’t very common and this was their way of communicating with Him. Whether it was asking for forgiveness, saying thanks or just coming to appreciate Hashem this way how they davened.
These topics seem to be a broad range of ideas, why are they all put together?
While they may seem like they have nothing to do with each other they all share one very
important thing - holiness. Each of these topics all have the same level of holiness which is why
even though they are very different they are all put next to each other according to the Midrash
How does a kohain become a kohein gadol?
The "Midrash Says" notes that the kohein must possess five qualifications. They are:
1. Wisdom- the most important requirement. The kohein gadol's greatness in Torah needs to
be tremendous.
2. A handsome appearance- yes, believe it or not this is one of the qualifications. Just like
when people used to give korbanot they would look for the most beautiful objects, we do
the same with the kohein gadol.
3. Physical Strength- this would be an advantage for the kohein gadol. On Yom Kippur he
had to perform a strenuous service while fasting.
4. Wealth- the kohein gadol had to be in the best financial position- better than all the other
kohanim.
5. Age- it was preferable that the kohein gadol came with a mature age to do the job but if he
had all the qualifications the beit din would choose him anyway.
If the kohein gadol lacked wealth than other kohanim were allowed to help him out.
And, if a kohein is qualified to be the kohein gadol but he lacked looks or strength then when he
was anointed with the shemen hamishcha it would convert his looks and weakness to become
handsome and strong.
In conclusion, we are being taught the tremendous importance that the kohein gadol
plays in the lives of the Jewish people and how every aspect of his kehuna and anointment are
important. There are detailed laws surrounding nearly every part of the kohein gadol’s existence
that need to be strictly followed. A great lesson for us to learn from this is how every detail and
aspect of our lives must be grounded in and surrounded by Hashem’s laws and the Torah. Each
part of our lives are given directions and explicit ways that Hashem expects us to live and in
order to live our lives properly we must follow them and commit ourselves to a life of Torah
observance.
We can also learn from this parsha that we can’t just take something as big as being a
kohein for granted. There are a lot of things that the kohanim had to adjust to and it was probably
very hard for them. When I got rid of my knapsack for good I cried about it for three days
because I missed it so much. But, I had to get rid of my knapsack because I had to move on.
Same thing with the kohanim. They had to listen to the rules because they wanted to obey
Hashem and help their people. And they did it with love and devotion. So should we. We want
to know the reasons for everything. Why shouldn’t we want to? But sometimes we just can’t and
even though that’s hard for us we must listen anyway. Just like the kohanim did.
Bibliography
1. The Midrash Says- The Book of Vayeira
By: Rabbi Moshe Weissman
2. Hebrew/English Chumash- The Sapirstein Edition
By: Rabbi NossonScherman and Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz