Synagogues of the past had clear hierarchies. The wealthy and the powerful had assigned seats up front, everyone else were relegated to the back. I felt this growing up, as our Jewish community in Philadelphia often made those who didn’t have the resources to make large contributions feel invisible. As a family with limited means, this stung.
When I became a rabbi, I swore to myself that I would never make someone feel less than. Everyone – rich or poor, congregant or unaffiliated, insider or outsider – deserves to be treated with respect. At Congregation Shir Shalom, we have tried to make this simple mantra central to our communal culture. One of the ways we do this is by actively supporting those who have physical and emotional challenges that often make them feel ostracized by the rest of society. When others turn away, we try to lean in.
The Levitical priests did not always have the same ethos. In this week’s Torah portion Emor, the Torah states: “Whoever is of your seed in their generations who has any blemish, let them not approach to offer the bread of his God” (Leviticus 21:17). By blemish our ancestors meant any type of disability ranging from a broken leg to impaired vision. This is in direct contrast to the words we read last week from the Holiness Code which stated: “You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of blind” (Leviticus 19:14). Luckily, it is the latter sentiment that is embraced and not the former. Everyone is needed in our community, and everyone should feel included. No one deserves to be labeled as having a “blemish.” Whatever your life circumstances, I hope you always feel welcome at Shir Shalom!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex