“Arghhh!” is the sound rabbis make when they realize we are starting the book of Leviticus. The Levites, God bless them, were dedicated to safeguarding the purity of the Jewish people. They did this through an endless series of sacrifices whose explanations we will be receiving in detail over the next few months. They are a little like the safety tutorial attendants give you at the beginning of everyflight, the lists of potential side effects on everymedicine bottle, or, for that matter, the annoying beeping noise reminding me to “stay-in-the-lane” on my new car; necessary evils that help keep society safe.
Judaism teaches that human beings thrive with structure. More than rules, we need repetitive behaviors that ensure we do the right thing in any given situation. Whether fastening your seat-belt when entering a car or washing your hands after using the bathroom, doing the action might feel like an annoyance in the moment, but in the long run it might save your life. As hard as my wife’s gentle reminders to “sit-up-straight” are for me, I know good posture will prevent a lot of future health problems. I am reminded of the stern copy editor I had when working at a Jewish newspaper during rabbinical school. When I turned in an article, she would hand it back to me full of red-lines and needed changes. I was always so grateful she was there for me, to make sure what went into print was something I could be proud of, and to help me become a better writer down the road. So, God bless the Levites in society, their jobs are hard and often thankless, but we are all better off because of them
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex
Last Updated on 04/09/2019 by wpadm