Rabbi's Blog

A great deal of time and thinking goes into writing a piece of Torah that is hopefully relevant and appreciated by its readers. This week I am running a bit behind due to an incident that occurred only a day or so ago. Due to this unforeseen occurrence, I need to call an audible. My situation does not fit the definition exactly, but I am borrowing the concept this week. An audible is basically a last minute change of plan, or playing by ear. The basic definition is to decide what to do at the last second after seeing all possible options and obstacles that come up. This phrase comes from football, when the quarterback goes up to the line of scrimmage, sees a defensive alignment he wasn't expecting, and adjusts by yelling out a new play. An ordinary 'audible' that we may all relate to is the following: 'I'm thinking of going jogging, but if it rains I'll have to call an audible and go to the gym instead'.

The need to call the audible was due to the passing of Dodo, our pet parakeet for the past eight years. I am not writing about this looking for sympathy. In fact, I am not mourning at all; mourning is truly reserved for the loss of human life. This is not to say that someone who loses a pet, especially a pet that they had for a long time and was special to them, should not be upset or sad. Being upset and sad are emotions which are acceptable when a pet dies. In fact, I discussed the halachik ramifications and issues regarding the reciting of a blessing upon hearing bad news and whether or not there is room within halacha to recite it or not. Sure I miss the bird..........but only as a bird. This essay is meant for the adult reader, but let it be known and understood that when family pets die, children need to cope and grieve through a process but do not mourn.

In this week's Parsha Shmini the Torah states the kinds of animals that we as Jews are permitted to eat and those that we may not. The Torah does not use the word 'kosher' but rather chooses the words 'tahor' and 'tamei' - pure and impure - with regard to spirituality. Tumah and Taharah is a very difficult subject for people to grasp because it is foreign to us and is completely spiritual. Having discussed the concept of impurity and purity before, I would rather focus on an element other than the spiritual side: the void that is felt when something once alive is no longer alive.

The Torah states in Vayikra 11:2 "Dabru El B'Nai YisraelLaymor, Zos HaChaya Asher Tochlu Mikal HaBeheima Asher Al HaAretz": "Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: 'These are the life forms that you may eat from among all the animals that are upon the earth". God chooses the word 'HaChaya' - the life forms. Rashi explains the word chaya is related to the word chaim, life. The Rabbis taught that live animals do not receive or accept spiritual impurity known as Tumah. Even when it comes to human beings, gentiles do not become impure according to the Torah. The only living creatures that are susceptible to becoming Tamei are Jews. This is due to the already highly spiritual forces which exist within the Jewish body. These forces need to keep themselves as pure as possible at all times. The greater or higher spiritual being requires more limitation and protection from Tumah. This is why a Kohein has further restrictions on becoming defiled. Tumah separates us from Hashem. Kedusha brings us closer to God while Tumah, spiritual impurities, push us further away from God.

In Jewish law the more something is whole and complete the greater possibility there is for it to become impure. If a person has a vessel which is incomplete, it is not susceptible to becoming Tamei. Once it's complete, however, it is susceptible. A fruit that is still attached to the tree is not susceptible, but once it is completely ripe and falls from the tree it can become Tamei.

Even though the laws of Tumah and Tahara are limited today in the sense that we cannot become completely pure without the Beis Hamikdash, we still try to abstain from 'becoming Tamei/impure'. Laws which specifically apply to Kohanim restrict them from entering a cemetery. Similarly, everyone else is required to wash their hands upon coming into contact with a corpse and also when leaving a cemetery.

There is no Tumah/impurity associated with a dead parakeet. It is not a 'Sheretz' - a very specific type of rodent or lizard that the Torah lists which is highly toxic as far as Tumah is concerned. Nevertheless, the change in status from being alive, where there is definitely no impurity, to ceasing to live contains an air of impurity.

The word 'life' to me always means hope while the word 'death' means there is no hope. Previously, when I entered my home and heard a bird chirping or flying around, the beauty of life and all it represents was evident. Dodo's chirping was life and represented its own form of a living entity and hope. This week when I walked into the house there was a sense of death. It was totally quiet: no chirping, no wings flapping, no noise. There wasn't a halachik Tumah but there was disconnect from life. Our objective as long as we are alive is to be as connected to Hashem as possible. Once we die we longer are connected to Hashem in this world. There will be a different kind of relationship between the soul and Hashem in the next world, but that is spiritual to spiritual. The relationship in this world is unique insofar as it is a physical-to- -spiritual network.

The lesson that I've come to glean from this episode is that there has been a potential increase in impurity due to the death of a living creature. Therefore we must combat that potential and increase the level of holiness and spirituality through learning and performing Mitzvos. The message of death indicates the separating and cessation of life, which is our intimate connection to Hashem. We must do whatever we can to re-attach and make that connection stronger; strengthening that relationship we have to our Maker.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky