Rabbi's Blog

Our Shul is located near a major university. As a result we serve as a resource for many different people and purposes. We proudly host college students who are interested in re-connecting to their Judaism through the successful Jam and now Maimonides programs. We are also the target for visiting students in need of learning more about a religion other than their own. Recently, we have had a spate of students taking a world religion class, and throughout the academic year we have students who visit in order to observe a service (davening) either on Shabbos or during the week. The students are given guidelines of proper dress, decorum and what is acceptable or not acceptable, particularly on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Not surprisingly, these student visitors find separate seating to be of immediate interest as soon as they enter the shul and see men and women sitting separately.

The students are always respectful and well-mannered during their visits. There are times when they ask questions after the services and are appreciative and thankful to us for accommodating them as they strive to complete their class assignment. Typically, they call to arrange a visit the very last possible day as their paper or report is due the very next day. Nevertheless, we help our student neighbors in furthering their education, particularly to open up their eyes and minds to attain a deeper understanding of Judaism and, in particular, Orthodox Judaism. Over the years I have observed that some of the students, both boys and girls, come with different attitudes. Some come because attending a service is a requirement for passing the course. Those students typically stay the shortest amount of time possible in order to fulfill their requirement. Others, I've noticed, stay longer and are intrigued by what they are observing. I don't want to use the word mesmerized, but these students really take it all in.

I realize that these students are only seeing and receiving a tiny sliver of what Judaism is about. Our religion is not limited to prayer, but also to food, family, holidays, Shabbos, etc. I never conduct an exit poll to learn about their experience, but I am curious to learn whether their experience was positive or negative, and more importantly would like to know if they got a good overall impression about Judaism by observing all of us. Being curious, just last week I asked one of the students to send me a copy of his paper. I want to read about his experience at our Shul through his eyes, not mine. I know very well how we tend to behave in Shul, but I want to see from the perspective of these student-visitors how our collective involvement (or lack of) in davening affected them.

This idea is reflected in this week's Parsha Emor. In Vayikra 22:19,20 the Torah states: "Lirtzonchem, Tamim Zachar Babakar Uvatzon UvaIzim""To be an appeasement for you; unblemished, male, from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats". "Kol Asher Bo Moom Lo Takrivu, Ki Lo L'Ratzon Yihiye Lachem". "Any in which there is a blemish you shall not offer, for it will not be an appeasement for you". Rav Saadia Gaon explains that this verse does not necessarily give the laws of the objects, which are the animals, but rather addresses the people who are offering the animals as an appeasement. The animal that we should use as an appeasement is the male who has no blemishes. As it says in passuk 20 'Kol Asher Bo Mum Lo Takrivu, whoever themselves are blemished shall not offer sacrifices. The word 'Bo' is referenced to the person who is bringing the sacrifice and not the animal which is being offered.

Interestingly, earlier in the Parsha Vayikra 21:17 the concept of a 'Mum', a blemish in terms of Aharon's offspring, is mentioned. Any offspring of Aharon who has a blemish, a physical blemish on his body, shall not service the sacrifices for people in the Temple. In verse 17 it states "Mum Bo". In verse 21 it says "Bo Mum", the passuk reverses the words. The Kli Yakar explains that the first mention - Mum Bo - is in the future tense, while verse 21 - Bo Mum - is in the present tense. The Kli Yakar explains that the need to change tenses is based upon the understanding that Mumim, blemishes, were spiritual as well as physical.

During Biblical and later Talmudical times the sages of the day were experts in this area. They had the ability to recognize every blemish that would appear even before it came. Once they saw a certain sin, they could figure out the type of Mum which would emerge and develop. For example, if they noticed a person taking a bribe, they knew that the person would end up desolate. If they saw a person being haughty through his legs, that person would end up breaking a leg. If the individual sinned with his face, he would end up with some type of scar on his face. Any area of the body through which the person sinned became blemished. Therefore, even if a person 'will' have a blemish - Mum Bo - in the future tense, he was not permitted to serve in the Temple because the blemish had already taken root deep in the flesh; it would be only a matter of time for the blemish to rise to the surface. The reality, though, was that the person was already blemished despite the lack of physical symptoms.

Whether or not the blemish manifested itself, the Kohen was not allowed to lead the service. We therefore see that Mumim, blemishes, are not only the physical that are seen but also those blemishes that cannot be seen. Both of these conditions prohibit such an individual from being involved in the service.

When the visiting college students observe us during davening or while performing any mitzva or service that we do as Jews, I wonder what they are thinking. Are they observing individuals who are permitted to serve Hashem because we are blemish-free? Perhaps they only think we are blemish free because they don't have the ability to discern a true spiritual flaw in a Jew. In reality, the blemishes may still be beneath the surface yet to emerge, but we are nevertheless blemished and shouldn't be serving the Almighty in such a manner.

The inspection of the individuals who offer sacrifices should take place by the offers' themselves. Before we enter Shul and attempt to serve Hashem in any capacity, role, or mitzva, we need to inspect our physical and, even more important, our spiritual vessels and make sure they will be accepted in order to offer the sacrifices that we make to God.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky