PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality Online

We’re Hiring! Kinda… Parshah Tzav (Torah Video Mashup)

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httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJ14uRRZ4s

WOW…we are just SLAMMED over here in PunkTorah land. Circle Pit the Bimah was just released, and our vegan cookbook is flying off the virtual shelves for Passover (that’s what happens when you give something away for free). Not to mention two local grants we have received (more details to come) and a host of other exciting adventures that await us.

Problem is, that doesn’t leave a lot of time for Torah Video Mashup. At least not this week. So instead, we’re going all retro-rewind style with this old dvar Torah from back in the good old days.

So here’s the deal: if you consider yourself creative, love YouTube and want to volunteer at PunkTorah, consider becoming our Torah Video Mashup extraordinaire. You write the script, pick the videos from around the intertubes that best relates to the weekly Torah portion, and either you edit them together or give it to us to [Read more…]

Parshah Tzav

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By Michael Sabani

In this week’s Torah portion, Tzav, we learn all about the duties and right of the Kohanim, the priests, who offer the sacrifices in the Sanctuary. We hear about how the fire must be kept burning all the time, the clothes that the priests must wear, and details on the portions of the offerings that that are given to the Kohanim to eat.

 

Interesting…

We are told that certain potions of only particular offerings are given to the Kohanim, such as portions of the Sin and Guilt offerings, but in the case of the Peace offering, the bringer also eats a portion, as well as the Kohanim. I am struck by this situation.

 

Think about this. Hashem has those who do some of the highest work, the most difficult and messy jobs, eat of the offerings that others bring. Can you imagine waiting for someone to bring a sacrifice for you to be able to eat?

 

But here’s the flip side to that, even in our mistakes, or more clearly especially in our mistakes, G-d gives us the opportunity to do good. In the Peace offering, we can eat of it ourselves, but when we make mistakes part of the repairing that happens is us providing for others. So even when we miss the mark, Hashem is able to transform that into a blessing, into something that helps the community.

 

Let us take a moment and consider where where we may have missed the mark. What have we done, not in the past year, not in the past month, not even in the past week, but today! Where have we missed the mark today? Were we angry with a loved one? Did we curse at another driver on the road? Did we ignore the needs of those suffering around us? Did we act in frustration or deceit?

 

Think about these things and realize that in our mistakes is the power to repair. Through these mistakes lie the power to not only repair what we have broken, but to help repair others as well.

 

Hashem has given us a gift, not of being able to miss the mark, but of being able to realize where we have missed, step back up to the line, and aim again. And in this time, I pray we all hit the bullseye.

 

 

Parshat Tzav

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Parshat Tzav doesn’t apply to daily life. Let’s do away with the Torah, because it’s all a bunch of pointless, ancient rituals that are totally meaningless.

PSYCHE!

You’d think I’m being a jerk when I write like that. But in all honesty, this is how most people feel when they get to the Levitical code. What good does a bunch of rules about burning animal fat have to do with today?

For me, it’s about the flame (and I’m not talking about Richard Simmons). The flame that was used to burn the sin offerings had to burn forever: an eternal flame inside the temple (mishkan).

We no longer have a temple, so Jews are forced to look inward and create a tent of our own meeting with the divine. This is why we pray: we offer up something emotional instead of physical. We even refer to our bodies sometimes as “temples”.

The fire, then, is a a light that forever burns inside us. It ignites our passion for healing the world (tikkun olam), justice (tzedakah), and all the other parts of a noble life, whether its a “Jewish” value or simply a universal one.

When we stoke the fire of our good nature, we keep alive the warmth from thousands of years ago, when our spiritual ancestors brought the best that they had to the temple in honor of G-d and in atonement for their sins and offerings of peace. Be proud to carry on this tradition, and let your personal light shine on forever.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJ14uRRZ4s]

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