This week's reading concerns the rituals of the Day of Atonement, and of purification; it also includes various sexual prohibitions. It is named "Acharei" ("After" ) or "Acharei Mot," referring to the period after the death of Aaron's two sons, Nadav and Avihu, who died during the dedication of the Tabernacle.
What is the relationship between a period of mourning, and the rites of purity? It's not entirely clear, but it seems that purification is a kind of renewal. And Aaron, the High Priest, is told to direct his energies toward healing and atoning for the people, rather than mourning and succumbing to his grief.
The additional reading is the memorable story of the parting of Jonathan and David from the book I Samuel 20:18-42. These two best friends were parted because King Saul would not atone, and would not forgive. We need renewal to be part of our lives, or we cannot move forward with the things that matter.
This week’s portion launches the great story of Abraham, who is told to leave everything of his life behind — except his immediate family — and to leave for “the Land that I shall show you.”
There’s something interesting in the fact that Abraham is told to leave his father’s house, as if breaking away from his father’s life — but his father, in fact, began the journey, moving from Ur to Haran (in last week’s portion). His father set a positive example — why should Abraham leave him?
Some obvious answers suggest themselves — adulthood, needing to make one’s own choices, his father not going far enough, etc.
But I think there is another answer. Abraham (known for the moment as Abram) needs to establish his own household. This is not just about making one’s own choice, but really about choosing one’s own starting point. It’s starting over.
Sometimes we start over in fundamental ways even if much that surrounds us remains the same. Sometimes the journey we have to ...
The story of Noah is familiar; the details, less so.
Noah is often seen as an ambivalent figure. He was righteous -- but only for his generation. What was his deficiency?
One answer suggests itself: knowing that the world was about to be flooded, he built an Ark for the animals and for his own family -- but did not try to save anyone else or to convince them to repent and change their ways (the prophet Jonah, later, would share that reluctance).
Abraham, later, would set himself apart by arguing with God -- with the Lord Himself! -- against the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, saying that they should be saved if there were enough righteous people to be found (there were not).
Still, Noah was good enough -- and sometimes, that really is sufficient to save the world. We don't need heroes every time -- just ordinary decency.
Hi all -- as I noted last month, I'm going to be closing down my Locals page, at least for tips and subscriptions -- I may keep the page up and the posts as well, but I'm no longer going to be accepting any kind of payment.
Look for cancelation in the very near future. Thank you for your support!
