Two Types of Instructions

Rabbi Joel Fleekop

Saturday, March 24, 2007

The word Torah is used to describe both the Five Books of Moses and any form of Jewish learning. And Torah is both of those things, and more. But if we were to literally translate the word Torah we would get something like “instruction.”

That may sound like a surprising title considering what we have been reading these past few months. In Genesis we found the story of an extremely dysfunctional family and Exodus told the compelling narrative of a people liberated from slavery through great miracles and how they struggled to adjust to freedom. But as we begin Leviticus, we begin to see that Torah is really a collection of hora’ot, a collection of instructions.

The first verse of Leviticus sets the scene of God communicating to Moses. But come verse two, the instructions begin. Leviticus chapter one verses two and three state “When any of you presents an offering of cattle to the Eternal, he shall choose his offering from the herd or from the flock. If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall make his offering a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for acceptance in his behalf before the eternal.”

As Dan highlighted for us earlier, these two verses are just the beginning of a long list of instructions given in Parshat Vayikra. In this, the first Torah portion in Leviticus, the Israelites are told how to offer five different sacrifices. The instructions include why each sacrifice should be brought and what animals or crops can be used. Extra demands are made of those in leadership positions, and accommodations are listed for those who can’t afford the standard sacrifice. And Parshat Vayikra is just the first of many Torah portions detailing instructions for the sacrificial system.

With so much of the Torah devoted to how sacrifices were to be offered, and with the ancient Temples of King Solomon and later King Herod amongst the most beautiful buildings in the entire Ancient Near East, it is not surprising that some ancient Israelites focused on this part of Judaism while ignoring the other parts of our religion. As Sam shared with us just a few moments ago, the prophets were constantly reminding the Israelites that Judaism was more than just ritual and sacrifice. It is a way of life that amongst other things teaches that how we treat one another matters.

This point is highlighted for us in a story from the Talmud. In trying to explain the reason for the second temple’s destruction in 70 C.E. the rabbis shared the story of Kamsa and Bar Kamsa.

A certain man who had a friend named Kamtza and an enemy named Bar Kamtza, once arranged a banquet and said to his servant, “Go and bring Kamtza.” But the servant mistakenly went and brought Bar Kamtza. When the host found Bar Kamtza sitting in his home he angrily said, “What are you doing here? Get up and get out.”

Bar Kamtza replied, “Now that I am here, let me stay, and I will pay you for whatever I eat and drink.”

The host rejected this offer so Bar Kamtza continued, “Then let me give you half the cost of your banquet.” But again his offer was rejected. “I will pay the full cost for your entire banquet.”

But the host replied, “Under no circumstances.” Then the host grabbed bar Kamtza by his arm and threw him out of the house in front of all the cities elders, including its sages and priests.

The ousted Bar Kamtza said to himself, since the sages and priests sitting there did not stop him they must have agreed with how he treated me. I’ll get even with them.

And so Bar Kamtza went and said to Caesar. The Jews are about to rebel against you.” Hearing this shocking accusation Caesar asked, “How can you prove this?”

Bar Kamtza replied, send them an offering to the Temple and see whether they will be willing to offer it. So Caesar, sent a fine calf with Bar Kamtza.

While on the way Bar Kamtza inflicted a blemish on it in a place that would disqualify it from being offered according to Jewish law but not according to Roman custom. The priests of the Temple, following the instructions from the beginning of this week’s Torah portion, rejected the flawed sheep, thus beginning the chain of events that led to the Roman sacking of the city.

Because the ancient Israelites who were quick to disqualify sacrifices with blemishes, failed to condemn the blemishes and flaws in the way human beings treat one another -- because they focused exclusively on ritual while ignoring the ethics of Judaism, the temple was destroyed.

Dan and Sam, this morning as you became Bnai Mitzvah, you led us in worship, chanted Torah and Haftarah, and brought those ancient words alive for us in your speeches. You showed yourself capable of fulfilling many of the ritual parts of Judaism. But, as you know, being a Bar Mitzvah means not only fulfilling mitzvoth ben adam l’makom, ritual mitzvoth, but also making a commitment to live according to the mitzvoth ben adam l’chaveiro, the ethical teachings of our tradition.

Over the past several months you have devoted many hours and a lot of hard work to learning your prayers and writing your speeches. I know that as you go forward from today as Bnai Mitzvah, you will continue to devote time and energy to fulfilling mitzvoth, both ritual and ethical.

The Torah is full of many instructions. Some describe procedures for ancient rituals we no longer practice while others offer guidance for our everyday lives. May we continue to wrestle with all of them so that we can all live as bnai mitzvah, as people who embrace the traditions and wisdom of our faith and strive to live lives imbued with holiness.