Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Vayikra
- Bechukotai
After detailing the Blessings and Curses, the parsha relates the law of Temura: If one designates an animal to for an offering, then substitutes that animal for another, both animals become holy & must be used as offerings. Chazal explain: When something is made kadosh, its holiness can never be removed. Attempting to do so will fail, & both animals will then achieve an exalted status.
Rav Pam zt"l sees in this law a message for Jewish history: Every time the nations of the world seek to limit or destroy the kedusha of Am Yisrael, they not only fail, but there is a noticeable expansion of that kedusha!
In Egypt, attempts to break our spirit & then kill us off resulted in our growing exponentially; "as they oppressed us, so we multiplied." On Purim, Haman’s plot to wipe us out backfired on him, we triumphed, & many non-Jews joined our people, including even descendants of Haman! And, in our own days, the Nazis & their many murderous accomplices devoted all of their energy trying to kill us, but we survived & we went on to flourish in the Diaspora, as well as to create the State of Israel.
Terrorist groups defame & try to destroy us. But B"H the result is that we’ve grown 10-fold in just 6 decades & built a powerful, prosperous nation. Our population of 9.5 million is projected to be over 11 million by the year 2030. We have the highest fertility rate in the OECD & the high-est number of multiple births per capita of any country; 191,000 babies were born here in the last year! We are the single largest Jewish community in the world & fast approaching (if we’re not there already!) constituting the majority of the world’s Jews. Israel’s vast proliferation of Yeshivot is the embodiment of the blessing, Ki MiTzion Tetze Torah, & we are an inspiration for millions.
We conclude Sefer Vayikra this Shabbat with the words Chazak, Chazak, V'Nitchazek; we should be strengthened by appreciating that all the evil launched against us is doomed to failure. Instead of harming us, it will result in our becoming a stronger, safer, more prosperous People.
"Temura" has the same letters of both trauma & Teruma: The trauma threatened by our enemies only leads to the Teruma, the contribution we bring to the world, & ultimately contributes to our triumph. Am Yisrael Chai!
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
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