"TO LIFE, TO LIFE 'LECHA'IM' "- Parshat Emor

Rav Kook innovatively explains why Kohanim are forbidden to come in contact with death and that Kabbalists say that all women are like Kohanim- for the highest level in Judaism is life. This has many interesting ramifications!

What's in a Memorial?

Parashat Hashavua: Love and Jealousy within the Family

Spirituality is Reality!

Parashat Hashavua: The Way to Prepare to Build the Beit Hamikdash

To Give One's Soul – and Live

Days of Re-establishment – How We Come Before Him in Praise – part I

Emor: The Impurity of Death and the Departure of Divinity

This week's Torah portion, Emor, is termed the portion of the Priests, and details some of the laws that apply only to them. It begins with the ban on priests coming in any kind of contact with death and a corpse – including even being in the same room. The Ramban explains that these and related laws are rooted in the fact that the priests "are the servants of our G-d, and are therefore instructed to behave with extra honor and greatness… Since they are worthy of this greatness and honor among the people, they are warned not to desecrate this virtue via the impurity of the dead."

Holy Times

The priestly family of Aharon

What constitutes chilul hashem, & kiddush hashem?

Holy-istic holiness

Oso Ve’es Beno

This week’s parsha, Emor, includes the following mitzvah: Oso Ve’es Beno: Slaughtering an Animal and its Offspring

Of curses & self-control

Who Are the Kohanim?

Sanctifying the Name

The conviction that being a Jew involves the pursuit of justice and the practice of compassion is what led our ancestors to stay loyal to Judaism despite all the pressures to abandon it.

The Chosen Tribe

Not every kohen was necessarily fit for the task, nor did he live up to the responsibilities of the priesthood. However, as a group it is obvious the family of Aaron is deservedly held in high regard throughout Jewish society.

All for One, One for All

Why don’t we just make one bracha at the beginning of the count, on the first night, & then say a closing bracha on the last night? Why are there 49 separate brachot recited?!

Shabbat and Holidays in a Jewish State

Is it permitted to violate the laws of Shabbat in the process of sanctifying the new month? Why does the Torah repeat the introductory terms about the mo’adim and mention Shabbat in the middle?

Is Being a "Torah Jew" Enough?

Looking into this week's Parshat Emor to discover the definition of Hilul HaShem [desecration of G-d's Name] in a national sense and what it means with regards to living in the Diaspora.