|
The
Torah in parshat Tzav says, “And the priest will burn wood
upon [the altar] every morning, and lay the burnt offering I order
upon it; and he will burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.”
(Vayikra 6:5)
One commentator notes, “The daily morning burnt offering was
the very first sacrifice burnt every day, while the daily evening
sacrifice was the last burnt on the altar that day. The first and
last sacrifices burnt each day were communal sacrifices, while all
other sacrifices were burnt between these two. This teaches us that
the most important thing is the community, the congregation, the
people.”
We have all read about the lack of respect occurring throughout
the Jewish community lately. From the disgraceful censoring by the
Jewish Theological Seminary of a rabbinical student’s rather
mild column about Israel, to the public silencing of debate about
Israel’s actions, there has been a startling lack of respect
for one another.
Judaism demands that we remember that all Jews are responsible for
one another. Although we may disagree with one another about how
to accomplish our goals, we are attempting to reach the same goals.
It is thus necessary to remember that whatever side of the debate
a fellow Jew is on, they speak out of just as firm a love and commitment
to Judaism as our own. People of good conscience can disagree about
the conflicts occurring now in Israel or the upcoming war against
Iraq.
The midrash tells us that all Israel wept for Aaron thirty days
after he died, because Aaron never said to any person, “You
have acted offensively.” Pirke Avot states that everyone should
strive to be of the disciples of Aaron, “loving peace and pursuing
peace, loving humankind and drawing them close to the Torah.”
This is a model for us now: if we want one another to be drawn close
to Torah, it will not be through rancor and harsh words, but by
loving one another and hearing what each has to say. There is no
wrong in disagreement: Judaism loves an argument, as long as it’s
for the sake of heaven, but as the day begins, and as the day ends,
let us remember to burn the peace offerings and remember that we
are one community, and we must listen to one another respectfully.
Updated 3/19/03
|
|
 |
|
Alana
Suskin is a fifth year student at the University of Judaism’s
Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, the Conservative movement’s
seminary in Los Angeles. She has published in numerous journals
and anthologies, most recently in socialaction.com and “The
Women’s Seder Sourcebook” (Jewish Lights press,
2003).
|
| |
|
