Parshat Vayikra – March 22, 2024 / 13 Adar Bet, 5784
This week is a big weekend for Jewish texts! This evening we read from the first book of Leviticus, or Vaykira. A theme that we can home in on this weekend is brought to the forefront in both the Book of Leviticus and tomorrow’s focus, Megillat Esther. Sacrifice. What does it mean to sacrifice for God? In our Torah, these sacrifices are called “Korbanot.” They include an offer of ascent (olah), a meal offering (mincha), a peace offering (shelamim) and a guilt offering (asham). While these sacrifices are specified and delved into in the Torah portion, it is made clear that any person of any means or socioeconomic status is set up to offer what they are able to offer.
As you likely know, we do not offer korbanot upon the altar in Jerusalem anymore. We do offer our prayers instead. We ask God that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable. Tomorrow we will hear from the Book of Esther, and also enjoy a fun Spiel. Esther, a Jewish woman who rises to the position of Queen in the Persian Empire, literally puts her life on the line to save the Jewish people. After the passive Persian King Achashverosh agrees to the evil Prime Minister Haman’s idea to kill the Jewish people, Esther, with the moral support of her kinsman Mordechai, essentially decides to sacrifice herself for the Jewish people. She knows that appearing before the King and revealing that she is a Jew could spell the end of her life. She does so anyway. She says, “and if I am to perish, I shall perish.”
“If I am to perish, I shall perish.” What kind of brave sacrifice did it take to proclaim Jewishness, let alone as a woman, during this dangerous time for Jews? Are we currently living in a similar world? Korbanot…sacrifices…are we willing to sacrifice our sense of, or actual, safety, in order to live proudly as Jewish people?
According to the Anti-Defamation League, since the October 7th attacks in Israel, Jewish Hatred has gone up at least 388% in the United States. Jews are vulnerable to attack in ways that some have never felt since the atrocities of World War II. For so many, new wounds have been formed, and old scars have been re-injured. As Jews in the Reform tradition, and in light of the current social climate, it might be difficult to wrap our collective brains around Esther’s message of, “If I am to perish, I shall perish.” Perhaps it would be safer to live in a more secular fashion …to avoid associating with a Jewish identity at all. I am sure that many European Jews thought similarly during the 1930’s and 40’s. There was hate, and eventual genocidal action, anyway. Jews were targeted anyway. This goes even further back. I think of the late 19th century in France: Alfred Dreyfus, a French Jewish Military officer who was wrongly accused of treason. Dreyfus was stripped of his rank, and still bellowed out “Vive La France!” He was met with a slew of French officers yelling slurs at him: “Traitor. Judas. Death to the traitor!” Many say that the Dreyfus affair is what truly convinced the Father of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, that the Jews were not ultimately safe anywhere aside from a Sovereign Jewish State.
No matter our specific beliefs about current and past leadership and politics, Israel is a people, and we are connected to the land of Israel. Think of the pain of Jews around the world when Israel and her people were attacked. The wound was and is palpable. When defending the right to our peoplehood, the right to live freely, we must speak up with the courage and actions of Esther, and also as Mordechai…we do not bow before a threat. We have historically kept our heads held high, and we have survived. There are always Hamans who wish to see us as no more. Who use any opening to create a crater the size of the elimination of Israel, the elimination of the Jewish State…how do we combat this “oldest hatred?” We educate ignorance when we can, we gather together, we create vibrant Jewish spaces and communities. We do so thoughtfully, not recklessly…also with the understanding that being Jewish is a responsibility, and at many times, a sacrifice.
In our Torah portion this week, we are told of “sin offerings.” If someone sins inadvertently, a sin offering is to be made. As Jewish people living in America, we all have our opinions, and they are valuable. I do believe that we must be careful not to inadvertently sin against ourselves and our people, to do damage to our own. We must protect all life as best as we can, but not inadvertently sacrifice the life of our people for the sake of social and political optics. Every soul is important, and without a doubt should be protected.
What must we sacrifice in order to maintain our religion, our culture, our peoplehood? The answer might not be clear, but without a Jewish people, the question will be a moot one. May we be blessed to make the sacrifices of the heart that are acceptable to God, to ourselves, and to one another. May we look to the day when all nations will be at one and at peace. Remember, we need a nation to be at peace with the nations. Let us send our sweet savour of Jewish identity and peoplehood throughout the world and to God.
Shabbat Shalom
– Rabbi Josh Gray