Emor; Leviticus 21:1- 24:23

Jewish holidays and holy days give a unique and special rhythm to the year. We know this from the basic description of the Shabbat. Shabbat and its observance have its own rhythm and lend a unique flow to the week. We look forward all week long to Shabbat and savor its presence and are wistful as she leaves us. We know this from the intensity of the fall holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah that takes us from the heights of introspection and forgiveness to the joy and celebration of the harvest. It is matched by the spring holidays of Pesach and its emphasis and reminder of our liberation experience linked to the 50-day period of the counting of the omer that leads to Shavuot, which celebrates the revelation at Sinai. Each holiday not only acknowledges the seasons of the year, but often seasons of life and in particular the seasons of life of the Jewish people: rest and renewal, redemption and revelation, liberation and celebration. Each of these holiday and holy days also describe a unique connection with our God and has a unique set of observances connected with it.

While the modern Jewish calendar has some non-Torah additions such as Chanukah, Purim, Tisha B’Av, Yom Hashoa and Yom Haatzmaut, the core of our holiday cycle is described in this week’s Torah portion, Emor. The yearly calendar is described in detail including a brief reminder of Shabbat.

The Torah portion describes the set times and season of sacred gathering and dedication to God. As they are described in this week’s portion they are amazingly recognizable—the Feast of Unleavened Bread—of course Pesach. You shall count off seven weeks—the counting of the omer; The Day of blowing of the Shofar and The Day of Atonement, The Fesast of Booths—Sukkot and the eighth day of Shemini Atzeret. While today our holiday celebrations have additional observances added through the years and adapted to a non-sacrificial Judaism that we have now, we can see in the Torah portion the core of our holiday calendar.

Each of these holy days and holidays helps us to appreciate our world and our relationship to God in the world. The holidays serve as reminders of the gifts that the Jewish people have received be it the harvest, freedom or Torah on Mt. Sinai, or a weekly respite from work that we call Shabbat. The holidays and holy days make also remind us that our relationship with God is a special partnership. We offer thanksgiving for the bounty of our lives, or ask for forgiveness and God provides and heals. A special partnership that we call our covenant is fulfilled by the rhythm of the year.

Dan Millman a speaker and writer, stated: By expanding our deepest beliefs about what is possible we change our experience of life.

Our holiday cycle does just that—it helps us expand our deepest beliefs and ritualize them. And thus we change our experience of our life and the life of our people. It helps us examine our place in the world and our potential. It gives a voice to our fears and our hopes. The holiday observances help us to put into a unique perspective our interaction with others and yes, with God.

Posted by Lee at May 5, 2004 09:47 AM