Parashat Emor (Speak) Leviticus 21:1 - 24:23
HafTorah Ezekiel 44:15 - 31
Dear friends,
Happy Lag B'Omer!
I hope you all had a good spring week and enjoyed the every-day sunshine! As we have learned, the book of Leviticus (Vayikra) which we are currently studying deals mostly with delineating nearly all of the Mitzvot (commandments) and laws. This Shabbat weekend, we read and study the Torah portion of Emor. In addition to detailing the laws dealing with profanity, murder, and maiming of others and laws regulating the lives and sacrifices of the priests, this portion provides the set times of the Jewish calendar including Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the festivals of Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.
In addition to continuing the theme of Leviticus, Emor introduces us to the practice of counting the Omer which we are coincidentally, currently immersed in. We are commanded to count each day between Passover and Shavuot, seven weeks in all. By the time we finish in a few weeks, we will be prepared to celebrate the festival of Shavuot, and the receiving of the Ten Commandments. An interesting play on words. The spelling of Emor is nearly identical to that of Omer:
Emor=אֱמֹר Omer=עֹ֫מֶר
Emor (which begins with an unpronounced Ayin) is the ancient Hebrew term for measuring grains, in this case, barley. Omer (which begins with an unpronounced Aleph) is the Hebrew word for "to speak". Is it merely a coincidence that the Omer is instroduced in the Torah portion of Emor?
This will be the last Shabbat that we will be celebrating entirely on Zoom. Beginning next Shabbat (May7/8) we will be holding services both in-person and on Zoom. So if you are vaccinated, feeling well, and ready to travel again, you are welcome to come to shul. I will read from the Torah, but to remain safe, those having aliyot will say the appropriate prayers before and after the reading from their seats rather than on the Bimah. If you are out of town or not ready to travel to the synagogue, nothing to fear. We will continue Zooming indefinitely! But for tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow morning at 9:30 am, we will come into your home virtually only on Zoom. Looking forward to seeing you all on my computer screen and wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and again, happy Lag B'Omer which is being celebrated today!
Ron Becker
Spiritual Leader
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FRIDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Shabbat Service
Time: Apr 30, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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SATURDAY:
JCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Saturday Morning Service
Time: May 1, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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