Parshat Emor Radiance and the Power of Healing
Parshat Emor Radiance and the Power of Healing
During the inauguration of the First Temple a great joy permeated from the holy city of Jerusalem. Unlike the times of Joshua, the lack of leadership during Judges and the civil wars which took place during the time of Samuel, in the times of Shlomo Hamelech peace and joy were shared by all. The anxiety of transition came to an end. “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Children of Israel’s Exodus from the land of Egypt-- in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign of Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month—he built the Temple of HaShem”[i] After so much work, and so much commitment, after deserts and death, we recognized the secret of transition, Pesach to Shavout, Healing!
We remain a scattered nation on the four corners of the world. Our society speaks with greed and vanity, and we have forgotten how to heal and Who is our healer. The wisest of all men, Shlomo HaMelech prophesizes: “Why did HaShem do such a thing to this land and to this Temple? And they will say: ‘Because they forsook HaShem, their G-d, who brought their forefathers out of the land of Egypt, and they grasped the gods of others, and prostrated themselves to them and worshiped them therefore HaShem brought all this evil upon them.’”[ii]
Chevra, we await a time where one will stand to bring about the redemption, a time where pain and struggle ceases. In our daily lives, we find things to connect to that make us feel an awareness of self-worth. Our jobs, our friends, our clothes, our money, our talents, our experiences, our accomplishments all make us feel strong, aware and alive. What created our exile? It was when we stopped believing that G-d was our healer and started believing that drugs, lust and ego-centricism would heal us.
HaShem tells us in this week’s Torah portion: “You should not desecrate My Holy Name, rather I should be sanctified among the children of Israel: I am HaShem Who sanctifies you, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be a G-d unto you. I am HaShem.” [iii]
So what is Pesach all about? It’s saying: “We know that G-d is our ultimate healer. We do not rely on the hands of flesh on man. We rely on G-d to remove us from our pain and slavery. We stand as witnesses at the Sea of Reeds and we say, ‘I am healed by G-d, and I will Sanctify (Him) among the children of Israel.’” We are not called “the chosen” because we are elite. We are called the chosen people because we were given the responsibility to bring the Torah through the generations and we are responsible to make the world aware that HaShem is the One who removes us out of Egypt, not our Audi convertible, but HaShem our True Healer! In the words of Rachael Batya Bat Reuven Meir:
“The month of Iyaar has the acronym of "Ani Hashem (double Yud) Rofecha" - "I am G-d, Your Healer." What is the essence of this month? What are its greatest treasuries? The verse states: If you hearken diligently to the voice of HaShem, your G-d, and do what is just in His eyes, give ear to his commandments and observe all His decrees, then any of the diseases that I place in Egypt, I will not bring upon you, for I am HaShem, your Healer.”
So we may ask --- why does the month of healing follow the month of redemption? Isn't the redemption of the Jewish people enough of a healing itself? Why do we need a new energy from a separate month for Healing?
Perhaps it is because only once one has been redeemed, lifted from the darkest depths and away from Egypt after reaching the 49th level of impurity, then one can begin to heal from the traumas of slavery and consequent exodus --- the hardships along the way and the eventual salvation.
This week I will try to: Remember that with everything I view to be my savior, if it depends on anything it is not truly a savior. If really want to get this scholarship and I don’t get it, do not be mistaken and think that you are now sick again, but remember: “Ani HaShem Rofecha.” Allow yourself to feel, allow yourself to heal.
Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh tov!
Isaiah J. Rothstein
During the inauguration of the First Temple a great joy permeated from the holy city of Jerusalem. Unlike the times of Joshua, the lack of leadership during Judges and the civil wars which took place during the time of Samuel, in the times of Shlomo Hamelech peace and joy were shared by all. The anxiety of transition came to an end. “In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Children of Israel’s Exodus from the land of Egypt-- in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign of Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month—he built the Temple of HaShem”[i] After so much work, and so much commitment, after deserts and death, we recognized the secret of transition, Pesach to Shavout, Healing!
We remain a scattered nation on the four corners of the world. Our society speaks with greed and vanity, and we have forgotten how to heal and Who is our healer. The wisest of all men, Shlomo HaMelech prophesizes: “Why did HaShem do such a thing to this land and to this Temple? And they will say: ‘Because they forsook HaShem, their G-d, who brought their forefathers out of the land of Egypt, and they grasped the gods of others, and prostrated themselves to them and worshiped them therefore HaShem brought all this evil upon them.’”[ii]
Chevra, we await a time where one will stand to bring about the redemption, a time where pain and struggle ceases. In our daily lives, we find things to connect to that make us feel an awareness of self-worth. Our jobs, our friends, our clothes, our money, our talents, our experiences, our accomplishments all make us feel strong, aware and alive. What created our exile? It was when we stopped believing that G-d was our healer and started believing that drugs, lust and ego-centricism would heal us.
HaShem tells us in this week’s Torah portion: “You should not desecrate My Holy Name, rather I should be sanctified among the children of Israel: I am HaShem Who sanctifies you, Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be a G-d unto you. I am HaShem.” [iii]
So what is Pesach all about? It’s saying: “We know that G-d is our ultimate healer. We do not rely on the hands of flesh on man. We rely on G-d to remove us from our pain and slavery. We stand as witnesses at the Sea of Reeds and we say, ‘I am healed by G-d, and I will Sanctify (Him) among the children of Israel.’” We are not called “the chosen” because we are elite. We are called the chosen people because we were given the responsibility to bring the Torah through the generations and we are responsible to make the world aware that HaShem is the One who removes us out of Egypt, not our Audi convertible, but HaShem our True Healer! In the words of Rachael Batya Bat Reuven Meir:
“The month of Iyaar has the acronym of "Ani Hashem (double Yud) Rofecha" - "I am G-d, Your Healer." What is the essence of this month? What are its greatest treasuries? The verse states: If you hearken diligently to the voice of HaShem, your G-d, and do what is just in His eyes, give ear to his commandments and observe all His decrees, then any of the diseases that I place in Egypt, I will not bring upon you, for I am HaShem, your Healer.”
So we may ask --- why does the month of healing follow the month of redemption? Isn't the redemption of the Jewish people enough of a healing itself? Why do we need a new energy from a separate month for Healing?
Perhaps it is because only once one has been redeemed, lifted from the darkest depths and away from Egypt after reaching the 49th level of impurity, then one can begin to heal from the traumas of slavery and consequent exodus --- the hardships along the way and the eventual salvation.
This week I will try to: Remember that with everything I view to be my savior, if it depends on anything it is not truly a savior. If really want to get this scholarship and I don’t get it, do not be mistaken and think that you are now sick again, but remember: “Ani HaShem Rofecha.” Allow yourself to feel, allow yourself to heal.
Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh tov!
Isaiah J. Rothstein
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