The Holiness of Community
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The Holiness of Community
Parshat Tzav, 5781
Saturday, March 27, 2021
פרשת צו, תשפ״א
Parshat Tzav, 5781
by Rabbi Sydni
Saturday, March 27th, 2021
The Holiness of Community
Throughout this Pesah (Passover) we will explore themes introduced in Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs. We’ll talk about the interplay of Judaism and romantic relationships, why human love is so integral to Jewish life and practice, and how Shir HaShirim is used in Jewish liturgy. Over the next week and a half, Shir HaShirim will help us hone in on the essential truth that loving, human relationships are integral to our best Jewish lives. We needinterpersonal relationships in order to practice mitzvot with integrity, and we know the importance of these relationships to be true beyond just the romantic.
In a couple of weeks, we will arrive at Parashat Kedoshim, in which God commands Moses, דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם קדשים תהיו כי קדוש אני ה׳ אלהיכם. Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, and say to them, you shall be holy, for I - Adonai your God - am holy (Vayikra 19:1). God’s commandment to be holy is not directed simply to Moses or the elders or the priests, but rather, to the entire congregation of Israel. When God says, קדושים תהיו, אני ה׳ אלהיכם, the command to be holy, and the “your” in “your God,” are both in second person plural, referring to more than one “you.” 20th century Israeli commentator Nechama Leibowitz puts the communal nature of God’s holiness command succinctly:
No single person, be he the most devoted of God-fearing men, can fulfill all the commandments single-handed. It is therefore that this chapter is given in full assembly - for only “all the congregation of the children of Israel” can fulfill the Torah (263).
In addition to ritual and sacrificial commandments like those we’ll hear in today’s Torah reading, our book of Vayikra (Leviticus) features commands like leave the corners of your fields for the poor, respect your parents, don’t lie or steal, and pay your workers on time. Quite literally, none of these commandments can be done without another human being to receive these commandments. The holiness achieved by performing mitzvot is simply not possible outside of a community of people devoted to supporting one another.
We aspire to pray in a minyan not just because the Talmud says so, but also, because we cannot reach a certain level of holiness without the give and take of diverse individuals learning and acting together. When we learn Torah in a room with others, we learn how to better formulate our own thoughts, and we share ideas about the different ways to interpret God’s teachings. When we see or hear that someone in the room has performed a mitzvah, we are inspired to perform our own mitzvot - if they can do it, we know that we can too! Together, we can divide up phone numbers of people in need to call; together, we can collect hundreds of pounds of groceries for the food bank. Together, we can learn about the trusted businesses and organizations to support in town. And of course, more people quite often translates to more joy, more inspiration for us to come back to this holy space week after week.
Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) teaches that טובים השנים מן האחד, two are better than one. Two achieve greater benefit from their earnings, two means that one person is always there to lift up the other, and two have a greater chance of standing up to an attacker! (Yes, Ecclesiastes also mentions that two can keep each other warm at night, but we can talk about that more with Shir HaShirim.) Just as two or four or sixteen are often better than one in practical matters like finances, emotional support, and combat, a community is vital for inspiration and success in holiness. In Jewish practice, lighting candles, keeping kosher, and saying regular blessings before we eat are all well and good, but mitzvot performed bein adam l’havero, between a person and her fellow, the kind of mitzvot we perform here in community, are truly what make for holiness. As we prepare for a whole lot of services and perhaps some meals with family and friends in the days to come, may we search for words of Torah and for opportunities for mitzvot at every moment. Shabbat Shalom!
Tue, October 8 2024
6 Tishrei 5785
Rabbi's Sermons
Bereshit - Genesis
- Parshat Bereshit: Oct. 26, 2019, October 1, 2021, October 2, 2021
- Parshat Noah: Nov. 2, 2019, October 8, 2021, Oct. 29, 2022
- Parshat Lekh-L'kha: Nov. 9, 2019, Oct. 31, 2020, Oct. 31, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 15, 2021
- Parshat Vayeira: Nov. 16, 2019, Nov. 7, 2020, Nov. 7, 2020 - Part 2, Oct. 22, 2021, Oct. 23, 2021
- Parshat Hayei Sara: Nov. 14, 2020, Oct. 30, 2021
- Parshat Toldot: Nov. 30, 2019, Nov. 21, 2020, Nov. 6, 2021
- Parshat Vayeitzei: Nov. 28, 2020, Nov. 13, 2021
- Parshat Vayishlah: Dec. 14, 2019 , Dec. 5, 2020, November 20, 2021
- Parshat Vayeisheiv: Dec. 12, 2020, Nov. 27, 2021
- Parshat Miketz: Dec. 4, 2021
- Parshat Vayigash: Jan. 4, 2020, Dec. 26, 2020, Dec. 11, 2021
- Parshat Vay'hi: Jan. 11, 2020, Jan. 2, 2021
Shemot-Exodus
- Parshat Sh'mot: Jan. 18, 2020, Jan. 18, 2020 - Part 2, Jan. 9, 2021
- Parshat Va'eira: Jan. 25, 2021
- Parshat Bo: Feb. 1, 2020, Jan. 23, 2021
- Parshat B'shalah: Jan. 30, 2021, Jan. 15, 2022, Feb. 3, 2023, Feb.4, 2023
- Parshat Yitro: Feb. 15, 2020, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 6, 2021, Feb. 21, 2022, Feb. 22, 2022
- Parshat Mishpatim: Feb. 22, 2020, Feb. 18, 2023
- Parshat T'rumah: Feb. 29, 2020, Feb. 29, 2020 - Part 2, Feb. 20, 2021, Feb. 4, 2022, Feb. 5, 2022, Feb. 25, 2023
- Parshat T'tzaveh: March 7, 2020, Feb. 27, 2021, Feb. 12, 2022, Feb. 11, 2022
- Parshat Ki Tisa: March 14, 2020, March 6, 2021, February 19, 2022
- Parshot Vayak'heil-P'kudei: March 21, 2020, March 13, 2021, February 26, 2022, March 18, 2023
Vayikra-Leviticus
- Parshat Vayikra: March 20, 2021, March 11, 2022, March 24, 2023, March 25, 2023
- Parshat Tzav: April 4, 2020, March 27, 2021, March 19, 2022
- Parshat Sh'mini: April 18, 2020
- Parshot Tazria-Metzora: April 25, 2020, April 17, 2021, April 2, 2022, April 20, 2024
- Parshot Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: May 2, 2020, April 24, 2021, May 7, 2022, May 3, 2024, May 10, 2024
- Emor: May 9, 2020, May 1, 2021, May 13, 2022, May 14, 2022, May 6, 2023
- Parshot B'har-B'hukotai: May 8, 2019, May 16, 2020, May 7, 2021, May 21, 2022, May 28, 2022, May 24, 2024, May 31, 2024
Bamidbar-Numbers
- Parshat Bamidbar: May 15, 2021, May 20, 2023, June 7, 2024
- Parshat Nasso: June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020 - Part 2, May 22, 2021, June 10, 2022, June 2, 2023, June 14, 2024
- Parshat B'ha'alotcha: June 13, 2020, June 13, 2020 - Part 2, June 9, 2023, June 10, 2023, June 21, 2024
- Parshat Sh'lach: June 20, 2020, June 20, 2020 - Part 2, June 5, 2021, June 28, 2024
- Parshat Korah: June 27, 2020, July 18, 2020, July 24, 2023, July 5, 2024
- Parshot Chukat-Balak: June 26, 2021, July 12, 2024, July 19, 2024
- Parshat Pinchas: July 11, 2020, July 11, 2020 - Part 2, July 2, 2021, July 3, 2021, July 22, 2022, July 23, 2022, July 26, 2024
- Parshot Matot-Masei: July 18, 2020, July 18, 2020 - Part 2, July 10, 2021, July 30, 2022, August 2, 2024
D'varim-Deuteronomy
- Parshat D'varim: July 25, 2020, July 25, 2020 - Part 2, July 17, 2021, August 6, 2022, August 9, 2024
- Parshat Va'et'hanan: Aug. 1, 2020, July 24, 2021, August 12, 2022, August 13, 2022, Aug. 16, 2024
- Parshat Eikev: Aug. 8, 2020, July 31, 2021, August 19, 2022, August 20, 2022
- Parshat Re'eh: August 7, 2021, August 30, 2024
- Parshat Shoftim: September 7, 2019, Aug. 22, 2020, August 14, 2021, August 14, 2021 - Part 2, September 3, 2022, September 6, 2024
- Parshat Ki Teitzei: Aug. 29, 2020, August 20, 2021, September 13, 2024
- Parshat Ki Tavo: Sept. 5, 2020, Sept. 5, 2020 - Part 2, August 28, 2021, Sept. 17, 2022, Sept. 20, 2024
- Parshot Nitzavim-Vayeilech: Sept. 11, 2021, September 24, 2022, Sept. 27,2024
- Parshat Ha'Azinu: Sept. 26, 2020, October 4, 2024
- Parshat Haberakhah
Rosh HaShanah: Sept. 19, 2020, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 2, Sept. 19, 2020 - Part 3, Sept. 20, 2020, Sept. 7, 2021, Sept. 8, 2021, Sept. 9, 2021, Sept. 26, 2022
Yom Kippur: Sept. 28, 2020, Sept. 16, 2021, October 5, 2022
Sukkot: Oct. 3, 2020 , Sept. 20, 2021
Passover: April 3, 2021, April 23, 2022, April 7, 2023, April 12, 2023 April 27, 2024
Rosh Hodesh: April 22, 2023
Friday Night
Kol Nidre Service : 6:20pm |
Candle Lighting : 6:28pm |
: 7:30pm |
Shabbat Day
Yom Kippur : 9:00am |
: 1:30pm |
Evening Service : 5:00pm |
Havdalah : 7:35pm |
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