[b]Jewish History of the TorahPortion Emor[/b]
Can you imagine living a life where hundreds of people look up to you and choose to follow in your footsteps. Where you have to live on a higher level of sanctity above everyone else. When becoming such a significant figure, have many restrictions on who to marry, how to act, who to interact with as well as the interaction between the death of a loved one and yourself. But on top of that, not able to say or express these restrictions because those are the rules that you chose to abide by when becoming such a significant figure.
The first part of this week’s Torah portion, Emor, which means “speak” begins with the special laws pertaining to the Kohanim, the priests, but mainly, the Kohen Gadol, the “High Priest”, and the Temple service: As you will see, this Torah portion restricts the Kohanim and the Kohen Gadol to follow strict rules. As mentioned earlier, both the Kohen Gadol and the Kohanim are involved in The Temple Service. This means that A Kohen may not become ritually impure through contact with a dead body except for the occasion of death of a close relative. A Kohen may not marry a divorcee or a woman with a promiscuous past; a Kohen Gadol can marry only a virgin. Restrictions go as far as deformities placed at the Holy Temple and animals. A Kohen with a physical deformity cannot serve in the Holy Temple, nor can a deformed animal be brought as an offering.A newborn calf, kid or lamb must be left with its mother for seven days; one may not slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day.
The Essay on Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is one of the world’s leading experts in the design and construction of livestock handling facilities. Temple is also a recovered autistic. Throughout her life, Temple experienced much physical, emotional, and psychological pain because of her condition. An individual with autism is looked upon as helpless, but, with much determination, Temple Grandin proved to be all but ...
The second part of Emor lists the annual callings of Holiness– the festivals of the Jewish calendar: The 14th and 15th of Nissan, which are the bringing of the Passover offering as well as the seven-day Passover festival. The bringing of the Omer on the second day of Passover offering from the first barley harvest as well as the commencement, on that day, the 49th-day counting of the Omer culminating in the festival of Shavuot. On the 50th day; a “remembrance of shofar blowing.“ The first of Tishrei; a solemn fast day; and the Sukkot festival — during which we are to dwell in huts for seven days.
Emor concludes with the incident of a man executed for blasphemy and the penalties for murder (death), and for injuring one’s fellow or destroying his property (monetary compensation).
