Emor 5770

Parshah Emor
Leviticus 21:1-24:23 Ezekiel 44:15-44:31

(Note: This is not the Parsha for the week of 27 MAR to 2 APR 5771, I started attending in APR 5770 and didn't write commentaries for a month or so. My first commentaries were also very poor. I am therefore doing/redoing some short studies to complete my commentary when I convert in MAY 5771.)

There are a lot of Mitzvot in Emor. The commandments include more laws for the Kohanim and a restating of law for the required festivals (from Shemot 23:14-17; 34:17-23 [Rabbi Avraham Fischer].)

According to the Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are 24 positive and 39 negative commandments in the parshah Emor (Emor means 'To speak or whisper'):

A Kohen must not defile himself for anyone except certain relatives. (Leviticus 21:1.)
To mourn for a close relative (Leviticus 21:3.)
An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait until after sundown before returning to service. (Leviticus 22:7.)
A Kohen must not marry a woman who had forbidden relations. (Leviticus 21:7.)
A Kohen must not marry a woman born from a disqualified marriage. (Leviticus 21:7.)
A Kohen must not marry a divorcee. (Leviticus 21:7.)
To dedicate the Kohen for service (Leviticus 21:8.)
The High Priest must not enter under the same roof as a corpse. (Leviticus 21:11.)
The High Priest must not defile himself for any relative. (Leviticus 21:11.)
The High Priest must marry a virgin. (Leviticus 21:13.)
The High Priest must not marry a widow. (Leviticus 21:14.)
The High Priest must not have sexual relations with a widow even outside of marriage. (Leviticus 21:15.)
A Kohen with a physical blemish must not serve. (Leviticus 21:17.)
A Kohen with a temporary blemish must not serve. (Leviticus 21:17.)
A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar. (Leviticus 21:23.)
Impure Kohanim must not do service in the Temple. (Leviticus 22:2.)
An impure Kohen must not eat terumah. (Leviticus 22:4.)
A non-Kohen must not eat terumah. (Leviticus 22:10.)
A hired worker or a Jewish bondsman of a Kohen must not eat terumah. (Leviticus 22:10.)
An uncircumcised person must not eat terumah. (Leviticus 22:10.)
A woman born from a disqualified marriage must not eat terumah. (Leviticus 22:12.)
Not to eat produce from which the tithes have not been separated (Leviticus 22:15.)
Not to dedicate a blemished animal for the altar (Leviticus 22:20.)
To offer only unblemished animals (Leviticus 22:21.)
Not to wound dedicated animals (Leviticus 22:21.)
Not to sprinkle the blood of a blemished animal (Leviticus 22:24.)
Not to slaughter a blemished animal for an offering (Leviticus 22:22.)
Not to burn the fat of a blemished animal on the altar (Leviticus 22:22.)
Not to castrate animals (Leviticus 22:24.)
Not to sacrifice blemished animals even if offered by non-Jews (Leviticus 22:25.)
To offer only animals which are at least eight days old (Leviticus 22:27.)
Not to slaughter an animal and its offspring on the same day (Leviticus 22:28.)
Not to profane God’s Name (Leviticus 22:32.)
To sanctify God’s Name (Leviticus 22:32.)
To rest on the first day of Passover (Leviticus 23:7.)
Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of Passover (Leviticus 23:8.)
To offer the musaf offering all seven days of Passover (Leviticus 23:8.)
To rest on the seventh day of Passover (Leviticus 23:8.)
Not to do prohibited labor on the seventh day of Passover (Leviticus 23:8.)
To offer the wave offering from the meal of the new wheat (Leviticus 23:10.)
Not to eat bread from new grain before the omer (Leviticus 23:14.)
Not to eat parched grains from new grain before the omer (Leviticus 23:14.)
Not to eat ripened grains from new grain before the omer (Leviticus 23:14.)
To count the omer (Leviticus 23:15.)
To bring two loaves to accompany the Shavuot sacrifice (Leviticus 23:17.)
To offer the musaf offering on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:27.)
To rest on Shavuot (Leviticus 23:21.)
Not to do prohibited labor on Shavuot (Leviticus 23:21.)
lulav and etrogTo rest on Rosh Hashanah (Leviticus 23:24.)
Not to do prohibited labor on Rosh Hashanah (Leviticus 23:25.)
To offer the musaf offering on Rosh Hashanah (Leviticus 23:25.)
To fast on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:27.)
Not to do prohibited labor on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:27.)
Not to eat or drink on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:29.)
To rest from prohibited labor on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:32.)
To rest on Sukkot (Leviticus 23:35.)
Not to do prohibited labor on Sukkot (Leviticus 23:35.)
To offer the musaf offering all the days of Sukkot (Leviticus 23:36.)
To rest on Shmini Atzeret (Leviticus 23:36.)
To offer the musaf offering on Shmini Atzeret (Leviticus 23:36.)
Not to do prohibited labor on Shmini Atzeret (Leviticus 23:36.)
To take up a lulav and etrog all seven days (Leviticus 23:40.)
To dwell in a sukkah for the seven days of Sukkot (Leviticus 23:42.)

(Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education. Translated by Charles Wengrov, 3:163–363. Jerusalem: Feldheim Pub., 1984. ISBN 0-87306-297-3.)

The Haftorah for Emor, Ezekiel 44:15-31, parallels Moshe's rules for the priests as Ezekiel expresses the same laws for those who will serve in the 'Third Temple'.

Having started my study with Emor, I was struck with the dichotomy between commandments that have endured and ones that can't be practiced. This applies of course to a great deal of the Torah. Nowhere more so than with those items related to the Priesthood, (The main subject of the book of Vayiqra).

As to the holidays, they have to be experienced. Each one over the course of the year I 'imagined' before experiencing. I tried to prepare but they each has a spirit of its own.

I thank G*d for the opportunities he has given me. I acknowledge that there will be commandments I cannot fulfill but I will strive. G*d have mercy Amen.