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June 16, 2000/13 Sivan I 5760, Vol. 52, No.41
It's all in the doingTorah Study
RABBI RENEE GOLDBERG
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| Numbers 6:1-8 |
When I was in high school, I worked for a year at Crabtree and Evelyn in a Boston mall. We were always busy, but during the holiday season the lines seemed to stretch forever. My role was to greet people at the door. One late Shabbat afternoon, just before Christmas, my rabbi and his wife walked into the store. I was shocked to see them, and without thinking, I blurted out, to my embarrassment, "Rabbi, what are you doing here? It's Shabbat!"
Without a beat, he replied, "Goldberg, what are you doing working here? It's Shabbat. You think that because I'm a rabbi, I keep the rituals for you? You need to learn to be a Jew for yourself. I'm comfortable with my Shabbat observance. Are you?" That conversation, which took place over twelve years ago, changed the way in which I explore ritual practices.
In Parashat Naso, God tells Moses the laws concerning the nazirite, a man or woman who consecrates himself or herself to God by adhering to certain restrictions. (Numbers 6:1-21) The nazirite was not permitted to consume alcohol, eat any grape product, cut his or her hair, or have contact with a corpse.
Although these laws are ascetic, a trait that Jews are not supposed to aspire to, we can learn from the nazirite. The root of the word nazir, nun zayim reish, means "to make separate" or "to separate oneself," much like the root of the word kadosh, kuf dalet shin, which, while in its basic sense means "to make holy," also has the connotation of separateness (in that something is considered holy when it is separated from the profane).
When we make a commitment to learn about our Jewish tradition and practice Jewish rituals, we make ourselves separate and holy. We take responsibility for our Judaism, finding the right fit for ourselves.
Fulfilling mitzvot enriches our inner spiritual life. For example, keeping Shabbat, regardless of our level of practice, allows us to take a much-needed break from the everyday pressures of life to connect with our family, our community, and ourselves. Reciting the Sh'ma at bedtime or a blessing before eating reminds us of our relationship to God and the earth.
We are part of a larger entity, and our Jewish rituals keep us grounded. Disengaging ourselves from mitzvot because "there is someone else who is doing them" cuts us off from the potential to engage in a closer relationship with God.
A Nike ad states, "Just do it." Our Torah says, Na-aseh v'nishma, "We will do and obey." (Exodus 24:7) However, I prefer to translate that commitment as "We will do so that we will understand." When we learn about and resolve to take on a ritual commandment, we make ourselves nun zayim reish, "separate," and kuf dalet shin, "holy." Rabbi Tanchuma says, "God said: Let one who has a bullock bring a bullock. Let one who has a ram bring a ram.... Let one who has a dove, bring a dove. Let one who has none of these things bring a flour offering. And let one who has no flour bring words."
We all have something to offer, so let's just do it!
Renee Goldberg is the associate rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Westfield, NJ.