Symbolism, values still relevant today

Torah study

RABBI JEFFREY L. BALLON
Tzav/Leviticus 6:1- 8:36

"He (Moses) brought forward the ... ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the ram's head, and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the ridge of Aaron's right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot." (Leviticus 8:22-23)

I recently traveled to Israel with 39 other members of the clergy who had been ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). Our purpose was to affirm the solidarity of the Reform Movement with the people of Israel.

This week's Torah portion, Tzav, describes some of the different ways of saying thank you within the ancient sacrificial system.

Certainly we recognize that no one today within the Jewish community offers sacrifices of animals anymore. Putting blood on an ear, thumb or toe is no longer part of the modern ordination ceremony.

But in Aaron's and Moses' time, the sacrificial instructions imparted to them was a serious matter. Moses would take the blood of a sacrificed ram and smear it on the ear, thumb and toe of the first person that he ordains.

The blood on Aaron's ear reminds us that we must listen to the pain of others. The blood on Aaron's thumb reminds us that we must stand in opposition to the needless shedding of blood. And the blood on Aaron's toe reminds us that if we are forced, we must walk to the arena of conflict in order to make peace.

The rabbinic group that journeyed to Israel practiced the values symbolized by the placement of blood on Aaron's body. Reading Tzav allows us to understand those values more clearly.

When we visited with parents who were still searching for their kidnapped sons and met with young soldiers who have committed their faith and future to the continuity of the Jewish people, we were following the path laid out for us in biblical times. We came to fulfill the sacred tasks that Moses and Aaron have laid before us.

When is it right to say thank you? This may be compared to the case of a king whose subjects came to pay him honor. One came and the king asked, "Who is this man?" They answered, "He is a tenant." "Take his tribute," said the king. Another came and the king asked, "Who is this person?" "A person of your entourage." "Take his tribute," said the king. Yet another came, the same question was posed, and the response was, "This person is neither a tenant nor a part of the entourage. This person comes merely to pay you honor." The king responded, "Bring a chair that he may sit. We will talk a while." (Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 9:4)

1. Is it difficult for you to accept that the ancient sacrifices may have motivated more than 40 rabbis to go to Israel?
   
   
2. The rabbis who went to Israel protested to their hosts that it was unnecessary for them to say thank you for the solidarity visit. But tradition says that we are permitted to evaluate tribute and visitation. What do you think motivated this trip? Would you have said thank you if you were the one who was visited?