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February 18, 2005/Adar 1 9 5765, Volume 57, No. 25
Rituals reconnect Jews with ancient traditions
Torah study
MARGARET J. MEYER
Parsha Tetzaveh, Exodus 27:20-30:10
"Then take the vestments, and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the decorated band of the ephod. Put the headdress on his head, and place the holy diadem upon the headdress. Take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him" (Exodus 29:5-7).
The solemnity of the occasion, the beautiful clothes, the ornaments of gemstones, silver and gold, the oil for anointing - this week's portion, Tetzaveh, gives us a glimpse into the ritual and pageantry of the ancient ordination to the priesthood.
The ancient priests, the kohanim, were from the House of Aaron, and it is in Parsha Tetzaveh that we read the commandment to make special sacral vestments (Exodus 28:2-4) for Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Aaron and his sons are to fulfill the role of priest; their descendants will inherit this role, serving God and the Israelites for all time.
The priesthood was hereditary; if you weren't born into it, you couldn't serve. The special clothing and detailed rituals of anointing and serving in the Temple were passed down among priests from generation to generation.
The early leaders of Reform Judaism were repulsed by these remnants of hereditary leadership that had remained prevalent in Judaism. Traditional Judaism adhered - and still adheres - to inherited class divisions among congregants, with special roles and rituals assigned to kohanim and Levites, and the rest of us lumped together as Israelites.
One of the first changes the Reformers made to our liturgy was to equalize roles in the service. Any Jew could now have the coveted first aliyah to the Torah, and congregational rabbis, not kohanim, now had the role of blessing the congregation.
Ritual was pared down to a minimum. Following the prophets' call to action, Reform rabbis emphasized social justice rather than ritual observance. How we act in our daily lives toward others became far more important than ancient practices that are no longer relevant.
In recent years, a notable change has taken place in our movement. While g'milut chasadim, "deeds of loving-kindness," and social justice programs that emphasize tikkun olam, "improving our world," are still important, for some, they do not provide a deep enough connection to the Jewish world. Occasionally reinterpreting the rules with modern meaning, Jews are reconnecting with their ancient tradition to aid their quest for religious significance.
Today, most rabbis no longer wear a robe during Shabbat services, but they do wrap themselves in a tallit. Modern religious practice does not include incense, and ordination no longer involves special oils, but many Reform Jews now participate in the Havdalah service, with its spices, wine, and light, in order to end Shabbat in a manner that reminds us of its holiness. Reciting blessings before and after meals reminds us of our gratitude to God for lives of plenty and helps us connect with our tradition by repeating the same prayers spoken by generations of Jews before us.
As we study Tetzaveh and the Torah portions of the coming weeks, we will find detailed descriptions regarding the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the priests who served in them. We can appreciate the pageantry and devotion of the ancient Israelites as they endeavored to worship God, just as we continually strive to find meaning through the worship of God in our own synagogues.
Margaret J. Meyer is rabbi of Congregation B'nai Israel in Jackson, Tenn., and b'nai mitzvah coordinator of Temple Sholom in Cincinnati. Torat Chayin of the URJ is at www.urj.org/torah.
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