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Tomorrow, in Australia, Catholics enter the Second Assembly of the Plenary Council (3-9 July 2022). It is a significant period of discernment and decision-making that follows four years of planning, meeting, reflection and prayer. I wonder how the Plenary Council will lead us further along the path of Catholic-Jewish relations which began at the Second Vatican Council. In the mean time, I encourage you to read some heartfelt words that capture the public and private dimensions of ecclesial change. They are from a presentation by Columban missionary priest Rev Dr Patrick McInerney SSC. Through a blend of scholarship and human story, Patrick relates some of his personal journey of walking the path of Christian-Jewish reconciliation. To access his paper, go to the website of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews. See too a brief introductory article at the website of Catholic Religious Australia. With thanks to Fr Patrick McInerney SSC, the Columbans, and the Council of Christians and Jews of New South Wales, for sharing his presentation with a wider audience.

The story of the scouts (or ‘spies’) in the book of Numbers (13:1-14:45) provides intriguing insights into the workings of community, of leadership and the challenges of faith. Having drawn near to the Promised Land, twelve of the Israelites are sent on a reconnaissance mission. They are to ‘check out’ the land ahead and report back to Moses. A disastrous conflict follows involving Moses and his supporters, their opponents, and God. We are left with a question as to what could have caused such a breakdown in order and leadership among the Israelites, so close to their destiny? Read the story of the scouts in Numbers 13-14. Then, let’s begin our reflection with two translations of God’s command to Moses to send the scouts: ‘Shelach lecha anashim...’ ‘Send men…’ (13:1; NRSV) ‘Send for yourself men…’ (13:1; Fox) Fox’s translation retains a subtlety in the Hebrew text: ‘Send for yourself,’ or ‘Send for you,’ or ‘Send if you please.’ Do you think this subtle addition makes a difference to the story? It made a difference for the Jewish sages who have pondered this text over the centuries. [1] They argue that ‘you/yourself’ indicates that it was Moses and the Israelites who insisted on sending out scouts and that God went along with their plan. (This is how the story is remembered in Deuteronomy 1:20-2:1.) After all, reasoned the sages, why would there be a need to send out scouts in the first place? God had already assured his people that they would be led to a land of milk and honey. Isn’t God’s promise enough? They concluded that the Israelites showed a lack of trust in divine providence; yet, out of respect for their freedom, God worked with and through the designs of his people. The sages wrestle with a further question: Exactly what is the sin of the scouts? Why are they rebuked? Where do they go wrong? After all, aren’t they simply reporting back? Again, small details in the text catch their attention: 'We are not able to go up against the population, for it is stronger than we!’ (Num. 13:31). In Hebrew the latter part of this sentence reads: ‘stronger than we.’ But it can also be read as: ‘stronger than him.’ The plain meaning would suggest ‘we,’ but in their prayerful play with the text, the Jewish sages developed an interpretation by translating it as ‘than Him,’ meaning that the foreign population is ‘stronger than our God.’ In this way, the distrust and rebellion of the people is conveyed. Their rebellion becomes clear in the very next sentence: So they gave out a (false) report of the land that they had scouted to the Children of Israel (13:32). Until now, the scouts have been reporting back to Moses. But at this point they spread rumours in the community, undermining confidence, inciting fear. Note how they liken their own people to ‘grasshoppers’ (13:33). What is it like to be called a ‘grasshopper’?! Also, the contradictions in their story suggest a lack of truthfulness. E.g., if the land ‘devours its inhabitants’ how could all its people be ‘of great stature’? Continue to explore the text, attuned to its details, creatively and prayerfully engaging with the story. For instance, one might say that what we see on the edge of the Promised Land is a failure of nerve. Do you agree? Have you ever faced a challenging ‘crossroads’ situation where negativity threatened to overcome hope, where fear of the unknown played into personal insecurities; where your trust in God was tested? How was the situation resolved? • 1. Bibliography: Fox, The Five Books of Moses (New York, 1995); Leibowitz, Studies in Bamidbar (New York: Lambda, n.p.d.); Rashi: Commentary on the Torah. Vol 4 Bamidbar (New York: Mesorah, 2001). © Teresa Pirola, 2012. lightoftorah.net. Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry based in the Catholic community in Australia, encouraging Christians to reflect on the Hebrew Scriptures with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Sh'lach L'cha (Numbers 13:1 - 15:41), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle (in the diaspora). Shabbat shalom! Download your free Jewish and Christian Liturgical Calendar, courtesy of Etz Hayim-Tree of Life Publishing.

In order to assist Moses in the heavy task of leadership, the Lord instructs him (in Numbers 11:16-30) to gather seventy elders around the Tent of Meeting. There the Lord comes down in a cloud, speaks to Moses, draws upon the spirit resting on Moses and imparts it to the seventy elders. The seventy then prophesy. "When the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied” (v.25). But something unexpected happens. Two men who are not part of the select group also have the spirit rest on them, and they begin prophesying! Note the reaction of Joshua, and then ponder the response of Moses. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!” But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:27-29) Note how Moses reacts to the unexpected prophesying of Eldad and Medad, neither of whom have been officially commissioned. What do you make of this scene? What is going on here, and what is God's word trying to teach us? As we ponder this Scripture story, let's hear from some of the voices of Jewish tradition: [1] Isaac Arama, a 15th century Talmudic scholar, [2] views this incident as an example of Moses withstanding the test of jealousy. There is a Talmudic text that says: “A man envies everyone except his own son and disciple” (San. 105b). Arama points out that Moses’ humility goes a step further. He does not envy those who were his disciples; in fact, Moses earnestly desires that all the people of God should be prophets, and that the Almighty’s spirit should be bestowed upon them without Moses’ authoritative involvement. For most people, this event would arouse jealousy; yet Moses did not display jealousy. So, what do you make of Arama’s view? Do you agree with it? Is there anything you wish to add, or to debate? Do you agree with Arama's view? Is there anything you wish to add, or to debate? For instance, notice how this passage follows on from the previous story of the people’s complaints about the lack of meat. Could it be that what we see in Moses is not a display of heroic humility, but rather the fatigue of a leader worn down by an argumentative community? Upon hearing of two more people who are not responding to his leadership, perhaps he just hasn’t the energy to take it up! In which case his response to Joshua could be interpreted as either sarcasm, or as a plea to “leave them be (and me as well!).” Not surprisingly, this interpretation does not find traction in the tradition. In fact, as the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber [3] has pointed out, a tiny detail in the text gives rise to an even stronger affirmation of Arama’s view. While the report is that two men are prophesying, Moses replies using not the verb but the noun. “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets.” In other words, Moses is not referring to a fleeting instance of the prophetic urge; rather he is expressing a desire that all should attain the permanent status of prophet, a status which, as he knows from his own experience, involves direct communion with God. From Moses’ example, we might conclude, as does Hirsch (19th century Jewish commentator): [4] “We are shown that there is no monopoly on spiritual leadership... The lowliest of the nation shares with the highest the opportunity of being granted divine inspiration.” How do you enter this Torah conversation? What details of the text affect your interpretation? What links do you find with other parts of Scripture? For instance, in the voice of the prophet Joel, we read: “Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29). Assisted by the work of Nehama Leibowitz (1905-1997), renowned Torah teacher in 20th century Israel. Isaac Arama (1420-1494) Spanish Talmudic scholar. Martin Buber, (1878-1965) Jewish philosopher, born in Austria, lived in Germany and Israel. Shimshon Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888) German-Jewish rabbinical leader. Bibliography: Leibowitz, Studies in Bamidbar (New York, n.p.d.). Scripture: NRSV. © Teresa Pirola, 2013. lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry based in the Catholic community in Australia, encouraging Christians to reflect on the Hebrew Scriptures with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat B'haalot'cha (Numbers 8:1 - 12:16), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle. Shabbat shalom! Download your free Jewish and Christian Liturgical Calendar, courtesy of Etz Hayim-Tree of Life Publishing.

Enjoy this video conversation between Jewish Educator Abe Schwarz and Catholic Scripture scholar Professor Mary Coloe pbvm, as they talk about the significance of the Jewish Shavuot festival and the Christian celebration of Pentecost, their similarities and differences, for Jews and Christians. This video is part of a series of Conversations by the Council of Christians and Jews Victoria, Australia (ccjvic.org.au).

This weekend, at sundown on 4 June 2022, Jewish communities commence the Jewish festival of Shavuot. Meanwhile, many Christians celebrate, or anticipate, the feast of Pentecost. The Jewish Festival of Shavuot (shavuot is Hebrew for ‘weeks’) occurs fifty days after Passover. (‘Fiftieth day’ in Greek is pentekoste: ‘Pentecost.’) Here we explore Shavuot’s themes under four headings: Reaping the Harvest, Giving the Torah, Counting the Days, Pondering the Text. Before reading further, open your Bible to Deuteronomy 16:9-11 and read about this ancient, joyous harvest festival in the Torah. At its core, Shavuot today celebrates the ‘Giving of the Torah,’ that dramatic event on Mount Sinai (Exodus19-20) from which Moses emerges with the two stone tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments. In the process of translation, the Mount Sinai revelation is spoken of as the giving of the ‘Law.’ Unfortunately, ‘Law’ is often heard in the popular Christian mindset as ‘legalistic,’ restrictive and oppressive, in contrast to a spirit of love promoted by Christianity. But this is a misunderstanding. For the Jewish people, the giving of the Torah at Sinai—the gift of a ‘teaching,’ a spiritual and moral ‘road map’ from God’s very Self—expresses a relationship with a loving God to be joyfully embraced with gratitude and wonder. It is a sign of being called, gifted, entrusted with a divine undertaking. Join us here as we explore the Jewish festival of Shavuot, and at the same time enliven our appreciation of the Christian celebration of Pentecost. Reaping the Harvest Originating as an agricultural feast, Shavuot was celebrated in ancient Israel as the culmination of the harvest period. The harvest began around Passover with the barley crop, and concluded seven weeks (shavuot) later with the wheat harvest. Shavuot involved a pilgrimage to the Temple to offer to God the ‘first fruits’ of the harvest in thanksgiving for the earth’s produce. Note the link here with the Christian feast of Pentecost, which celebrates the ‘first fruits’ of the Spirit’s transformation of the earth, as the redemptive work of Christ continues to unfurl in history and all creation. Giving of the Torah In Judaism today, the focus of Shavuot has shifted to thanksgiving for God’s gift of Torah. Rabbinic teachings hold that fifty days after the Israelites left Egypt, God gave the Torah to Moses at Sinai. If the Exodus was a physical deliverance, the gift of the Torah at Mount Sinai is considered a spiritual liberation changing the course of Judaism forever. On that day, a community of Hebrew refugees was galvanized as a nation, entering a radically new phase in their covenantal relationship with God. Jewish tradition speaks of this event as God’s ‘betrothal’ to Israel, and Shavuot is compared to a wedding day. Shavuot, then, is the anniversary of the ‘Giving of the Torah’ and ‘the birth of Israel.’ For Christians, Pentecost celebrates the gift of God’s saving presence in Jesus (‘God’s living Torah’), and the birth of the Church. Counting the Days In Jewish practice, the fifty days leading up to Shavuot are ‘counted.’ This is known as ‘The counting of the Omer.’ ‘Omer’ refers to a cultic offering of barley, associated with the Jerusalem Temple. Although this died out with the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the practice of counting the days continued, the focus now being to anticipate the Giving of the Law. This ‘counting’ of days between Passover and Shavuot highlights the fact that Shavuot is the extension and conclusion of Passover. Similarly, for Christians, Pentecost marks the conclusion of the Easter season. The ‘counting’ of fifty days in Jewish custom enhances the sense of excited anticipation of Shavuot, likened to a bride and groom looking forward to their special day. Even after having celebrated the events of the Exodus, there is a longing for the ‘something more to come.’ Similarly, even after reveling in the wonder of the Resurrection at Easter, Christians look forward to the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost. Pondering the Text In greeting Shavuot, there is a Jewish practice of staying up all night reading Torah. Study halls are filled on this night. Come dawn, in Jerusalem, Jews stream to the Western Wall for special prayers. What are some key Torah texts relating to this festival? Exodus 34:18-26, Leviticus 23:9-21, and Deuteronomy 16:9-11 all refer to Shavuot. Exodus 19:1-20:23 recounts the story of Moses and the ‘Ten Words/Commandments.’ ‘Your people will be my people, and your God my God.’ The Book of Ruth is also read on Shavuot, telling of the faith of a Gentile woman who converts to Judaism. Although born an ‘outsider,’ Ruth’s choice for the people and land of the Torah is celebrated as a witness to the cleaving to the God of Israel to which every Jew is called. Conversion of the Gentiles (a sign of the dawning of the messianic age) is also a powerful theme for Christians celebrating Pentecost. Although escaping the notice of many Christians, these scripture texts are part of their own Bible. An awareness of the Jewish festival of Shavuot can stimulate our love for Torah and reconnect us with the depths of our own sacred story. 5 Ways to Celebrate Pentecost Jewish traditions and Christian life How can Jewish Shavuot practices influence and inspire Christians in their celebration of Pentecost? Certainly, we can count the days till Pentecost with holy anticipation, preparing our hearts for the dramatic liturgical conclusion of the Easter season. Five more suggestions follow. Bible. The night before (all night if you wish!) pray and reflect on Scripture: the Pentecost story in Acts 2:1-11 as well as from the Old Testament texts that are part of Jewish Shavuot. Eucharist. Come morning, give thanks. Celebrate the Sunday Eucharist with joy. Remember your Confirmation. Renew your faith commitment, praying that the gifts of the Holy Spirit be activated afresh in your life. Fire. Christians are familiar with the Pentecost symbol of fire, but perhaps don’t connect it with the lightning flashes and smoking mountain at Sinai. Read the drama of Exodus 19:16-18; 20:15, as well as Acts 2:2-3. Tongues. In the Jewish midrash it is said that, at Sinai, the voice of the Almighty was heard in seventy languages; i.e., the word of God reaches out to all the earth and its peoples. In what language (and culture) has the Lord’s voice reached your ears? Festive customs. At Shavuot, Jews decorate with flowers/greenery and include dairy foods (the ‘sweetness’ of Torah) in festive meals. What décor and festive foods might you include in Pentecost celebrations at home? e.g., red tablecloth, candles, ice-cream. Works consulted: Murray Watson, ‘The Pentecost Before Pentecost’, unpublished article, 2008. Website: jewishencyclopedia.com. The assistance of Br Jack Driscoll’s work is gratefully acknowledged. © Teresa Pirola, 2010 lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website.

In the Book of Leviticus we read: If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. (Lev. 26:3-4; NRSV) Most versions read: “If you follow my statutes...” However, the Hebrew verb is, literally, “walk”. What does this suggest: to walk in the Lord’s ways? Is “walking” in the commandments of the Torah a more active, alert, responsive set of choices than “following”? This is the kind of questioning that arises in Jewish tradition, with its lively sense of enquiry and careful attention to the detail of the biblical text. Let’s taste the insights of three Jewish thinkers from a wide range of periods in Jewish history. We begin with the revered 11th century Torah scholar Rashi [1] and his sources. When we read “If you follow my statutes”, we may think this refers to the fulfilment of the commandments. However, in the next breath the Scripture says, “and observe/keep my commandments”. Since the command to observe, keep or fulfil the commandments is already stated, what is the need for the phrase “If you follow my statutes”? What additional meaning does it convey? According to Rashi’s interpretation, the sacred text is telling us that one must toil (labour, work) in the study of Torah. Why? Since the Hebrew word for “follow” literally means “walk”, then this is a strenuous activity. And so, too, is the study of Torah. Further, you shall toil in the study of Torah in order to observe and fulfil the commandments. For another opinion, we can listen to the Sefat Emet. This work, by a 19th century Chassidic rabbi, sees the act of "toiling" as going beyond the simple acquisition of Torah wisdom. Walking in God’s laws means to become so connected to the will of God that the presence of the Almighty becomes manifest on earth. Thy Kingdom come. From Rabbi Hama, living in Galilee around 230 CE, we glean a further insight when he asks: How is it possible for a person to walk in the path of the Shechinah [God’s Presence]? Has it not been stated that “the Lord your God is a consuming fire’”[see Deut. 4:24]? The meaning of walking in the Divine path is to walk in the path of the [ethical] character of the Holy One... As He clothes the needy [for Adam & Eve, Gen. 3:21] so shall you clothe the needy. [2] Rabbi Hama continues: As the Holy One visits the sick {Abraham in Gen.18:1] so shall you visit the sick. As the Holy One comforts the mourners [Isaac after his father’s death in Gen.25:11] so shall you comfort mourners. Here, the concept of “walking in God’s ways” underpins the human commitment to imitate the Divine by performing acts of loving kindness, also described as Imitatio Dei (“Imitation of God”). • For reflection “Toiling, labouring, walking…” What kind of effort (walk/toil/labour) am I making to live according to God’s ways? Notice how the Gospels use ‘work’ images, such as going into the vineyard, to describe one’s relationship to the Kingdom of God. Does the ‘toil’ of discipleship at times seem ‘too much’, too demanding? What encouragement can we offer one another? 1. Rashi: French Torah scholar (1040-1105). 2. Babylonian Talmud: Sotah 14a. Sources: Rashi: Commentary on the Torah, Vol. 3 (New York: Mesorah, 1999). The input of R. Pesach Schindler and notes of Br Jack Driscoll cfc are gratefully acknowledged. © Teresa Pirola, 2013 lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use is permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry arising from the Catholic community, encouraging Christian reflection on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Bechukotai (Lev. 26:3 - 27:34), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle (in the disapora). Shabbat shalom! Parashat Bechukotai is the final Torah portion read in the Book of Leviticus. Next week we open the Book of Numbers, as we make our way, week by week, through the Jewish calendar of Torah readings. NEW RESOURCE: CLICK HERE FOR A RECENT VIDEO PRESENTATION ON THE PSALMS AS JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN PRAYER BY DR MARY REABURN NDS.

“The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai: Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you, the land shall observe a sabbath of the Lord” (Leviticus 25:1-2). In previous Torah texts we heard that every seven days the Jewish people observe the Shabbat (‘sabbath’), a holy day given over to the Lord when the people cease from work. Now here in Leviticus 25 we learn of another kind of sabbath: the Shemittah, ‘Sabbatical Year.’ Every seven years the land is to be left untilled. No plowing, no sowing, although the people may share in eating whatever produce the land brings forth. The people rest from working the land, and the land too rests for one year. Read about the Sabbatical Year in 25:1-7. The text makes a point of saying that this commandment was given by the Lord to Moses on Mt Sinai. So, it must be important! In conversation with a friend, share your ideas about the possible meaning, significance and benefits of the Sabbatical Year. In Jewish tradition we find a variety of interpretations of this text. The Sefer HaChinuch [1] poses a moral reasoning: the Sabbatical Year is a reminder that the soil alone cannot produce its bounty. Ultimately, the Creator is master of the land and source of its gifts. The Sabbatical Year is also said to increase trust in God and to curb greed; for it takes courage to abandon one’s agricultural work for one year, relying on Providence. The Torah itself acknowledges this in verses 20-22: "And should you ask, ‘What are we to eat in the seventh year, if we may neither sow nor gather in our crops?’ I will ordain My blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it shall yield a crop sufficient for three years.” Maimonides [2] offers an agricultural perspective: by allowing the land to lie fallow, its fertility is restored. Some sages oppose this view, preferring a religious reason. According to Ibn Ezra [3] the Sabbatical Year allows people to study Torah for a whole year. A 20th century voice, Rav Kook, [4] describes it in terms of spiritual renewal. Freed from the ‘sacrilege of excessive worry’ associated with the pursuit of one’s livelihood, the soul blossoms in the seventh year. Other Jewish commentators point to elements of generosity, gratitude, tranquillity and goodwill. No one—rich or poor—has directly contributed to the produce of the seventh year, therefore strictly speaking no one owns it. Since quarrels usually develop from the insistence that ‘This belongs to me!’ the Sabbatical Year brings an equalizing factor which is a recipe for peace. There are more Jewish views, including messianic and cosmological perspectives. But let’s pause here for your own voice to mingle with those of the sages. As you ponder this Torah text, how does the word of God speak to you, call you, challenge you, reassure you? The idea and practice of sabbath rest is ingrained in the life of an observant Jew. In what way does sabbath rest, to which the Torah attests in different ways, find its place in your own life as a Christian? • Who’s who Our Jewish voices this week are: Sefer HaChinuch. A famous medieval education book. Maimonides (1135-1204). His full name: Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (also known as Rambam). Born in Spain, settled in Egypt. A giant of a scholar, the influence of his teaching extends beyond the Jewish world. Ibn Ezra (Born 1092, Spain). Renowned bible commentator, astronomer, poet. Rav Kook (1865-1935). Orthodox rabbi passionately devoted to the revival of a Jewish state. Emigrated from Russia to Palestine in 1909; appointed Chief Rabbi in 1921. Bibliography: Eskenazi & Weiss, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (New York, 2008); Munk, The Call of the Torah: Vayikra (New York, 1992); Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary, (New York, 2006). Scripture: NJPS. © Teresa Pirola, 2013 lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry arising from the Catholic community, encouraging Christian reflection on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Behar (Lev. 25:1 - 26:2), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle. Shabbat shalom!

"Holiness" is a familiar word, yet its meaning is complex and multi-layered. Leviticus 19 invites us to reflect on what it means to "be holy", its relation to the divine and the human, to sanctification and ethics, to specific people and the whole community. Whereas earlier sections of Leviticus focused on holiness in terms of sacred places, objects, priests, from chapter 19 there is a kind of 'democratization’ of holiness, a vision of holiness focused on the ordinary person and human relations amidst the daily tasks of farming, business, family and community activities. Thus, in this chapter, holiness is closely tied to ethics. Read closely, aloud, chapter 19 of Leviticus, then return to ponder verse 19:2 with some of the great sages of the Jewish tradition. "You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2). Amidst pages of teachings on holiness in the Book of Leviticus, this verse stands out for its brevity and simplicity. It catches the eye of Jewish commentators. Usually the commandment to be holy is associated with a specific ruling: you shall be holy by doing such and such, or you shall be holy in order that something will transpire. But here it simply says, “You shall be holy.” It connects holiness with God’s holiness (hence giving rise to a Talmudic teaching on the imitation of God). Yet no specific precept is attached. Why does it stand alone? Two notable positions emerge among Jewish scholars of the Middle Ages. According to Rashi,[1] this verse is a general precept referring to the restraint required in sexual relations, of critical importance to the moral order. Hence 19:2 stands in close proximity to the rules of sexual conduct of the previous chapter. Nachmanides,[2] on the other hand, sees it as promoting restraint in every aspect of one’s life, applying to all those activities not covered by specific rulings. For example, eating, drinking, speaking, marital sexual relations are all good, permissible actions, but the command to "be holy" cautions against over-indulgence (lest one become “a villain with the sanction of the Torah!”), for excess would result in gluttony, drunkenness, slander and unchaste behaviour. In summary: according to Rashi, the verse “You shall be holy” urges restraint in matters of sexual conduct; whereas for Nachmanides it reminds that appropriate restraint must be shown in all areas of life, in keeping with the rabbinic saying, “Sanctify yourself in that which you are permitted” (Yevamot 20a). Leaping several centuries to explore a different view, we find Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto[3] dissatisfied with this approach of defining holiness in terms of restraint. Abstinence creates only a preliminary path to holiness, he says. For Luzzatto holiness is about living in a state of communion with God in such a way that whatever life’s activity is being undertaken one never separates oneself from God. Attention to the commandments paves the way to deeper communion. Then, in seeking to grasp God’s grandeur through a daily stance of love and awe, one discovers a detachment from material concerns, and a heightened communion with the Lord. “Then the Spirit from above will hover over him, the Creator will cause His Name to rest upon him...all his actions, even the most humble and most material, will then have the value of sacrifices and service to God.”[4] Share your own thoughts after reading Leviticus 19. How would you describe a "holy" person, and what light does this Torah reading shed on your understanding? Talk about the place of abstinence and abundance, of fasting and feasting in seeking holiness of life. • Bibliography: Herczeg, ed., Rashi: Commentary on the Torah (New York: Mesorah, 1994, 1999); Leibowitz, New Studies in Vayikra (New York, 1993); Munk, The Call of the Torah (New York: Mesorah, 1992); Plaut, The Torah: A Modern Commentary (New York, 2006). Scripture: NJPS 1. Rashi: 11th century, France; 2. Nachmanides. 13th century, Spain. 3. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746): influential Italian scholar known for his ethical work Messilat Yesharim ("Pathway of the Just"). 4. Quoted in Munk, 208. © Teresa Pirola, 2012. lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry based in the Catholic community in Australia, encouraging Christians to reflect on the Hebrew Scriptures with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1 - 20:27), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle. Shabbat shalom! Download your free Jewish and Christian Liturgical Calendar, courtesy of Etz Hayim-Tree of Life Publishing.

In both Jewish and Christian understandings, true freedom comes through living life in sync with the desires and designs of God for creation. What does it mean to be holy as God is holy; to live our earthly lives in partnership with the divine? Let's explore, ever so briefly, some interpretative voices from Jewish tradition, with the help of Nehama Leibowitz, a leading Torah teacher of 20th-century Israel. This week's Torah portion, Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30, depicts Israel establishing a code of conduct that makes it ‘different’ in belief and custom to the surrounding cultures. Of particular interest in this discussion are the verses 18:1-5. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the Land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. My ordinances you shall observe and my statutes you shall keep, following them: I am the Lord your God. You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 18:1-5) These verses mark a change in style; not just rhythmically, but in the sense that Moses speaks very directly in the Lord’s name, “I am the Lord,” as distinct from the pattern in previous chapters, “This is what the Lord has said.” “I am the Lord your God.” This phrase is repeated (18:2,4). Rashi [1] draws a connection between this and the verses that open the Ten Commandments where God also says, “I am the Lord your God.” Says Rashi, the Lord is saying: Know who is speaking to you! It is I the Lord your God! At Mt Sinai you accepted my sovereignty, now accept my rules of conduct. According to Be’er Yitzhak, “I am the Lord your God” recalls the ‘powerful king’ whose closeness to His people calls for complete obedience. To Meshekh Hokhmah the address is meant for each individual for personal benefit. God who created us knows our bodies and desires, and therefore when we follow God’s rules we live in harmony with the way we were designed; we find body-spirit harmony. These are two complementary views, one emphasising God as Creator, the other ourselves as created.[2] Why does the text specifically warn against Egyptian and Canaanite customs? Surely their practices were no worse than other pagan nations. Why single them out? Some traditional opinions are forthright in saying that in fact the conduct of these nations in ancient times was exceptionally corrupt. Such a view is better understood if we recall that, in the biblical narrative, Egypt and Canaan are like ‘book-ends’ to the Israelites’ desert passage. When enslaved in Egypt, they had witnessed a sophisticated society. The people they would meet upon arriving at the land of Canaan were likewise used to ‘fine cities,’ ‘houses filled with all sorts of goods,’ ‘vineyards and olive groves’ (Deut. 6:10-11). After years of wandering, one can imagine the Israelites being attracted to this culture. Sums up Leibowitz, “As we know, material progress does not necessarily spell moral advancement. Hence the Torah warns us, at the beginning of the chapter on forbidden relations, not to be dazzled by the external glitter of technological progress and lose sight of moral standards.”[3] After all, notes Be’er Yitzhak, if you imitate the Egyptians what was the point of God liberating you from Egypt? Reflection In your own life, have you ever experienced the dilemma of the Israelites, as they left one form of slavery only to be tempted by another? 1. Rashi: revered medieval Torah scholar. 2. Be’er Yitzhak and Meshekh Hokhmah: 19th century commentators, cited by Leibowitz, 244. 3. Leibowitz, 245. Nehama Leibowitz (1905-1997) was a leading teacher of Torah in 20th-century Israel. Bibliography: Leibowitz, New Studies in Vayikra, Vol.1 (New York, 1996); Rashi: Commentary on the Torah, Vol. 3 (New York: Mesorah, 1999); Scripture: NRSV. © Teresa Pirola, 2013. lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial purposes is permitted with acknowledgement of website.

I write this reflection during a week charged with religious festivity. Liturgically, my own Catholic community moves through the Octave of Easter; while Orthodox Christians prepare to celebrate Easter this Sunday, 24 April 2022. Meanwhile, Jewish communities are in the final days of the Passover festival, while Muslims continue in the holy month of Ramadan. With respect to Christian-Jewish relations, both traditions celebrate festivals of liberation, drawing on a common Scripture. Still, the harsh realities of this world are never far from our consciousness. I am reminded of this as the 107th anniversary of the genocide of Armenian Christians, along with Assyrian and Greek populations, draws near on 24 April 2022. I note, too, the approach of Yom Hashoah (Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, also marked internationally) commencing sundown on 27 April 2022. Meanwhile, present-day atrocities and violent conflict are occurring in Ukraine and other parts of the world, with or without headlines to remind us. What, then, are we to make of the Christian proclamation of the risen Christ’s victory over sin and death? And of the annual Jewish Pesach celebration of the Almighty’s redemptive action in freeing the Hebrew slaves from Egypt, as told in a sacred text that continues to inspire human rights movements of many kinds? Pipe dreams? Pious nostalgia? In both religious traditions, and in different ways, Jews and Christians articulate their message of divine victory with unabashed confidence. And in both cases, and in different ways, these perspectives are attentive to the ‘facts on the ground’. Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again, is the Church’s proclamation. Touched by the irrepressible joy and hope of the Resurrection, Christians are called to live this joy and hope as both a 'now' experience and an expectation of the future. We must witness to the in-breaking reign of God in the human story, even if at times this is experienced as a tiny flickering flame on a cold night. Meanwhile, Jewish tradition holds that the gift of freedom is not an end in itself; it is for the purpose of living as a holy people in the service of Hashem. Divine election is always inseparable from human responsibility. Thus, Passover and Easter are pinnacle periods of festivity, filled with joy. Yet they are also festivals that sensitize us to the 'unfinished business' of redemption; they propel Jews and Christians, respectively, to active involvement in God’s ongoing healing designs for a world that yearns for true freedom, loving kindness, justice and peace. And we do this not as NGOs with only humanitarian goals, but as communities fired by a deep-down decision to trust in the revealed (and revealing) presence of the lifegiving, liberating God. In this vein, and in keeping with this Light of Torah ministry which draws Christian attention to Jewish Torah insights, here is a reflection relevant to Pesach VIII [Deut. 14:22 - 16:17] in the Jewish liturgical cycle. Light of Torah Reflection In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses impresses upon the Israelites their responsibilities, as they prepare to enter the promised land. In a lengthy statement of obligations, we learn that the people of God have a choice: listen to God’s teachings and be blessed, or turn from God and be cursed (11:26). Yet amidst the dire warnings, we also hear verses like these: “Together with your households, you shall feast there before the Lord your God, happy in all the undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you” (12:7). “And you shall feast there, in the presence of the Lord your God, and rejoice with your household” (14:26). “You shall hold a festival for the Lord your God…for the Lord your God will bless all your crops and all your undertakings, and you shall have nothing but joy” (16:15). These are commands to gather the family for a joyous feast. How often do we think of loyalty to God in terms of feasting? Elsewhere, in the context of ritual prescriptions, the Israelites are commanded to “eat to your heart’s content” (12:21), to “spend the money on anything you want—cattle, sheep, wine or other intoxicant, or anything you may desire” (14:26), and to hold annual festivals (16:1-17) while God provides secure dwellings (12:10), enlargement of their territory (12:20), and countless blessings. We are reminded that covenantal relationship with God is not all hard work! Yes, God is unafraid to make demands of his people. But God also provides, has the people’s interests at heart, and some divine demands are actually delightful! “For you are a people consecrated to the Lord your God; the Lord your God chose you from among all other peoples on earth to be His treasured people” (14:2). God asks much of his people, but only because his people are treasured beyond belief, and because such demands bring forth a just world where the stranger, orphan and widow find safety (16:11). Deuteronomy invites us to dwell on God’s abundant blessings. Yes, the consequences of rejecting God are dire, but the blessings of cleaving to God are lifegiving beyond measure. We are tempted to disbelieve this, for life is difficult, sometimes brutal. Bad things happen to good people; evil can be seen to have its way. Even religion can be experienced as a weapon of oppression, or reduced to loveless ‘duty.’ Yet another testimony prevails through generations of those who live by God’s word: God’s blessings are real. They can be celebrated with smiles and laughter, music and dancing, feasting and lovemaking, prayer and passion. Thus, Judaism speaks of ‘Simchat Torah’, ‘the joy of Torah,’ and Christianity speaks of the ‘gospel,’ ‘good news.’ Even so, in the midst of texts which call for feasting and celebration, our eye is drawn to a verse commanding the Israelites to eat the ‘bread of affliction’ or ‘bread of distress’ (16:3). What is the power of this verse, placed as it is amidst the description of Israel’s festivals? We also find the sages asking: why does the text here twice command that we rejoice during the festival of Sukkot (16:11,14) but omits this command with regard to the festival of Passover? An explanation offered in the midrashic collection Yalkut Shimoni: “On account of the fact that [during the exodus] the Egyptians died.” The midrash immediately cites the Book of Proverbs (24:17): “If your enemy falls, do not exult; if he trips, let your heart not rejoice.” Think about it: Unless we remember the taste of slavery, can we truly feast on our freedom? In what ways do your family/community festivities retain an appropriate place for sober recollection of past and present struggles? Bibliography: Eskenazi & Weiss, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (New York, 2008); Friedman, Commentary on the Torah (San Francisco, 2003); Leibowitz, Studies in Devarim (New York, 1996). Scripture: NJPS. © Teresa Pirola, 2013, 2022. lightoftorah.net. Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website.

For many Christians, the celebration of the Easter Triduum begins tonight (Holy Thursday, 14 April 2022). Meanwhile, Jewish communities prepare to celebrate the Passover festival (sundown, 15 April 2022). May we all, Christians and Jews, be strengthened at this time of year through our respective journeys of remembrance and festivities of freedom and redemption! A reflection from the Exodus story follows, with the help of Jewish insights. Exodus 10-13 tells of dramatic events. Three more plagues exhibit the power of the Lord. The tug-of-war continues between Pharaoh and Moses as God’s agent. The Passover ritual is prescribed and the momentous event takes place: the Israelites are liberated from Egypt! Amidst all this breathtaking activity our chosen text for reflection is brief: just one verse: 12:42. “That was for the Lord a night of vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt; that same night is the Lord’s, one of vigil for all the children of Israel throughout the ages” (Exodus 12:42). In his commentary, the 11th century Torah scholar Rashi says: “It is a night of keepings... For the Holy One, Blessed is He, was keeping it in mind and looking forward to it in order to fulfill His promise to take them out of the land of Egypt.” Ponder the detail (e.g., repetition, time of day, context) of the Torah verse, as well as Rashi’s comment. Does the sacred text speak to you? How? The verse is powerfully understated. It immediately follows a statement about the length of time (430 years) that the Israelites had spent in Egypt... until this night. Can’t we all point to a moment when our lives underwent irrevocable change. Think of ‘a night’ (literally or figuratively) when God’s liberating love entered your life, changing you forever. As we enter the Exodus story, can we sense the intimacy between God and the Hebrews as communicated by this one verse? On this night the Lord watches over his people, thus the people will remember this night which belongs to the Lord. Because it is precious to the Lord, it remains precious to his people. Continue to ponder this verse, sharing your insights and questions. God‘s people are safeguarded, and God’s special night is kept holy in return. This ancient text finds contemporary ritual expression in the Jewish seder meal held in the home at Passover. From generation to generation the seder commemorates the Exodus event and is central to the Jewish Passover festival. A Talmudic interpretation describes Passover as “a night ever under protection from malevolent beings.”[1] This text carries tragic irony when we recall that in Europe of the Middle Ages the commemoration of ‘this night’ of the Lord’s watch was a night when Jews were least protected by the surrounding Christian culture. Christian passion plays were known to stir up hatred towards the so-called ‘Christ-killers’ to the point of violence inflicted upon local Jews. The hysteria was fed by a bizarre accusation (the ‘blood libel’) that Jews were using the blood of Christian children in their Passover ritual. It is painful for Christians to hear this chapter of their history, yet it is all part of coming to terms with the past and embracing today’s new era of reconciliation between Christians and Jews. Faith & Liturgy So much of Christian liturgy is grounded in Jewish story and ritual. Many Christians gather on the night of Holy Thursday and read from the same passage we have explored above. On the night of the Easter vigil, readings from the Pentateuch and the Prophets are heard and pondered in parish churches, as the events of the Exodus are remembered and the dawn of Easter Sunday anticipated. 1. Pes. 109b, RH 11b quoted in JPS Torah Commentary. Bibliography: Larsson, Bound for Freedom (Mass., 1999); Sarna, JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia, 1991); Scherman, Zlotowitz, eds., Rashi: Commentary on the Torah (New York: Mesorah, 1999). Scripture: JPS. © Teresa Pirola, 2013, 2022. lightoftorah.net

This week’s Torah reading comes from the Book of Leviticus where the theme of ritual purity draws the attention of Jewish commentators. Ancient ritual purity laws is not an easy topic for our twenty-first century mindset and can prove challenging for many a Christian reader. It is not uncommon to hear certain Old Testament passages dismissed as irrelevant, sexist, legalistic writings, supposedly rejected by Jesus and by our own ‘enlightened’ times. If this were the case, Leviticus would have little to say to us. Yet, as Christians we believe that these texts form an integral part of our Bible through which we encounter God's revealing word. We need to dig deeper . . . Let's listen to how Jewish tradition interprets its own sacred texts. Read Leviticus 12:1-8. Particularly unsettling to contemporary ears are the opening verses that declare a woman who has just given birth to be in a state of ritual impurity: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days … (Leviticus 12:1-2) When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering.” (Leviticus 12:6) What is our starting point in unpacking this passage? We begin with the knowledge that Judaism holds procreation to be a God-given blessing and duty. Why, then, should a mother, having just given birth, be declared “unclean”? Jewish scholars take up this line of questioning. They note that, at the conclusion of her purification period, the Torah calls for both a "burnt offering" and a "sin offering." In particular, the insistence on a "sin offering" is deemed puzzling. The burnt offering is less problematic. The fifteenth-century Torah commentator, Abravanel, [1] suggests that this was a way for the mother to “cleave to her maker, who had performed wondrous things for her, in delivering her from the pain and danger of childbirth.” In other words, this sacrificial action is one of praise and thanksgiving. But why the need for a sin offering when the mother has committed no sin? In the midrash we find an explanation by way of a certain detail approached through two differing lenses. On the one hand, Rabbi Levi marvels at the wonders of pregnancy and birth: “Human beings entrust to [the Creator] a drop of fluid in privacy, and the Holy One . . . openly returns to them completed and perfected human individuals. Is this not a matter for praise?” [2] On the other hand, in another midrashic source we read: : “From whence do you come? From a fetid drop…” [3] Whereas the first view from Rabbi Levi focuses on the holy wonder of the earthy realities of procreation, the other midrashic source dwells on the insignificance of human beings compared to the majesty of the Creator. The latter has echoes in the Book of Isaiah. There the prophet witnesses a heavenly vision with angelic voices proclaiming “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3).” And how does the prophet respond? “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips (Isa. 6:5).” Perhaps, then, this is the sense in which the Torah speaks of the impurity and sin offering of a woman after childbirth: she is profoundly in touch with both the greatness of the Creator and the smallness and fragility of the newly birthed human being, as well as her own vulnerability. Our reflections drawn from traditional Jewish commentary suggest that the sin offering closing the mother’s purification period need not be interpreted as atonement for sin, but rather as an expression of the ‘gap’ in perfection between human beings and their Creator. In this way, our Leviticus reading leads us to questions and reflections that speak to us today; for example: In my own life, in what ways am I aware of God’s greatness, and my smallness? Recall, too, how even the greatest of Christian saints were acutely aware of their own insignificance, inadequacies and sins. What is the difference between awareness of one’s human fragility and poor self-esteem? What unique insights into life and faith do mothers bring to faith communities, attentive to the experience of giving birth? Perspectives of contemporary Jewish women As Christian readers we can also be aware that, just as Christian Bible studies today are enriched by the insights of women scholars and educators, so too has a similar development emerged within Judaism. Here we find diverse female opinions that both affirm and critique the tradition for its handling of biblical texts such as Leviticus 12. Some explore the problems in traditional interpretation arising from time-conditioned societal norms. Others draw from the tradition alternative interpretations that are affirming, empowering and protective of women, girls and female experience. [Note: the midrashic insights above are discussed in the teaching of Nehama Leibowitz (1905-1997), an Orthodox Jewish woman widely regarded as one the leading teachers of Torah in twentieth-century Israel.] While further discussion is not possible in this brief article, an excellent starting point for those interested is The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, edited by Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss (New York: URJ Press, 2008). A connection with Luke’s Gospel Finally, note the reference to pigeon and turtledove as part of the ritual offerings in Leviticus 12:6. You may be interested to compare and contrast Luke 2:21-24 where a sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” is mentioned in relation to Mary and Joseph “when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses”. As Christians reading the story of Jesus’ birth and infancy, we are reminded that Jesus grew up in a Jewish family and community immersed in ancestral rituals and customs as practised in their day. ***** 1. Cited by Leibowitz, 177. 2. Vayikra Rabbah, Tazria XIV, 2-3. 3. Konteres Aharon in Midrash Yelamdenu; see Leibowitz, 179. Bibliography: Midrash Rabbah: Leviticus (New York, 1983); Leibowitz, New Studies in Vayikra, (New York, 1996); Eskenazi & Weiss (eds.), The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (New York, 2008). Levine and Brettler (eds.); The Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford University Press, 2017). Scripture: NRSV. © Teresa Pirola, 2013, 2021. lightoftorah.net Reproduction for non-commercial use permitted with acknowledgement of website. Download the PDF version. Light of Torah is a grassroots ministry arising from the Catholic community, encouraging Christian reflection on Torah with the help of Jewish insights. More... The reflection above refers to Parashat Tazria (Lev. 12:1 - 13:59), the Torah portion read for this Sabbath in the Jewish liturgical cycle. Shabbat shalom!