March 31st: Tzav
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
The Hebrew word k’li means tool or vessel, and Leviticus is very concerned with how the k’lay kodesh, the holy tools/vessels are used and treated. There are even special protocols for how they are packed and carried. The k’lay kodesh include the special priestly vestments, the portable altars (one for meat and the other for incense), and the various basins, bowls, firepans, tongs, and other tools for the sacrificial offerings. And there are the priests themselves. As holy and ordained servants of God, they are considered k’lay kodesh, holy implements and vessels of God’s presence among the people.
This week’s Torah portion describes the ordination of the priests—the rituals that qualify them for officiating at the sacrifices. Clothed in their uniforms, they are the sacred workers and the only ones allowed to touch and use the sacred utensils and vessels. K’lay kodesh using k’lay kodesh: it is the sacred process in Israel’s worship of the One God.
The Torah goes into lots and lots of detail about the equipment and the rituals, but one thing that is omitted is what should be done with the tongs or fire pans or incense equipment that get broken or worn out. There must have been ancient protocols, but the textual discussion had to wait several centuries for the Rabbis in the Talmudic Age. By then, Torah Scrolls and other sacred books had been added to the category of k’lay kodesh, and so that were included in these sacred repair or disposal discussions. And there was another addition.
Rabbinic Judaism takes a passage from the Torah, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19.6), and turns it into a kind of spiritual raison d’etre or modus operandi. Whereas God probably intended the phrase as an inspirational metaphor—with the actual priesthood being a hereditary institution in the Tribe of Levi, the Rabbis see in it a call to individual holiness for all Jews. By engaging in personal and communal acts of piety, non-Priestly Jews can attain a holiness and individual relationship with God—ministering as k’lay kodesh in the building of God’s kingdom on earth.
So, as the Rabbis might have asked, How are human beings like Torah Scrolls—and what does this teach us? When human pass away, their bodies are treated with respect and holy care, and they are buried in consecrated ground. Should not the same care and respect be accorded to other k’lay kodesh—like worn-out Torah Scrolls and sacred books? As a result, we have the curious and endearing custom of burying old prayer books, Torah Scrolls and Tefillin—anything in which the Name of God is written. Sometimes, we bury holy books in the graves of the deceased, and other times we bury holy books in special graves dug just for this purpose.
As both a practical and educational activity, we shall be joining with Penn State Hillel for a book burial on Monday April 24th at the historic Rodef Sholem Jewish Cemetery near Bellefonte. This Jewish cemetery dates back to the 1800s and is held in sacred trust by our congregation. The book burial will be begin at 1:00 PM on the 24th, and you are invited to join in the sacred work. There are three ways to participate:
(1) Lend us your shovels and pickaxes. The plan is for the Penn State students to do the digging, but they did not bring tools to college. If you can lend us your tools, please put your name on them so we can be sure to return them to you.
(2) Bring us old and worn-out holy books to be buried. Hillel is bringing several dozen old prayer books, but we shall have room for any worn-out prayer books or Bibles you may have around the house. Just bring them to the synagogue and the rabbi’s office.
(3) Join in the mitzvah of honoring our k’lay kodesh. While our main diggers will be Hillel students, we welcome any and all congregational members to join us. You can help dig, carry books up the hill, or just watch and give moral support.
We shall be gathering at Rodef Sholem Cemetery around 1:00 PM on Monday April 24th. The cemetery is on Route 550, just off the Benner Pike/Willowbank Street in Spring Township. The turn off is to the left, before you get to Bellefonte and just past The Hot Dog House. The cemetery does not have a sign in front, but it is about 1/3 mile in on the left. We plan to be finished before 4:00.
As is often the case in our faith, we work with a combination of the holy and the practical—bringing heaven to earth and earth to heaven.