This week's parsha, Emor (Leviticus 21:1-24:23), continues to detail the requirements incumbent on the priests (the sons of Aaron). It begins with regulations for priests' families and continues with regulations for sacred food and some criteria for sacrificial animals. From there it moves on to regulations for the Sabbath and Festivals, followed by regulations concerning the bread display of the Tabernacle. This description of holiness requirements is interrupted, however, at the end of the portion, which veers off to a story of a blasphemer, retaliation laws, and the blasphemer's punishment (death). In reading the parsha I wondered how to connect the story of the blasphemer to the rest of the text. I found the answer in words.
Emor (אֱמֹר) the title of the parsha, means "speak", as in "go speak to so and so about such and such". Words and speech are central to this portion, and to Jewish tradition as a whole. This is clear later in the portion with the story of the blasphemer, with its numerous references to speech and words, not just in the sense of a blasphemer saying bad words, but in the descriptive details surrounding the blasphemer (Leviticus 24:11):
יא וַיִּקֹּב בֶּן-הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת-הַשֵּׁם, וַיְקַלֵּל, וַיָּבִיאוּ אֹתוֹ, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה; וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ שְׁלֹמִית בַּת-דִּבְרִי, לְמַטֵּה-דָן".
11 And the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses. And his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. "
As noted in The Torah: A Women's Commentary, Shelomith the daughter of Dibri is the only named woman in all of Leviticus. In her name there is the root sh-l-m," שְׁלֹמִ", the root for peace (shalom), or wholeness (shalem). She is the daughter of Dibri, whose root d-v-r "דִּבְרִ ", can mean thing (davar), or word (dibur). Indeed, looking at the meanings behind the names suggests that the blasphemer, who is not named, is antithetical to his upbringing- for his mother, wholeness or peace, came from the word. By blaspheming he instead took the word and used it for destruction.
We grow up hearing the saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." This parsha says the opposite- that words are at least as powerful as actions, and can cause as much damage.
Jewish tradition takes words very seriously. Another example of this is the blessing said over food that does not fall into the four categories that have specific blessings:
ברוך אתה ה' א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, שהכל נהיה בדברו
Transliteration: Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha‑olam, she‑hakol nih'ye bidvaro.
Translation: "Blessed are you, LORD, our God, King of the universe, through whose word everything comes into being." [emphasis added]
So while much of this parsha deals with issues of holiness and proper priestly procedure, underlying the portion is a message and reminder that our reality is very much built on words, and we have a concomitant duty to value how we speak and use our words. May we use our gift of speech to bring about wholeness and peace (shlemut, shalom).
Shabbat shalom,
Dara ;-)
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