Author Archives: Efraim Palvanov

Physical Blemishes & Spiritual Heights

In this week’s parasha, Emor, we read:

Speak to Aaron and say: No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. No one at all who has a defect shall be qualified: no man who is blind, or lame, or has a limb too short or too long; no man who has a broken leg or a broken arm; or who is a hunchback, or a dwarf, or who has a growth in his eye, or who has a boil-scar, or scurvy, or crushed testes. No man among the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall be qualified to offer to God by fire; having a defect, he shall not be qualified to offer the food of his God. (Leviticus 21:17-21)

Kohen Lighting Temple Menorah (Courtesy: Temple Institute)

The Torah seems to be saying that any kohen with a physical disability or serious blemish is disqualified from serving God. Some are understandably distraught by this—after all, is it a person’s fault that they were born lame, or with dwarfism, or have a cancerous growth, or suffered a serious injury resulting in a disability? Why should this disqualify a person from serving God? Are they somehow “less” because of a disability? Why the apparent discrimination?

This position appears to be exacerbated by a Talmudic teaching that “the Shekhinah only rests upon a person who is wise, strong, wealthy, and of great statute.” (Shabbat 92a) A similar teaching elsewhere is that “the Holy One, Blessed be He, rests His Shekhinah only upon one who is strong, and wealthy, and wise, and humble.” (Nedarim 38a) So, does that mean that if one is not physically strong or healthy, they cannot merit to have the Shekhinah dwell upon them? How do we make sense of these perplexing statements? Continue reading →

Kabbalah of the Omer

What is the deeper significance behind the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot? Why do we count the days, and what is their mystical connection to the Sefirot? Also, where did “mourning” during Sefirat haOmer really originate, and what is the proper way to approach these customs? Find out in this eye-opening class as we dive into Sefirat haOmer and explore what it takes to become a complete, refined human. Plus, the primordial elements associated with the Sefirot, and a Kabbalistic look at Yom ha’Atzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim, and Yom haShoah.

 

The Blood Libels

In this week’s parasha, the Torah devotes an entire chapter (Leviticus 17) to the prohibition of consuming blood. God first forbids idolatrous and improper sacrifices before declaring that “if anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers who reside among them partakes of any blood, I will set My face against the person who partakes of the blood; I will cut that person off from among kin.” (17:10) The Torah goes on to say that any land animal or bird that is slaughtered for food must have its blood entirely drained and buried under earth, before emphasizing again that “the soul of all flesh—its blood contains its soul. Therefore, I say to the Children of Israel: you shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the soul of all flesh is in its blood. Anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off.” (17:14)

Because of this, Jews throughout history have been exceedingly careful not to consume any blood whatsoever, even a tiny speck in a chicken egg. It is therefore tragically ironic that one of the most grotesque antisemitic accusations leveled against Jews for centuries is the “blood libel”—that Jews consume the blood of gentiles or use gentile blood to prepare matzot, or engage in some form of ritual murder. Where did this disgusting accusation come from, how did it evolve over the centuries, and how did it shape Jewish history? Continue reading →