Parashat: Emor

Parashat: Emor
Torah Reading: Leviticus 21:1–24:23

“You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people — I, God, who sanctify you…”

— Leviticus 22:32

I have always appreciated the idea that while most of the world abides by the Golden Rule “Treat others as you would like to be treated,” that Jewish tradition takes on the contrarian “Hey! What would annoy you, what would be difficult for you, what would be hateful to you, do not do unto others.” Aside from a healthy reminder that it’s on use to start with ourselves before we tackle the rest of the world, it’s also a reminder that sometimes our best behavior begins by eliminating some of our worst habits. God reminds us in Emor that we should be careful with both our words and actions, not to desecrate or profane God’s image — as we are God’s people and God is our God. If we truly believe that we were created b’tzelem Elohim — in the image of God — then the reality is that honoring God, sanctifying God even, begins within us and escalates throughout our behavior.

This is a good reminder to us to be thoughtful with our deeds and actions, remembering that it is a holy partnership indeed that we’ve entered, one where we thoughtfully do indeed sanctify God, so that in turn, God can sanctify us — that we can be a holy people, a people of priests, who live up to the blessings we’ve been given.

— Rabbi Amanda K. Weiss