Parashat Emor 5782 / פָּרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר
14 May 2022 / 13 Iyyar 5782 (Diaspora)
Parashat Emor is the 31st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.
Torah Portion: Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Emor (“Say”) opens with laws regulating priestly behavior, working in the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and consuming sacrifices and priestly food. It describes the biblical holidays of Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, and ends with a story about a blasphemer and his punishment.
Triennial year 3
1: 23:23-25 · 3 p’sukim ·
2: 23:26-32 · 7 p’sukim ·
3: 23:33-44 · 12 p’sukim ·
4: 24:1-4 · 4 p’sukim ·
5: 24:5-9 · 5 p’sukim ·
6: 24:10-12 · 3 p’sukim ·
7: 24:13-23 · 11 p’sukim ·
maf: 24:21-23 · 3 p’sukim ·
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31 · 17 p’sukim
Commentary and Divrei Torah
In our Triennial portion, we once again have a recounting of the yearly cycle of our holidays and festivals. Isn’t it interesting that this is presented right after discussed the sanctity of the priesthood and spiritual contamination! These yearly events are presented multiple times throughout Torah, but specifically here in this context.
In Torah, nothing is haphazard; the flow is for specific reasons and purposes. Consider that the juxtaposition is that the sacred times are themselves a situation of purity. Also, the holidays and festivals are there to remind us that we are a nation of priests, and these events help us maintain that purity in our action and deed.
Consider also that this parashat comes in the midst of a multitude of mitzvot that command us to be honest and charitable with our fellow, even to the point of loving our fellow as ourselves. What better way to facilitate than to share these occasions?