Weekly Dose of Minyan w/ Rabbi Lizzi — Parashat Emor

Every weekday at 8:00 am, Mishkan Chicago holds a virtual Morning Minyan. You can join in yourself, or listen to all the prayer, music, and inspiration right here on Contact Chai!

Our Thursday Morning Minyans are hosted by Rabbi Lizzi, and in our May 4th, 2023 session, she had a lot to say about the whole "only people without blemishes can serve as priests" thing in this week's parsha. What kind of person does God want serving God? Do our "imperfections," physical or moral, really disqualify us?

On Friday, May 19th, we will hold a special Morning Minyan send-off for Rabbi Deena who is leaving Mishkan at the end of the month. We invite you to join us to lend your goodbyes and well wishes to R'Deena!

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For upcoming Shabbat services and programs, check our event calendar, and see our Accessibility & Inclusion page for information about our venues. Follow us on Instagram and like us on Facebook for more updates.

Produced by Mishkan Chicago. Music composed, produced, and performed by Kalman Strauss.

Transcript

Transcript

So, I'll invite you to sit up a little bit straighter or stand depending on what position you're in. And of course these words she VT I place God the presence of the one before me or opposite Mila neg de to Mead and lindbeck de is a great word because it means opposite. It can mean oppositional like it can sort of imply like an oppositional energy like the thing that I am against. I also see God in or just in front of me.

And so of course the intention this morning is just to begin with a kind of awareness that God is in us around us in front of us against us always

in conversation with us I love that

so

and of course the two parts go together so as I'm singing the one part you can be singing the other part

Xi V et ha

d tap me Shibi at

to me

yeah

take a few breaths

knowing the one that is inside of everyone

including you in this moment. I'll invite you to stand if you are able, and we'll go into your Hatha shofar blessings of the morning. Do a little movement as we do these.

By ruleta Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha olam I shared a time the SEC leaving and have seen when you're moving Lila I am grateful for the ability to make distinctions between day and night. By rule Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha olam Chessani BITSAT mo I am grateful that I was created in your image and just as a little bread crumbs

for later this week per shot and more, it deals with physical imperfections. And also, you know, sort of different dynamics and relationships and things that might disqualify a priest from priestly service in the temple. And, and it gets into a whole question of like, what kind of service does God want? And what kind of person does God want serving God? And of course, the answer is all people in all ways, but the Torah makes it confusing. And so every single morning we get up and we say, God, you made me exactly who you want me to be in your image exactly as I am. And so maybe think of the part you can think of the part of you that you might wonder Does God want this?

And the answer is yes.

And we'll talk more about that as we get into terror a little bit later. By rule had to add on I alone, no matter how old I am chest, Sally, but holy Horry again. I'm grateful that You created me to be free barakaatuh I don't I alone no matter how damn Shia Sunni Israel. I am grateful that you made me a Jew a god wrestler. VOCA Tyrone Isla in America. Okay, if you've read re I am grateful that you opened my eyes each day with new vision. Actually go ahead and take a moment and close your eyes. And and Myrtle taught me this take your fingers and just gently tap around is it called the orbital bone like the the bone around your eyes is to wake up all those

little tiny muscles and nerves. Yeah, around the eyes on top of the eyes and your crow's feet. Giving them a little love tap.

You can take your fingers and massage your temples.

Slowly, you can work your fingers down maybe to like your mandible joint your jaw. Give it like a nice morning massage a little fishy face.

Nice and slow.

Stand back up by raw data and I love it no matter how Allah malby shall rule me am. I am grateful for the gift of clothes over my naked body and for the gift of boundaries to protect us so that we feel safe walking through the world by raw tarot and I love you no matter how well the material or sorry, I am grateful for the ability to release what is all tied up. And I already see Ricky doing some good stretching of arms releasing tension.

Go ahead and breathing into your lungs and just stretching different parts of your body that might feel a little tight, that might feel a little bound.

That might feel a sewer, you can make them a little more mightier.

The next one, of course is for bending over. So if there's something behind you or in front of you, you might just want to take a moment to move away so that you can have a bend as much as possible by Ruha tide and I don't know Melaka lambs, okay, if goofy him. Hi, I'm grateful for my ability to straighten what is bend, just gently kind of bend the knees and then over and hang.

And of course, if somebody might be listening to this on the train or in the car, or walking down the street, and bending over at the waist is not safe. You can just bend at the neck until your neck in different directions.

Just remember, of course that we're never stuck. There's always some different direction that we can go even if it's subtle. And those subtle differences can really changed things.

You all know that I've been ice skating I think last week maybe I showed you my little my two minute ice skating routine. And I had this problem which was every time I would stick my foot behind me to do the to do the skate grab. I would have this terrible cramp in my leg and I would have to put my skate down and then pick it back up again. And my teacher said to me have you tried stretching before you come out on the ice? And if I'm being honest the answer was no I hadn't even considered it not only didn't I do it I hadn't considered it and I spent 20 seconds a little only 20 seconds just doing some quick stretching before putting my feet on the ice and lo and behold that investment of 20 seconds changed everything. So that is just to say is okay if goofin to straighten what is bent stretch what might be tight these blessings in the morning give us a good opportunity to start our day with a little more limber Enos all right and their feet flat on the ground by Rohatgi I don't I don't know man like how old I am Roca RSL Hama aim grateful for this

ability of the earth over the water

and my feet on the firmament, Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech found them. I mean, he admits I take off air, I'm grateful that you prepare my steps. Just take a moment to transfer your weight from foot to foot. Feel the all of the coordination that goes into all of it not just your brain telling your body what to do, but all of the bones and ligaments that hold you up when you do this from foot to foot.

We take for granted every day so just take a moment to not take all of that for granted. But rule atatiana I along with them, share Sally code sirki I'm grateful that you will provide for all my needs. The raw data and I remember the column was very Israel big Vera grateful that you give strength to me and my people. Go ahead and take a deep breath breathe into your lungs and let it fill your belly

and then exhale let your shoulders relax and do it again.

It was very surreal big rat

that's one particular sphere out one divine energy Guerra the next one tea ferrets. barakaatuh I don't I don't know man. I found them. Oteri sir LBT Farah. Hi. I'm grateful that you crowned me with dignity and beauty.

And finally Baro? Hurtado neither Hina Medeco I know Tenley if cola I am grateful that you give me strength when I am tired.

I may

or may

all right, I'm feeling the energy of just continuing to stay on the air. No, we're not going to go straight into Berra who quite yet but if you want to sit feel free to go ahead and sit

down and go into Halle loo to this particular call honey Shama

so

it's another two parter.

Where am I starting

No. Oh there we go.

Ah y'all, what's happening?

There it is. Call Hi, Shama. Daheia, laelia Halleen

that's an A minor to F

Daheia laelia Hallasan

that's part A let's do it again.

Nisha Ma

Ma, ma laelia Yeah

pardon me is just a breath singing

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all right we're gonna go into very home

so if you are not already standing if you're able, I invite you to. In any case, we're gonna turn and face east

Again if that's not possible from wherever you happen to be facing, so then face your mind east and feel free to respond as I call

Barry who adds i don't know i have aura

Hi, I'm Mr.

Barrel Hata I don't I don't no matter how old you are or overhaul OSHA Jose Shannon move away at Taco. I'm here Hemera atleta Rima they have an AHA meme, which vomica chapelco Young to meet my savory she ate

every day you light up the world and the heavens with kindness every day you renew them and make them good these works of creation or her dash out CEO into any scare Who let him or her rally or row by row ha I don't know why you'd say Hammy. Oh shoot.

Alright, as we go into I have that rub that I have tiny with this morning with great love you have loved us. I want to use this as our

as our Misha BRAF as our healing prayer this morning. So for people who are just listening, what we often do in this moment is share who we're thinking about in the chat.

If you want to share out loud you can

I want to do it for this particular prayer this morning. Sometimes there's a dedicated healing prayer but I actually like using the prayers that are simply in the CD or just our regular daily prayers as healing prayers because we're not just praying for ourselves, you know, for our own sake all the time because we like the words or we like the tradition or we like the tune we're also praying for something bigger than ourselves and oftentimes someone other than ourselves and so this is a prayer that people should feel loved that people should feel seen that people should feel embraced

by God

by their tradition by their people. So you're somebody's people

you're somebody's people

Alright, so I'm not going to read all the names out loud but you can from where you're sitting

one by one by one, we just we can even close your eyes and think about holding that person in an embrace

just in a loving friendly or familial hug

or holding them in the light

I have

knew

of course it's like a repeat like a call respond.

Ru

i don't

have all the ammo USRowing there

we take a moment to close or cover our eyes holder, seat seat.

Take a breath

slow down

Shema

He Israel

I don't know

why

hello Han

I don't know why.

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they are hafta eight I don't know Hello HESA the whole of Absa was on nappsa home Melda there how you had very high share I know he mitts up ha ha ha yo I love haha the Sheena Anton live Anika v bar to

this you've just have a tefa over left the hubba Dara who shots was out with comesa cookshare. Tablet Oh Otalia data, how you letter tuffeau Baneasa. We could have time as it was oh, Tessa movie Shara half.

All right. I want to go for just a minute into a little bit of a little bit of Torah learning. I know we have more than a few people on the minion this morning who are saying here saying Kaddish for loved ones that they last in the last month or year. And so you know when we say Kaddish? We also say Kaddish after learning something. And so Thursday mornings is one of the mornings that in a traditional synagogue, they'll take out the tour and they'll read the Torah. So we always try and do a little bit of that here. And so I just I wanted to show you what I was referring to earlier. And then I wanted to bring you a little teaching from course one of our favorite teachers to reference in minion Rabbi shefa gold. So we're going to try and do this all by 830.

All right, so this is this is a couple of verses into per shot and more.

And you can see, this is all of the different laws of Kohanim of priests, priestly, you know, sort of like what qualifies as a priest to be a priest. There's a bunch of stuff in here. Some of it continues to come up today. I can tell you look at this one an hour ago, sha Allah, so not at ALA lo ECOC. Lo at Petula, may Allah you catch a SHA, a widow or divorced woman, or somebody who's degraded by harlotry Kohane may not take

only a version of his own kin may he take as his wife, this literally comes up as I talk to people who are from the Chohan lineage, who want to get remarried, and want to marry somebody who has been married before. This is an actual thing, that that our tradition in 2023 in the year 5783, contends with today.

So here's another so here's another verb and you can you can look up how like the courts in Israel, for example, get around this and that, for the most part, people don't actually let this be an impediment to love. But it's just a question of figuring out how to get around some of these rules that are written in the Torah. So here's another one. And this is the one that Rabbi chef of gold is going to be riffing off of. Speak to Aaron and say,

No man of your offspring through the ages, who has a defect. You hear a share EA boom, boom. Lo you crab, the head Cree of the ham. ello have

no man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. No one who has a defect shall be qualified no one who is blind or lame or has a limb too long or short or has a broken arm or leg hunchback dwarf who has a growth in his eye or a boiler scar or scurvy or crushed testicles.

And then it goes on.

So this is rough, don't like this.

We could have a conversation about why you think this might be in the Torah.

Since we have limited time, what I'll do is, I'll read I'll read from scheffers Torah journeys book, how she makes sense of this. And then for those of you who want to stick around and continue to talk to her after after 830. We will do that.

All right, so here's what she says here's the blessing. There's always the blessing the challenge. So the blessing. We are commanded to be a nation of priests, each one of us fulfilling the priestly function of mediating between human and divine.

In a more we are told that the priest must bleep be unblemished he and it says he must radiate perfection. The

offerings that she brings. Now she's expanding a little bit must also be perfect.

As I seek to fulfill my priestly function as I look at my life,

recognizing, of course that you know, this priestly function described in the Torah no longer exists in Judaism.

She says I look at the physical universe that surrounds me, I look at nature, I look into the human predicament of every person I meet.

And I cannot find something that is unblemished.

I look around me and I cannot find something that is unblemished. The closer I look, the more imperfections I find everything and everyone is in process. We are all searching for balance in a world that is in flux. We are all flawed our physical bodies are slowly or quickly decaying. This is the paradox of iMore i and everything that I offer is likewise flawed, marked with the limitations of my particular perspective and prejudice.

And yet, the truth of perfection permeates the atmosphere of my life. Like a tantalizing fragrance. The truth of perfection permeates the atmosphere of my life like a tantalizing fragrance. This parsha and more is a paradox. To receive the blessing of the paradox means that I must expand my embrace, I must create a wider context in which to live and encompass the contradictions. That the paradox offers. To live with paradox means I must always be expanding my conceptions of reality. I live in process continually opening to the wider view, this process itself touches me with its beauty.

So here, she says the spiritual challenge because with every parsha comes the blessing and also the spiritual challenge. The paradox is that we are both perfect and imperfect at the same time, if the priestly function is to mediate between the human and the divine, of course, it makes sense that we are both that we are made of both.

There are times when I look into this world, or into the blemishes of my own character, and I am shown the perfection of the whole, not only do I see it, I experienced that perfection as ripeness, and I am overcome by its heart shattering beauty, I celebrate the perfection and I let it inspire and empower me embracing that perfection gives me the strength to bear the imperfections.

Within the perfection of this dance, we learn, we suffer, we die, and we are reborn.

Those blemishes that might have disqualified me from the priesthood actually become doorways into my power as a priest. It is only when I deny or hide those blemishes from God, that my offerings are rejected. Even when I enter through them. When I enter through them, I can touch the perfection within all of the imperfections, our spiritual challenges to acknowledge with eyes open our flaws and the harm we caused through them the suffering injustice and cruelty that pervade our world. And at the same time to see in all of it, the perfection and the potential.

Okay.

There's more in there, but I'll stop there.

All right. So We'll bless our learning

with Kadisha Tome and will bless and raise up the names of everybody who taught you a little something

who you may be remembering in this moment. Does anybody want to say the name of somebody you are remembering? As we say gosh

Lawrence ADA Feldman,

Judy Ficus.

My mom Joan

Luke Feigl bath Sara atta

Is there anybody this morning who wants to lead us in Kaddish?

Okay

here's the Hernan live Rahami all the memories people asking

you to go down the east Kadesh Mara the man I mean, the Mardi Gras era Tavi. I'm Liz mahu Tae behindhand Yamaha new high yay the whole beat Israel back a lot with his man curry V. Maru, I mean, a schmear on the morass. Now on Alma. You

whereas the Easter bath the Eid RV drum Vietnamese say the ID Hadar Viet I levied halasz May dequeued. SHA

le a lamb in kobir how to have a share data to show how to have an ephah Mata I mean ran by our Marvin's room. I mean, your Haish llama Rabbah mentioned I have a hyena Lena nouvelle Colusa LV Maru amendment. Shalom Bhima Mab who yeah say shalom, Elena, they'll call you Israel they'll call Yoshi de Val V Maru.

And then, in all their memories be blessings.

All right.

Well, I'm going to, I'm going to stop recording and for those of you who want to hang out and talk, then that's what we'll do.