May 18, 2024
A PEEK AT THE PARSHA
Parshat Emor is another parsha that is full of mitzvot. The parsha begins with the mitzvot that only apply to kohanim. For example, kohanim have to stay tahor (pure) and may not come close to things that make them tameh (impure), like a dead body, except if the body is one of their 7 close relatives (mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, and wife). Kohanim are alsoonlyallowedtomarrycertainwomen.
The parsha then discusses more rules about animal korbanot (sacrifices). The animal may not have certain physical problems, it must be at
ONE BIG IDEA
While discussing the chagim and the korbanot, the parsha takes a break to discuss the mitzvah of giving from your harvest to the poor, and then returns to discuss the chagim/korbanot. Why are these mitzvot placed right in the middle of the discussion about the chagim/korbanot? The rabbis in the midrash teach us that giving to the less fortunate is so important that it can be compared to building the Beit HaMikdash andbringingthe korbanot.
least 8 days old to be sacrificed, and a mother and itsbaby cannotbesacrificedonthesameday.
The parsha continues to list the chagim (holidays), along with the mitzvot and korbanot that accompany each chag: Shabbat and resting; Pesach and the korban omer; Shavuot and the korban of the shtei halechem; Rosh Hashanah and the shofar; Yom Kippur and fasting; and Sukkot and sitting in the sukkah and shaking the four minim.
The parsha ends with a story about a man from shevet (tribe) Dan whose mother was from Bnei Yisrael but whose father was Egyptian. This mysterious person gets into a fight with someone from Bnei Yisrael and then curses Hashem. He is brought to Moshe to see what his punishment should be. Moshe is unsure since nothing like this has ever happened before, so they place him in jail. Moshe then prays to Hashem and Hashem tells Moshe that the person needs to be removed from the camp and put to death. The parsha concludes with the importance of not hurting someone else and then gives the punishmentfordamagingpeople.
PARSHA STATS DID YOU KNOW…?
Mitzvot…………………………..63 (24 Do’s, 39 Don’ts)
Lines in the Torah..............215 (20th most)
Pesukim.............................124 (15th most)
Words................................1614 (22nd most)
Letters................................6106 (23rd most)
Year(s)................................2449
(Source: OU Torah Tidbits)
This Shabbat is the 25th day of Sefirat Ha’Omer. There is a custom to say perek (chapter) 67 of tehillim during the 49 days of the omer. Did you know that the reason is because this chapter has 49 words (minus the introduction)? And not only that, but passuk 5 in this chapter has 49 letters (if you add two vavs in 2 words)!!! Though the perek doesn’t really contain Sefirat Ha’Omer themes, numbers are considered to have special significance and are not just treated as coincidence. Ideally, we are supposed to think about the word in the perek and the letter in the passuk on the corresponding night.
CHECKLIST
To be filled out after Shabbat and brought in on Monday.
Called someone to wish them a “Shabbat Shalom”
Went to shul
Participated in Hadlakat Nerot/Kiddush/ Hamotzi/Birkat Hamazon
Sang zemirot/songs
Wore Shabbat clothing
Helped prepare our home for Shabbat
Full Name: ______________________________
Class: __________________________________
Parent Signature: _________________________
QUESTIONS
1. Why do we say tehillim perek 67 during the omer?
2. How many mitzvot are in this parsha?
3. Thought question: Why do you think a mother animal and her baby can’t be sacrificed on the same day?
4. What mitzvah interrupts the list of the chagim and korbanot? Why?
5. What mitzvah of Shabbat does the parsha mention? Bonus question: How do you do that mitzvah?