Shabbat Reading VaYikra -
And he called: Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 and Isaiah 43:21-44:23
This week we entered the Hebrew month Nisan which is the first month of the year according to the Bible. This means we had the Biblical New Year this week. This went mostly unnoticed this year unfortunately because Jews today follow rabbinic traditions and celebrate the New Year at 1st Tishrei, Rosh HaShana, which is called the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible.
In the word "Nisan" we find the Hebrew word "Nes" which means "miracle." Indeed, this is a special month in which the greatest of all miracles took place for the Jewish people: the freedom and redemption of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt – that’s why we remember it even more than 3300 years later by celebrating the feast of Passover. May this "Nisan" truly be a month of miracles for everyone in all aspects of life.
Not only did we start a new month and year, but also a new book of the Torah: Leviticus. This is also called the “Torat Cohanim,” the Law of the Priests, because it contains all the strict ordinances of services at the temple, sanctuary (tabernacle) and sacrifices.
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Friday, March 23, 2007
Salt Instead of Sugar
Wed Sept 27, 2006
On Kabbalat Shabbat, the beginning of the Sabbath on Friday evening, the head of the house says the Kiddush—the blessing over the cup of wine which is passed around to each person at the table. He then says the blessing over the hallah (two braided Shabbat loaves) as he breaks them in pieces, sprinkles them with salt and passes them around.
On this evening the table becomes an altar and the father is the priest of the house, who blesses his family with the Aaronic priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). The two Shabbat loaves remind us of the Israelites wandering in the desert and how God provided a double portion of manna on Shabbat (Exodus 16:22). In the same way, God also wants to give us a double blessing on Shabbat.
But why should we sprinkle salt on our bread? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use sugar on the joyful Sabbath? The Lord instructed Israel in Leviticus 2:13 to salt all sacrifi ces so that the “salt of the covenant” would never lack. This is why it says in 2 Chronicles 13:5, “Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?” Thus, salt is a symbol of the eternal covenant between God and His people. Salt is incorruptible. Even when anything that has been salted has long since evaporated, the pure salt will remain. All that can happen is that it becomes dirty and thus inedible, and then it is thrown out of the house and trodden underfoot (Matthew 5:13).
On Kabbalat Shabbat, the beginning of the Sabbath on Friday evening, the head of the house says the Kiddush—the blessing over the cup of wine which is passed around to each person at the table. He then says the blessing over the hallah (two braided Shabbat loaves) as he breaks them in pieces, sprinkles them with salt and passes them around.
On this evening the table becomes an altar and the father is the priest of the house, who blesses his family with the Aaronic priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). The two Shabbat loaves remind us of the Israelites wandering in the desert and how God provided a double portion of manna on Shabbat (Exodus 16:22). In the same way, God also wants to give us a double blessing on Shabbat.
But why should we sprinkle salt on our bread? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use sugar on the joyful Sabbath? The Lord instructed Israel in Leviticus 2:13 to salt all sacrifi ces so that the “salt of the covenant” would never lack. This is why it says in 2 Chronicles 13:5, “Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?” Thus, salt is a symbol of the eternal covenant between God and His people. Salt is incorruptible. Even when anything that has been salted has long since evaporated, the pure salt will remain. All that can happen is that it becomes dirty and thus inedible, and then it is thrown out of the house and trodden underfoot (Matthew 5:13).
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