Haftarat Emor: The Prophecies of an Ancient Conservative Jew

Earlier this week, I was invited to Strath Haven High School, just down the road from Ohev Shalom, to sit on a panel and represent Conservative Judaism. The students were learning about world religions, and in the section on Judaism,
the teacher wanted to bring in people to speak about Orthodoxy, Reconstructing/Reform Judaism, and our denomination, Conservative Judaism. (A brief side note: this was my FIRST visit to the High School, despite having lived in the community for NINE years!!) It was a very interesting experience, and several kids asked intriguing questions. I also enjoyed hearing the perspectives of my co-panelists, and matching what they said with my own understanding of their denominations. Now, you may be asking yourself, what did I say about the Conservative Movement? Was I able to sum it up in just THREE words? (Answer: yes) And you may also be wondering what any of this has to do with this week's Torah portion or Haftarah. Well, let's just see if the prophet Ezekiel can shed some light on that for us, shall we?

I believe I've mentioned this before in the year, but I'm really enjoying our series on Haftarot; a departure from our usual focus on the weekly Torah portions. One intriguing theme that we've unearthed, that we rarely talk about, is the sneaky rabbinic tactic of presenting us with a Haftarah that
critiques, challenges, or even undermines its partner-portion. What a devious thing to do! As a Conservative Jew, I might argue that the rabbis are offering us a model that we can - and perhaps even SHOULD - follow. The text is not meant to be taken at face value (at least not face value alone...), but is instead open to pushback, debate, and even evolution. Our ancestors did it, and now it's our turn. If we shy away from that duty, Judaism will stagnate, atrophy, and wither away. The discussions and debates are what keep it alive! The prophet Ezekiel knew this very well, and by inviting us to read his words, specifically juxtaposed with Parashat Emor, the rabbis are agreeing with Ezekiel, and asking US to do the same.

Ok, I'll stop beating around the bush. Here's what I mean: Our Torah portion outlines the responsibilities of the High Priest in the Temple, and is very clear about a hierarchy of leadership among the priests. God tells Moses to relay to Aaron that he and his descendants run the show; plain and simple. Later in the Torah,

in Numbers 18:6-7, this is reemphasized with even STRONGER language still: "I [God] hereby take your fellow Levites from among the Israelites; they are assigned to you in dedication to Adonai, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting; while you and your sons shall be careful to perform your priestly duties in everything pertaining to the altar and to what is behind the curtain. I make your priesthood a service of dedication; any outsider who encroaches shall be PUT TO DEATH!" Hard to misread that, right? And yet, just a few hundred years later, Ezekiel CHANGES God's command. In 44:15, he writes, "Now, the Levitical priests descended from Zadok, who maintained the service of My Sanctuary when the people Israel went astray from Me, they shall approach Me to minister to Me." Zadok lived at the time of King David, and may or may not have been a descendant of Aaron's. Even if he was, Ezekiel is severely limiting the group of central priests to JUST Zadok's line; all other descendants of Aaron's are out.

There are other discrepancies in Ezekiel's description of Temple worship, not just this political coup. So much so, in fact, that some later rabbinic authorities tried to ban Ezekiel's book from the Bible! Ultimately, however, it was kept. And I'm so glad it survived the scrutiny. Because it reflects the central creed of Conservative Judaism (in just three words): "Tradition and Change."

Our world looks different today; there's no sacrificial rite anymore. But even in Ezekiel's day - when there WAS a Temple - he advocated retaining the rituals and obligations pertaining to the altar, BUT he also saw the serious failings of some of the country's appointed leaders. He felt that change was imperative, and that only one particular group should be allowed to rule. When necessary, we have an obligation to reinterpret our texts, and to update them to the ethical, social, and inclusive values of our time. Change isn't immediate or wholesale, but we must constantly remain sensitive to, and respectful of, both the Halachah, rituals, and traditions of the past, AND the needs of our communities today. Tradition and Change; delicately held in balance at all times. Ezekiel got it, the rabbis got it, and now I pass it along to you. Get it?


Photos in this blog post:

1. Image of... um... three fingers. :-)

2. CC image courtesy of Lance Cpl. Fredrick J. Coleman on Wikimedia Commons

3. CC image courtesy of Dauster on Wikimedia Commons

4. Image of the cover of Mordecai Waxman's book, "Tradition and Change," available on Amazon