Both informing and being informed carry an inherent responsibility.  The Torah was given to the Jewish people to both protect and to share.  While there are many layers of meanings the Torah encompasses, it is incumbent upon all people to at least be informed about the plain meaning of the text.

        This is why our parashah this week contains purity instructions for the Kohanim.  These laws are written in the Torah, and not in a separate document or book which sets a precedence for requirements of leadership to be readily available to those whom they lead.  The public’s responsibility is to hold the leadership to the set standards, and also to help the leaders to meet these standards.  Anyone and everyone who is in a position of leadership must adhere to the highest of standards of ethical, moral, and lawful behavior.

        Unfortunately, the modern world is full of leaders who fall far short of this.  Everyone is responsible for his/her actions, words, and deeds.  This is an absolute; however, those who choose to influence leaders to stray from the responsibilities which all leaders are sworn to uphold are abhorrent, and just as responsible.  Those who “look the other way,” have also fallen down in their duty to their fellows.

        For those who are spiritual and religious leaders, we are taught this week in our parashah they should only publicly lead if they themselves are pure.  This means that they must not lead a service if their appearance or their soul is in a state of “defilement,” or not wholly up to lifting others towards Adonai.  If there is something about the Kohanim which may lead others to question, or gossip about, they should take a break from their duties until they purify themselves with water - both mentally, and physically.

        Our parashah discusses who the Kohanim are allowed to marry, who they are allowed to be around if that person is dying, or dead, and their state of purity regarding their physical needs, and physical flaws or illnesses.  While this seems extremely strict - and it is - their higher purpose is to lead, to be available to lead for as much of their waking time as possible.  So, while Adonai acknowledges that while here on earth, the Kohanim are still first and foremost human, and therefore subject to the same emotions and illnesses as everyone else, they still have a responsibility to try to insulate themselves from the mundane world as much as possible.

        By allowing knowledge of these standards be known to everyone, we all share a responsibility to help them to maintain this strict lifestyle.  We have a responsibility not to tempt our spiritual and religious leaders, specifically here our Kohanim and their families, with things which will make others question their positions of authority.  This is why the Kohanim are told to only marry virgins who are Levites.  If one were to marry a divorcee’, or a widow, others may wonder if the Kohanim were in any way responsible for the divorce, or the death of a husband.

        Our parashah takes us from the strict purity standards required of the Kohanim, to a discussion of holy days to be forever celebrated by all Jewish people.  The transition is the importance of celebrating happy life-affirming events above all else, and doing so by thanking  Adonai.  There is an interjection of the importance of the constant donation of olive oil by the Jewish people to the Tabernacle to keep the eternal light burning.

        After declaring the utmost importance of all Jewish people observing specific holy days, we are taken to a discussion of laws which apply to all human beings.  It is here we focus on the importance of not taking Adonai’s name in vain, without distinguishing whether this applies to falsely accusing someone, or swearing falsely to another outside of an official court, or denigrating G-d in any way.

        We are told the punishment for blasphemy, as well as for any violent act, including murder, should be the same for every human being.  When looked at in context to the rest of the parashah, we learn several things.  One of which is the Torah is to be shared with everyone.  The Torah also teaches us we are all responsible to and for each other.  We learn it is incumbent upon the Jewish people to meet high standards of behavior, even higher ones for the Kohanim, because we are forever to be looked to for leadership by the whole world.  This is why the eternal light must be enabled to burn by the whole Israelite nation’s efforts, and kept burning forever.  We also learn that while it is important to be somewhat separated from outsiders in order to effectively lead, our leaders aren’t to be treated as somehow above their own humanity, and human inclinations, feelings, and duties.  Only G-d is Adonai.  Adonai is also the G-d of all of creation.

        While for a long time humanity has generally abdicated responsibility for order, kindness, justice, fairness, and respect in this world for each other and for Adonai, this trend appears to be changing.  We, as a world community, have been insisting on these changes.  There are uprisings against unfair leaders worldwide, and groups emerging and uniting to promote all of the good things Adonai wants us to be.  We need to keep connecting with each other in kindness, fairness, and with respect.  At the same time, there are groups who are trying to destroy all which is good, along with individuals who “worship other gods,” i.e. those of power, greed, violence, selfishness, etc.  Keep fighting evil.  Keep contesting crooked establishments for what is fair, kind, just, and respectful.  Never forget we were put on earth to take care of all which Adonai created, including each other.  Protect those who can not protect themselves. 

        Today is Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.  It was because evil was allowed to reign that eleven million people were killed by the Nazis.  I don’t know how many others were killed trying to stop them.  I do know this:  Hitler and the Nazi movement could have and should have been stopped long, long, long, before they were.  We need to remember in order to learn from past mistakes, and to remember evil will spread, and spread quickly if not stopped.  We cannot even look the other way.  We are all responsible for stopping evil in its tracks.  The good people of the earth can only defeat evil by working together, and actively stopping it wherever it is found.

        Shabbat Shalom, may we be blessed with peace always.  I’d love to know what you think!

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