5784/2024
Parashat Emor is packed with laws about Kohanim and the Mo’adim. A few questions can be asked as to why they are in the same Parashah, and why there is strange grammar? The first Pasuk in the Parashah starts off: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה’ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם- The Pasuk uses three words for ‘saying’. Rav Levi Yitzchok MeBarditchev writes in his sefer, Kedushat Levi, that this Pasuk is here to teach us an important lesson. He teaches that the word ‘Emor’ is actually a holier ‘Amar’. Since the Torah is talking to the Kohanim, who are the holiest group in our society, it needs to use holier adjectives. He also writes that this Emor is here to give us Mussar, because we need to have a mouth filled with Kedusha.
The Ktav Vehakabalah comments on the Midrash (Midrash Rabbah 28:3) on Sefirat Ha’omer, that we count seven weeks to make them perfect. By counting, we bring ourselves closer to Hashem. One way we can achieve that is by perfecting the words that emerge from our mouths. We count not only to look up to the day of Matan Torah, but to make sure that we Sanctify our mouths to say the words “Na’aseh VeNishmah'' with clean mouths.
Another way we can look at the word ‘Emor’, is from Rabbi Jachter, who comments on this Pasuk and says, by Hashem telling Moshe how He acts, so too, the Kohanim have to act like Him. We always have to act like Hashem, whether talking about His Rachamim, or His trait of being slow to anger.
A third way to view it is that there are three forms of ‘Amar’ to speak to three generations. The Tur adds to the Pasuk that we should include the children to teach them the Mitzvot. A child of the age to know about Hashem should be taught not to sin. They also should be included because they are part of us. Everyone, including the ‘Ketanim’, the people who are not holding in Torah, should be included in the negative and positive commandments. Similarly, the Kohanim who do not yet excel in Taharot should be taught first because that's the foundation for a Kohen to serve. He needs to be clean from Tumat Meit. Once the Kohen is clean, he can then serve in the Mishkan.
This is a huge lesson not just for the Kohanim. Last week’s Parashah was Parashat Kedoshim, and this week we’re just adding to that. We need to be Kadosh both in our mouths and in that we must be ready to serve Hashem whenever we can. Being Tahor both on our tongues and in our bodies, will help us attach ourselves to the Ribono Shel Olam and bring the Geulah BeMeheirah BeYameinu.