Rabbi Rocki Schy

During recent Shabbatot, we’ve been reading from the Book of Leviticus.

Leviticus is the third book of the Torah, and is told primarily through Hashem’s speech to Moses about how Moses should instruct the Israelites.

This is a break in form from the more narratively skewed books of Genesis and Exodus.

Leviticus is instead concerned with legal, ritual and moral practices. Through Hashem’s words to Moses, the Israelites are told how to interact with one another, how to make sacrifices, how to handle legal disputes and how to act in a holy manner, among many other instructions.

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Our Jewish calendar expects a lot from us during the course of the year.

Every week, we must make time for rest, relaxation and refreshment as we approach Shabbat.

We are expected to evaluate our lives and our souls in the lead-up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

We are expected to be devastatingly sad and melancholy on dates like Tisha B’Av.

And, of course, we are expected to be euphorically happy as we approach Purim.

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We recently began reading the Book of Exodus. Anyone who has seen The Prince of Egypt or The Ten Commandments can appreciate the impact of these beginning parshiot.

The plot of Exodus is so complex, with character introductions and development abounding as the narrative progresses. We are introduced to Moses, Miriam and Aaron, to Pharaoh and his daughter, to the freedom narrative and the process by which the Israelites become a nation with mitzvot to follow.

What I tend to find most meaningful about these early chapters of Exodus is Pharaoh’s behavior. When Moses first speaks to G-d, G-d tells him that G-d will harden Pharaoh’s heart so Pharaoh will not free the Israelites.

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Preparing for the secular New Year is wildly different than preparing for the Jewish New Year — even down to the time of year!

Rosh Hashanah occurs when the summer months wane and give way to the crispness of autumn. We find some relief from the heat, and head into the new season with our souls renewed.

Secular New Year, on the other hand, comes at the darkest point of the year. The days get shorter and the nights grow darker, and it seems the slog of winter will never end.

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