Emor 5774
In this week’s
parasha, Emor, we read a phrase that seems to be commonplace in the Torah (Lev.
24:22):
מִשְׁפַּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח יִהְיֶה: כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.
You shall have
one manner of law, as well for the stranger and the home-born, for I am the
Lord your God.
While many of us are used to
this phrase that appears at the end of the verse “I am the Lord your God”, we
often wonder, why do these words keep repeating themselves? We know that God is
commanding us to do this!
Rashi asks this question on
this verse, and responds:
)כב) אני ה' אלוהיכם - אלוהי כולכם, כשם שאני מיחד שמי עליכם כך אני מייחד שמי על הגרים:
Rashi explains, that when the
Torah says, “I am the Lord your God” in this verse, he is proclaiming that he
is the God for every person. That just as God’s name is unique for the
Israelites, so too is God’s name reserved for gerim, for the stranger in
our midst. I would suggest that just as we become used to this refrain, “I am
the Lord your God”, Rashi encourages to look deeper into the words, and seek
out equality for every person in our community, because that is how God wants
God’s presence to be made manifest in our world.
With this week’s parasha in
mind, I would like to invite you to join me at ONE Northside’s first inaugural
convention, which we are hosting at Anshe Emet. On Sunday, May 4th,
from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m., we will be hosting a full house of 1,200 people to celebrate
what ONE Northside has already accomplished – preserving people’s rights to
housing, supporting those with mental health issues in our community, and
helping to resolve major issues of violence in our neighborhoods. We will be
upholding this biblical imperative of ensuring that civil rights are provided
equally – for the Jewish community, the resident, and the stranger in our
midst.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi David Russo
