The Haftarah is for Shabbat Rosh Hodesh and is taken from Isaiah 66:1-24 with Verse 23 repeated at the end.
Korah is the name of the portion and also the name of the chief rival to the leadership of Moses and Aaron as they lead the Israelites through the wilderness. This Torah portion details the failed attempt at rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron and the costly consequence to Korah and all of his followers. They are killed!
Numbers Chapter 18 reaffirms the legitimate leadership of Aaron as the High Priest/Kohen Gadol after the failed attempted rebellion by Korah and his followers. Appropriate gifts are to be presented to the Levites as an everlasting covenant between God and the tribe of Levi.
These gifts are necessary and indispensable to the family of Aaron since we learn in Numbers 18:20, “And the Lord said to Aaron: you shall, however, have no territorial share among them or own any portion in their midst; I am your portion and your share among the Israelites.” The Levites were not to own any land. They were absolutely dependent upon the tithes and other gifts from the other Israelite tribes who were allotted sections of the land of Israel.
The rabbis examined the last half of the verse quoted above and understood it as an example of Aaron’s special people skills and talents - “…I(God) am your portion(helkecha) and your share(nahalatcha /among the Israelites(b’toch b’nei Yisrael).” The rabbis tells us that Aaron was particularly successful in balancing the two conflicting tendencies and needs indicated in this second half of Numbers 18:20. A religious leader must always remember that he/she represents God’s portion “helek” and inheritance “nahala”. The religious leader has a responsibility to constantly promote and protect God’s law. That is an ultimate goal of any religion, including Judaism. At the same time, religious leaders who work with congregations and who are not stuck in the ivory towers of scholarship also realize that there is a need to balance God’s law with the needs of the people(b’toch b’nei Yisrael) Sometimes the two are in conflict. Sometimes it is easy to overemphasize one at the expense of the other.
Aaron, the High Priest, was exceptionally skilled at both protecting God’s law and the needs of the people. If anything, he would bend the law in favor of the people and break it to protect them as he did by helping to mold and fashion the golden calf. The tradition actually labels Aaron the “Rodayf Shalom – pursuer of peace” because while he certainly did not follow God’s law in the golden calf incident, his actions probably helped to maintain enough of a sense of community for the Israelites to recover and rebound from that terrible communal sin.
The Levites, and many other religious leaders are dependent upon the gifts of people for their livelihood. That is true also in our day and age for rabbis, cantors and other clergy. We are indebted to you, we are here to serve you, but we are also, first and foremost also here to serve God. Both are important and both are necessary. Numbers 18:20 reminds us of both in what has to be considered the appropriate order when Aaron is reminded, “…I am your portion and your share” (stated first), “among the Israelites” (stated second) – prioritized, without neglect to either priority.”
Candle lighting time is 8:16 P.M.
Our Friday night service will begin at 7:30 P.M.
Our Shabbat morning service will begin at 9:00 A.M.
During the service we will celebrate the B’not Mitzvah of Rachel Fink and Michelle Hinkes. Mazel Tov!
Our Shabbat Minha/Ma-Ariv/Havdalah service will begin at 7:50 PM. During the service we will celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Jason Robinson. Mazel Tov!
Our service on Sunday morning, June 20 will begin at 9:30 A.M.
We will celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Sam Steinman. Mazel Tov!
Happy Father’s Day.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Philip Pohl
B'nai Shalom of Olney
18401 Burtfield Dr.
Olney, MD 20832
301-774-0879
301-774-3992 FAX