This Shabbat, during the Minchah prayer, the young Emely Pol Policart, daughter of Roberto and Raquel, will be called to the Torah for the first time, thus assuming her adult status in the Jewish people.
We share some reflections from Emely about her parashah and this very special ceremony for her:
Once the mourning for Nadav and Abihu the sons of Aharon is over, Moses receives an “operations manual” for the safe keeping of the Tabernacle, or the first “operations center”.
There are 3 topics that are touched upon in this part. First, meat: how, when and where to eat it. Do not eat blood or corpses. Second: sexual relations, a complete guide on who NOT to have sex with. And third: repentance and atonement for sins. Hence the origin of Yom Kippur, this day of judgment is a marathon that includes special clothing, diet, and above all reflection on what we need to improve in our lives.
The question we are left with is whether this ancient “operations manual” is relevant to what we eat, how we love and pray in this day and age. And it is that looking beyond the literal meaning is one of the ways in which the Torah helps us and is important today.
Mazal Tov to Emely and to all her family.
