Haftarah class, Isaiah on Shabbat Vayikra 3/24/23 for East End Temple
This week's Torah portion is focused on the (somewhat gruesome for vegetarians for sure) details of how animal, bird and grain sacrifices will be offered by individuals and prepared by the Kohanim/priests/Aaron's sons. These sacrifices can be for requesting forgiveness from God or for expressing gratitude.
HOW DO SACRIFICES "Work"? 4 Exegetical answers for discussion [15 min]
Bamidbar Rabba 19:8 [a 12th-century midrash on the Book of Numbers]
(idea 1) A certain stranger questioned Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay, “These things which you do seem like a kind of sorcery. You bring a heifer, burn it, pound it, and take its ashes. Then [when] one of you is defiled by a corpse, they sprinkle two or three drops on him, and you say to him, ‘You are clean.’” He said to him... “Perhaps you have seen someone into whom a bad spirit has entered?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “So what did you do for him?” He said to him, “They bring roots and burn them beneath him. Then they sprinkle water on [the spirit], and it flees.” [Tehilah note: maybe we can think of this as headaches and medication or hydration] He said to him, “Let your ears hear what you are uttering with your mouth. Similarly is this spirit an unclean spirit...
(idea 2) [R. Johanan's] disciples said to him, “Our master...What have you to say to us?” He said to them, “By your lives, a corpse does not defile, nor does the water purify. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, has said, ‘I have enacted a statute for you. I have issued a decree, [and] you are not allowed to transgress against my decree.’” Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2), “This is the statute of the Torah.”
(idea 3) And for what reason are all the sacrifices male, while that one [atonement] is [only] female? R. Ayyevu said, “It is comparable to the son of a female slave who defiled a king's palace. The king said, ‘Let his mother come and clean up the excrement.’ Similarly has the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Let a heifer come and atone for the incident of the [golden] calf.’”
Vayikra Rabba 22:8 [A midrashic collection on the Book of Leviticus, compiled between the fifth and seventh centuries.]
(idea 4) Rabbi Pinhas in the name of Rabbi Levi stated: This is comparable to a king’s son who strayed and was accustomed to eat non-kosher meat. The king declared, “let him always eat at my table and on his own he will eventually become disciplined.”
Because Israel was attached to idolatry in Egypt and would bring their sacrifices to the goat-demons, as it is written (Leviticus 17:7) ...and those shedim refer to the goat-demons, as it says, (Isaiah 13:21) "and the goat [demons] shall prance there." And they would offer sacrifices on high places and retribution would befall them, the Holy One blessed be He said “let them offer sacrifices before Me at all times in the Tent of Meeting and they will be separated from idolatry and be saved.” This is the meaning of what is written (Leviticus 17:3-7): “Any man of the House of Israel who slaughters an ox or sheep or goat... and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as a sacrifice to God.... that man will be cut off from among his people… so that they no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they are wont to stray after."
1. Which answers for "how sacrifices work" did you already know or intuit?
2. Which answers gave you only more questions?
Isaiah 43:21 -27 [15 min]
(21) The people I formed for Myself That they might declare My praise. (22) But you have not worshiped Me, O Jacob, That you should be weary of Me, O Israel. (23) You have not brought Me your sheep for burnt offerings, Nor honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with meal offerings, Nor wearied you about frankincense. (24) You have not bought Me fragrant reed with money, Nor filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened Me with your sins, You have wearied Me with your iniquities. (25) It is I, I who—for My own sake— Wipe your transgressions away. And remember your sins no more. (26) Help me remember! Let us join in argument, Tell your version, That you may be vindicated. (27) Your earliest ancestor sinned, And your spokesmen transgressed against Me.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT
1. What is God saying about the original intention of the relationship?
2. What is not working for God, from this text?
3. How has God tried to bridge the gap between what God wants and what God is receiving?
4. What is God's new plan?
5. Who do you understand to be Israel's earliest ancestor? What did they do?
Isaiah 43:28- 44:4 [15 min]
(28) So I profaned the holy princes;-g I abandoned Jacob ...And Israel to mockery. (1) But hear, now, O Jacob My servant, Israel whom I have chosen! (2) This is what the LORD, your Maker, Your Creator who has helped you since birth, said: "Fear not, My servant Jacob, Jeshurun (the upright/noble one) whom I have chosen, (3) Even as I pour water on thirsty soil, And rain upon dry ground, So will I pour My spirit on your offspring, My blessing upon your posterity. (4) And they shall sprout like grass, Like willows by watercourses. (5) One shall say, “I am the LORD’s,” Another shall use the name of “Jacob,” Another shall mark his arm “of the LORD” And adopt the name of “Israel.”
Isaiah 44:6- 19 synopsis
God illustrates how humans make idols, knowingly imbue them with power that they can't possibly have to make a difference in the world, or life of the worshipper.
Verse 20: They never says to themselves, “The thing in my hand is a fraud!”
God is befuddled and angry.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT:
1. What is God's other new plan?
2. How does God imagine Israel will respond?
3. Has Israel responded yet? If so, how?
4. What does God not get about the human need for idols?
6. What might you see in this human need or thought process, perhaps in relationship to sacrifices?
[BONUS IF TIME 10 min]
This text does not portray a healthy relationship. A lot of assumptions are going on and some pretty big feelings. We do not hear Israel speaking in Israel's own voice at all in these 31 verses. It's time to try a little dialogue borrowing from the relational psychological methodology called "Imago Therapy."
We will invite God & Israel to therapy. God will begin since God's the one with the stated issue. A few of us will, if we feel bold enough, take on the role of God in this text and the role of the missing voice of the Israelites.
What we want to do is have God speak, "Israel" explain what they hear God saying without judgement and speak so that God feels "heard." Then it's Israeli's turn to speak.
Some phrases for reflecting what the person explaining their hurt is saying might be:
How to Empathize: “I can imagine you might be feeling…”
Check it Out: “Is that how you feel?”
How to Mirror: “If I got it, I think you said…” or “So you’re saying…”
Ask if there’s more: “Is there more?” or “Tell me more.”
How to Validate: “You make sense to me because…” or “That makes sense, I can see where…”
Ask for clarification: “This part (X) makes sense, but help me understand, can you say more about…?”