● This summary is adapted from the essay written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012, available here
A kohen must do what he can to avoid becoming tamei (impure, or ceremonially unclean.) He may not touch or be under the same roof as a dead body. He must remain aloof from close contact with the dead (exceptions are made for close relatives: his wife, his parent, his child, brother or unmarried sister.) The laws for a Kohen Gadol are even stricter. He may not become tamei even for a close relative, though both he and an ordinary priest may do so for a meit mitzva (who has no one else to attend to his funeral). Here the basic requirement of human dignity overrides the priestly imperative of purity.
Many laws like this – especially the rite of the Red Heifer, used to cleanse those who had come into contact with the dead – are hard for us to understand. It is perplexing. Death defiles. But so does childbirth. Then, in our Parsha, there is the exclusion of any kohen with a physical blemish from service in the Mishkan – including anyone blind or lame, or with a deformed nose or misshapen limb, a crippled leg or hand, or a hunchback. Why? Such an exclusion seems to fly in the face of the principle that “God does not look at the things people look at. People look at the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” So why should outer appearances affect whether priests may serve in the house of God? Is there an underlying logic?
First, let’s unpack the concept of the holy. God is beyond space and time, yet God created space and time as well as the physical entities that occupy space and time. During the process of Creation, God limited His own infinite abilities to create the physical, and then He established the holy as the point at which the Eternal enters time and the Infinite enters space. Holy time is Shabbat. Holy space was the Mishkan, and later, the Temple.
God’s eternity stands in the sharpest possible contrast to our mortality. All that lives will one day die. All that is physical will one day cease to be (even the sun!) Hence the extreme delicacy and danger of the Mishkan or Temple. The combination of the purely spiritual and the unmistakably physical is explosive and must be guarded against. Just as a highly sensitive experiment must be conducted without the slightest contamination, so the holy space had to be kept free of conditions that bespoke mortality.
Both death and birth make us aware of our mortality, and tsara’at makes us vividly aware of the body. Even mould on a garment or on the house is a symptom of physical decay. There is nothing wrong about any of these things, but they focus our attention on the physical and are therefore incompatible with holy spaces, dedicated to the presence of the God, the Eternal Infinite that never dies or decays.
Tumah does not mean defilement. It means that which distracts from eternity and infinity by making us forcibly aware of mortality, of the fact that we are physical beings in a physical world. What the Mishkan represented in space and Shabbat in time was quite radical, that holiness exists within this world, although it is bounded by space and time. But holiness must be carefully insulated. Hence the stringency of the laws of Shabbat on the one hand, the Temple and its priesthood on the other. The holy is the point at which heaven and earth meet, where, by intense focus and a complete absence of earthly concerns, we open up space and time to the sensed presence of God who is beyond space and time. It is an intimation of eternity in the midst of life, allowing us at our holiest moments to feel part of something that does not die. The holy is the space within which we redeem our existence from mere contingency and know that we are held within the “everlasting arms” of God.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
How do we create “holy spaces” in our own homes and lives where we can focus on what matters most?
How do we honour both the physical needs and the spiritual aspirations in our family life?
What place or time makes you feel closest to God? What matters most?
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Emor outlines special laws for kohanim and Temple service. Priests must maintain ritual purity, avoiding contact with dead bodies except for close relatives, and they have marriage restrictions too. The Parsha then details holy days and dates: Shabbat and Jewish chaggim; Pesach; the Omer counting, Shavuot; Rosh Hashanah; Yom Kippur; Succot; and Shemini Atzeret. Temple instructions cover the Menorah lighting and showbread placement. The portion ends with consequences for serious sins - blasphemy, the death penalty for murder, and financial compensation for injuring others or damaging property.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
The laws of tumah are difficult to understand logically. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai is famous for saying to his students, “It is not that death defiles nor that the waters [of the Red Heifer] purify. Rather, God says, I have ordained a statute and issued a decree, and you have no permission to transgress it.” He seems to be teaching that the rules have no logic we can understand. They are simply Divine commands.
But these laws do have an emotional logic: That we are human, and what separates us from connecting to God isn’t moral failing but simply our awareness of our physical nature.
When confronted with birth, death, illness, or bodily differences, we become hyper-aware of our mortality. This awareness naturally interrupts our spiritual focus. The Temple and Shabbat created special spaces where God can enter our world, carefully protected from these reminders of our temporary existence. Through these sacred islands in time and space, we briefly rise above our physical limitations by creating protected environments where our minds can shift toward the eternal while still living within our mortal reality.
Can we create our own ‘sacred islands’ in today’s busy world?
Parsha Activity
Sacred Space
This game transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for connection. Set a timer for three minutes as family members spread out to create personal sanctuaries using just three objects.
Touring each space in thoughtful silence, everyone attempts to interpret what makes each area feel set apart before creators reveal their intentions!
How can we bring God into our daily lives in a short amount of time?
A Story for the Ages
Storm & Island
Once there was a sailor named Maya who loved exploring the vast ocean. One morning during a terrible storm, her small boat was tossed about from wave to wave, in great danger of capsizing. As the storm abated, the boat finally crashed against some rocks near a tiny, uninhabited island. Maya managed to gather up a small bag of belongings - and her courage - and then she swam safely to shore.
That first day on the island, Maya was scared and felt very alone. Although the island had plenty of trees and fresh water, it wasn’t home. She missed her family and the familiar comforts of her life. “I might be here for a while,” Maya thought, and this fact scared her greatly. But then she took a deep breath and spoke again: “The storm changed my course, but not my courage.”
Day by day, Maya transformed her situation. She scouted the island, and found fresh fruit and large soft leaves that could be used as blankets. She used branches and yet more leaves to build a cosy shelter. Then she collected colourful shells to decorate her new home. She created tools from what she found and even made a small garden where she grew vegetables from seeds in her bag.
Each evening, Maya would sit on a special rock overlooking the ocean. She called it her ‘mulling point’ – a place where she could watch the sunset, reflect on her day, and feel connected to the wider world.
When a search and rescue team finally found Maya several months later, they were amazed at the beautiful space she had created. During her most challenging time, Maya had carved out a special place that was truly her own – a reminder that we always have the power to create meaning and beauty, no matter our circumstances. And when she returned home, she felt stronger and braver and more connected than ever before.
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Haftara reading
in a Nutshell
Ezekiel 44:15-31
In this week’s Haftara, God sets apart the kohanim (priests) from the sons of Zadok to serve in the Mishkan (Sanctuary), because they remained faithful when others went astray.
These priests are given specific duties: to enter the inner sanctuary, approach God’s table, and offer sacrifices. Strict regulations are outlined for their behaviour and appearance - they must wear linen garments, keep their hair trimmed, avoid wine when on duty, and maintain ritual purity. In addition, only unblemished men can serve in the Mishkan.
Their lifestyle and role in the community is also specified. They are to teach the people the difference between the holy and the profane, and to serve as judges in disputes. The priests must marry only virgins, or widows of kohanim, and they are not given land as an inheritance - God Himself is their inheritance. They are entitled to specific offerings and first-fruits, ensuring they are supported while fulfilling their sacred role. The passage emphasises purity, justice, and the priests’ special responsibility before God.
Points to Ponder
Why do you think the kohanim are given such detailed instructions in relation to their appearance?
The kohanim are not entitled to own a portion of land in Israel. How can God be an inheritance in the place of land?
Tanach Connections
Parsha & Haftara Links
The links between the Parsha and Haftara are very clear this week. Parshat Emor begins with the laws relating to the kohanim (the priests) in the Mishkan (Sanctuary) and our Haftara sets out the laws that will be applicable to the kohanim in the final temple in Jerusalem in the future, in messianic times.
In fact, the Parsha and Haftara have an (almost) identical list of relatives for whom a kohen must make himself ritually impure by being in the presence of a dead body.
However, there are some differences in relation to the laws of the kohen. Let’s examine them:
In the Parsha only kohanim with a physical blemish are disqualified from working in the Mishkan. In the Haftara, this is extended to all priests except those descended from Zadok.
The Parsha forbids kohanim from making a bald spot on their heads. In the Haftara the kohanim are required to have a particular type of haircut.
The Parsha allows a regular priest to marry a widow. This is forbidden by the Haftara.
Why are the lists of rules and restrictions so abundant in both the Parsha and Haftara? Perhaps Rabbi Sacks’ suggestion gives an insight. He writes, “They are all about order, limits, boundaries. They teach us that reality has a structure whose integrity must be honoured.”
Putting the Haftara into Context
On the Book of Ezekiel
It is worth us thinking about Zadok, for he plays an important role in our Haftara. Zadok and his descendants are portrayed as the faithful priestly line chosen by God to serve in the new, idealised Temple. They are granted a special status, in contrast to other Levites who went astray. But who was Zadok?
Zadok was a priest descended from Eleazar, son of Aaron. He remained loyal to King David during Absalom’s rebellion, and supported King Solomon’s ascension to the throne. Because of his faithfulness, he was appointed Kohen Gadol, replacing the line of Eli (descended from Ithamar). In Ezekiel 40–48, especially 44:15–31, the “sons of Zadok” are:
1) Praised for their loyalty, for they remained faithful when other Levites turned to idolatry.
2) Granted priestly privileges: Only they may serve at the altar, enter the inner sanctuary, and offer sacrifices.
3) Held to strict standards: They must follow specific regulations for purity, dress, marriage, and education.
In Ezekiel’s vision of the restored temple, the sons of Zadok represent:
Faithfulness to God
A purified priesthood
Spiritual leadership grounded in covenant loyalty
The roles of Zadok and his sons mark a clear separation between true and corrupt religious leadership, reflecting Ezekiel’s broader concern with holiness and restoration.
Quote of the Week
“The purpose of the emphasis on the visual elements of the Mishkan, and the grand vestments of those who ministered there, was to create an atmosphere of reverence because they pointed to a beauty and splendour beyond themselves, namely God Himself.”
Dressing to Impress, Tetzaveh, Covenant & Conversation
Further Ponderings
If you were starting a new business, would you feel comfortable requiring your employees to dress in a certain way, or to have a particular hairstyle? Why so?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the
Family Edition
is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant &
Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
“I have loved the Torah of R’ Chaim Schimmel ever since I first encountered it. It
strives to be not just about truth on the surface but also its connection to a
deeper truth beneath. Together with Anna, his remarkable wife of 60 years, they
built a life dedicated to love of family, community, and Torah. An extraordinary
couple who have moved me beyond measure by the example of their lives.” — Rabbi
Sacks
Eternity and Mortality
Family Edition
Emor
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
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Main Essay
Emor
Eternity and Mortality
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The Summary
● This summary is adapted from the essay written by Rabbi Sacks in 2012, available here
A kohen must do what he can to avoid becoming tamei (impure, or ceremonially unclean.) He may not touch or be under the same roof as a dead body. He must remain aloof from close contact with the dead (exceptions are made for close relatives: his wife, his parent, his child, brother or unmarried sister.) The laws for a Kohen Gadol are even stricter. He may not become tamei even for a close relative, though both he and an ordinary priest may do so for a meit mitzva (who has no one else to attend to his funeral). Here the basic requirement of human dignity overrides the priestly imperative of purity.
Many laws like this – especially the rite of the Red Heifer, used to cleanse those who had come into contact with the dead – are hard for us to understand. It is perplexing. Death defiles. But so does childbirth. Then, in our Parsha, there is the exclusion of any kohen with a physical blemish from service in the Mishkan – including anyone blind or lame, or with a deformed nose or misshapen limb, a crippled leg or hand, or a hunchback. Why? Such an exclusion seems to fly in the face of the principle that “God does not look at the things people look at. People look at the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” So why should outer appearances affect whether priests may serve in the house of God? Is there an underlying logic?
First, let’s unpack the concept of the holy. God is beyond space and time, yet God created space and time as well as the physical entities that occupy space and time. During the process of Creation, God limited His own infinite abilities to create the physical, and then He established the holy as the point at which the Eternal enters time and the Infinite enters space. Holy time is Shabbat. Holy space was the Mishkan, and later, the Temple.
God’s eternity stands in the sharpest possible contrast to our mortality. All that lives will one day die. All that is physical will one day cease to be (even the sun!) Hence the extreme delicacy and danger of the Mishkan or Temple. The combination of the purely spiritual and the unmistakably physical is explosive and must be guarded against. Just as a highly sensitive experiment must be conducted without the slightest contamination, so the holy space had to be kept free of conditions that bespoke mortality.
Both death and birth make us aware of our mortality, and tsara’at makes us vividly aware of the body. Even mould on a garment or on the house is a symptom of physical decay. There is nothing wrong about any of these things, but they focus our attention on the physical and are therefore incompatible with holy spaces, dedicated to the presence of the God, the Eternal Infinite that never dies or decays.
Tumah does not mean defilement. It means that which distracts from eternity and infinity by making us forcibly aware of mortality, of the fact that we are physical beings in a physical world. What the Mishkan represented in space and Shabbat in time was quite radical, that holiness exists within this world, although it is bounded by space and time. But holiness must be carefully insulated. Hence the stringency of the laws of Shabbat on the one hand, the Temple and its priesthood on the other. The holy is the point at which heaven and earth meet, where, by intense focus and a complete absence of earthly concerns, we open up space and time to the sensed presence of God who is beyond space and time. It is an intimation of eternity in the midst of life, allowing us at our holiest moments to feel part of something that does not die. The holy is the space within which we redeem our existence from mere contingency and know that we are held within the “everlasting arms” of God.
Around the Shabbat Table
Questions to Ponder
On the Parsha
Written by Sara Lamm
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Parsha in a Nutshell
Emor outlines special laws for kohanim and Temple service. Priests must maintain ritual purity, avoiding contact with dead bodies except for close relatives, and they have marriage restrictions too. The Parsha then details holy days and dates: Shabbat and Jewish chaggim; Pesach; the Omer counting, Shavuot; Rosh Hashanah; Yom Kippur; Succot; and Shemini Atzeret. Temple instructions cover the Menorah lighting and showbread placement. The portion ends with consequences for serious sins - blasphemy, the death penalty for murder, and financial compensation for injuring others or damaging property.
Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
Delving Deeper
The laws of tumah are difficult to understand logically. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai is famous for saying to his students, “It is not that death defiles nor that the waters [of the Red Heifer] purify. Rather, God says, I have ordained a statute and issued a decree, and you have no permission to transgress it.” He seems to be teaching that the rules have no logic we can understand. They are simply Divine commands.
But these laws do have an emotional logic: That we are human, and what separates us from connecting to God isn’t moral failing but simply our awareness of our physical nature.
When confronted with birth, death, illness, or bodily differences, we become hyper-aware of our mortality. This awareness naturally interrupts our spiritual focus. The Temple and Shabbat created special spaces where God can enter our world, carefully protected from these reminders of our temporary existence. Through these sacred islands in time and space, we briefly rise above our physical limitations by creating protected environments where our minds can shift toward the eternal while still living within our mortal reality.
Parsha Activity
Sacred Space
This game transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for connection. Set a timer for three minutes as family members spread out to create personal sanctuaries using just three objects.
Touring each space in thoughtful silence, everyone attempts to interpret what makes each area feel set apart before creators reveal their intentions!
How can we bring God into our daily lives in a short amount of time?
A Story for the Ages
Storm & Island
Once there was a sailor named Maya who loved exploring the vast ocean. One morning during a terrible storm, her small boat was tossed about from wave to wave, in great danger of capsizing. As the storm abated, the boat finally crashed against some rocks near a tiny, uninhabited island. Maya managed to gather up a small bag of belongings - and her courage - and then she swam safely to shore.
That first day on the island, Maya was scared and felt very alone. Although the island had plenty of trees and fresh water, it wasn’t home. She missed her family and the familiar comforts of her life. “I might be here for a while,” Maya thought, and this fact scared her greatly. But then she took a deep breath and spoke again: “The storm changed my course, but not my courage.”
Day by day, Maya transformed her situation. She scouted the island, and found fresh fruit and large soft leaves that could be used as blankets. She used branches and yet more leaves to build a cosy shelter. Then she collected colourful shells to decorate her new home. She created tools from what she found and even made a small garden where she grew vegetables from seeds in her bag.
Each evening, Maya would sit on a special rock overlooking the ocean. She called it her ‘mulling point’ – a place where she could watch the sunset, reflect on her day, and feel connected to the wider world.
When a search and rescue team finally found Maya several months later, they were amazed at the beautiful space she had created. During her most challenging time, Maya had carved out a special place that was truly her own – a reminder that we always have the power to create meaning and beauty, no matter our circumstances. And when she returned home, she felt stronger and braver and more connected than ever before.
On the Haftara
Written by Rabbi Barry Kleinberg
Inspired by the Teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
The Haftara reading
in a Nutshell
Ezekiel 44:15-31
In this week’s Haftara, God sets apart the kohanim (priests) from the sons of Zadok to serve in the Mishkan (Sanctuary), because they remained faithful when others went astray.
These priests are given specific duties: to enter the inner sanctuary, approach God’s table, and offer sacrifices. Strict regulations are outlined for their behaviour and appearance - they must wear linen garments, keep their hair trimmed, avoid wine when on duty, and maintain ritual purity. In addition, only unblemished men can serve in the Mishkan.
Their lifestyle and role in the community is also specified. They are to teach the people the difference between the holy and the profane, and to serve as judges in disputes. The priests must marry only virgins, or widows of kohanim, and they are not given land as an inheritance - God Himself is their inheritance. They are entitled to specific offerings and first-fruits, ensuring they are supported while fulfilling their sacred role. The passage emphasises purity, justice, and the priests’ special responsibility before God.
Points to Ponder
Tanach Connections
Parsha & Haftara Links
The links between the Parsha and Haftara are very clear this week. Parshat Emor begins with the laws relating to the kohanim (the priests) in the Mishkan (Sanctuary) and our Haftara sets out the laws that will be applicable to the kohanim in the final temple in Jerusalem in the future, in messianic times.
In fact, the Parsha and Haftara have an (almost) identical list of relatives for whom a kohen must make himself ritually impure by being in the presence of a dead body.
However, there are some differences in relation to the laws of the kohen. Let’s examine them:
Why are the lists of rules and restrictions so abundant in both the Parsha and Haftara? Perhaps Rabbi Sacks’ suggestion gives an insight. He writes, “They are all about order, limits, boundaries. They teach us that reality has a structure whose integrity must be honoured.”
Putting the Haftara into Context
On the Book of Ezekiel
It is worth us thinking about Zadok, for he plays an important role in our Haftara. Zadok and his descendants are portrayed as the faithful priestly line chosen by God to serve in the new, idealised Temple. They are granted a special status, in contrast to other Levites who went astray. But who was Zadok?
Zadok was a priest descended from Eleazar, son of Aaron. He remained loyal to King David during Absalom’s rebellion, and supported King Solomon’s ascension to the throne. Because of his faithfulness, he was appointed Kohen Gadol, replacing the line of Eli (descended from Ithamar). In Ezekiel 40–48, especially 44:15–31, the “sons of Zadok” are:
1) Praised for their loyalty, for they remained faithful when other Levites turned to idolatry.
2) Granted priestly privileges: Only they may serve at the altar, enter the inner sanctuary, and offer sacrifices.
3) Held to strict standards: They must follow specific regulations for purity, dress, marriage, and education.
In Ezekiel’s vision of the restored temple, the sons of Zadok represent:
The roles of Zadok and his sons mark a clear separation between true and corrupt religious leadership, reflecting Ezekiel’s broader concern with holiness and restoration.
Quote of the Week
“The purpose of the emphasis on the visual elements of the Mishkan, and the grand vestments of those who ministered there, was to create an atmosphere of reverence because they pointed to a beauty and splendour beyond themselves, namely God Himself.”
Dressing to Impress, Tetzaveh, Covenant & Conversation
Further Ponderings
If you were starting a new business, would you feel comfortable requiring your employees to dress in a certain way, or to have a particular hairstyle? Why so?
Written as an accompaniment to Rabbi Sacks’ weekly Covenant & Conversation essay, the Family Edition is aimed at connecting teenagers with his ideas and thoughts on the parsha.
With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.
Love Is Not Enough
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