Divrei Torah

The Torah described the revelation at Mount Sinai back in Parashat Yitro, in the book of Shmot (Exodus). But much has happened to Bnei Yisrael in the Torah since then - they have built and dedicated the Mishkan (tabernacle), and have been commanded to keep many mitzvot.

Strangely, the portion we read this Shabbat, Parashat Behar, brings us back to Sinai, well into the book of Vayikra (Leviticus). It begins by saying that Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai commanding the children of Israel...

In Parashat Emor, we're taught a lot about the lofty status of the kohanim (priests). There's tremendous merit given to the kohanim, and they were -and are- given special perks due to their higher status. However their honor doesn't come without a price tag: kohanim have a different standard of how they are to live their lives, with more restrictions due to their holier status. Interestingly the Jewish people are often likened to kohanim, with the term affectionately given to us by Hashem in Parashat Yitro 

Rabbi Shalom Rosner presents a fascinating question, raised from Chassidic thought, about the name of this week's parsha, "Acharei Mot". The first pasuk of the parsha states: 

"וַיְ דֵּ֤בר יְהֹוָה אל־מ ֶׁ֔שה אחֵ֣רי מֹות ְׁשֵ֖ני בֵ֣ני אהֹ֑רֹ֑ן בקרבתם ל פֵנֽי־יְהָֹ֖וה וַּיָֻֽמתּו:" 

"And the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, when they drew near before the Lord, and they died...