Shabbat shalom!

Does ritual matter in our lives? If so, how does it work? Is there something fundamentally transformative about performing a ritual? Does it magically cause the universe to change in some way? Take Kiddush at the beginning of Shabbat and Festivals, for example. The purpose of Kiddush is not to bless or sanctify the wine, per se (contrary to popular belief), but rather, to declare the holiness of the day that is about to begin. What if we do not say Kiddush, then – is Shabbat not holy? Of course it is! If we do not say Kiddush, Shabbat is still inherently holy, but in allowing the beginning of Shabbat to pass unacknowledged, it likely goes unappreciated in our lives. Ritual, then, is generally meaningful not because it changes something on the outside, but because it affects our perspectives and experiences of the world on the inside.

This week we begin reading Sefer Vayikra – the Book of Leviticus, which is the third book of the Torah. It is sometimes difficult to look at the opening chapters and find meaning in the value and purpose of sacrificing animals in service to God: slaughtering and burning the animals, sprinkling their blood around the altar, and becoming cleansed of our sins. The rabbis teach us that traditionally, young children begin their study of the Torah with Sefer Vayikra because they are pure and the sacrifices are pure. Therefore, it stands to reason, children would have an easier grasp of the meaning of the sacrifices. By extension, it seems that adults would have a more difficult time with the concept.

How do we, as adults, make sense of the sacrificial system prescribed by our sacred Torah? Not by dismissing it as archaic. Not by calling it unenlightened. And not by lauding its perfection, either. Rather, we acknowledge the power of ritual and realize that our ancestors needed a way to express their remorse about misdeeds performed and their appreciation of what is holy in our world. Today, we do not use the sacrificial tradition of our ancestors to express these things. We do benefit, however, from their role modeling when we allow ritual practices to infuse meaning into the daily experiences of our lives. We mark holiness in time when we celebrate holidays; we note significant moments in life through life cycle rituals; and we infuse our lives with purpose by observing rituals in our daily behavior.

The message of this week’s Torah reading is clear: holiness exists when we allow it to enter our consciousness. Our job is to let it in. How do you do it? Share your thoughts, reactions and ideas here.

Shabbat shalom.