Page 9 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut AUS 2021

MIZRACHI EDUCATORS TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbanit Shani Taragin

Shemini to Acharei Mot,

Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtzmaut

his year, the fifth of Iyar coin- the camp, he returns to his tent. 3. On Simultaneously however, we are
cides with the parshiyot of the eighth day, with special sacrifices, reminded of the deaths that accompa-
TTazria and Metzora, in which he returns to the Mishkan. The cere- nied the eighth day. Aharon wears the
we learn of the laws of tzara’at, a spir- mony of slaughtering a bird over fresh same uniform as his sons did and reen-
itual and physical malady that renders water, dipping a live bird in its blood acts their bringing of the ketoret. Every
the inflicted tamei: limited from access and then sending it away, marks the year he dons white garments, symbol-
to the Mikdash and removed from the transition from life to death, the rebirth izing the color of death, as he revisits
social camp. These parshiyot are pre- of the metzora. The metzora, whose dis- the deaths of his sons, and all the sons
ceded by Shemini, the narrative of the ease surfaced on his body with white, of Israel that have left the “camp of
tragic deaths of Nadav and Avihu at the dead-colored skin, is “brought back to life,” like the metzora. Yet every Yom
Mishkan’s inauguration. life” with crimson-colored water and Kippur – as he sprinkles the blood of
The Torah charges the metzora to rend bird’s blood, symbolizing the return to the bull and the goat, like the sprinkling
his garments, leave his hair to grow, live, healthy flesh. of the blood of the bird of the metzora
cover his mouth and publicly declare We may now understand the juxtapo- – he reminds us that kappara may be
his state of ritual impurity. Then, as sition of the respective parshiyot read achieved and the tumah of death shall
an independent imperative, the Torah at this time of year. After the deaths of be removed.
commands the metzora to live in iso- Nadav and Avihu on Yom HaShemini Every Yom HaZikaron, dressed in
lation. The first two commandments (the eighth day following the inaugural
remind us of the laws of mourning fol- preparations, when the Shechina was blue – together with our white – we
lowing the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, manifest), we encounter laws of defile- remember the tragic deaths of our sol-
diers and terror victims, young sons and
as Moshe had instructed Aharon and ment related to childbirth and then the
his remaining sons not to let their hair pseudo-death of the metzora. But on daughters, who remind us of our own
grow and not to rend their clothes in the same Shabbat, we also read of the mortality. And the day after, as we read
response to their loss, while the rest process of purification and restoration the parshiyot of transition from death to
of the nation will “bewail the burning.” life, from Shoa to Tekuma, from white
to individual and communal life. The to gold, crimson, and techelet, we raise
In contrast, the metzora is not mourn- following Shabbat, we read parashat our flags and celebrate the “inaugura-
ing for a relative, but for himself, as if Acharei Mot, commanding Aharon to tion” of the State of Israel, a modern
he has died. As such, Chazal formu- purify the Mishkan on Yom Kippur, as manifestation of the Shechina’s return
lated that “a metzora is considered he dons bigdei haBad, special white to our midst.
dead” (Rashi, Bamidbar 12:12, based linen garments, and brings ketoret,
on Sifrei). That is why the last require- annually revisiting this sons’ deaths.
ment is mentioned separately; it con-
stitutes the very essence of his “death.” As he wears the white garments, the
The metzora must detach himself from Kohen Gadol detaches himself from
communal life, in which the Shechina his gold and crimson priestly vest-
resides, separating himself from public ments and wears the garments worn
partnership in the community, from the by a Kohen Hedyot, a regular kohen.
life of the nation. Every Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol Rabbanit Shani Taragin is Educational
revisits Yom HaShemini, the initial Director of Mizrachi and the Director of
The process through which he returns consecration of the Mishkan. The core the Mizrachi Matan Lapidot Educators'
to “life,” as he makes his way back into relationship between these two events Program.
society, consists of three stages: 1. He is to annually restore the Mishkan to its
returns to the camp by bringing two earliest beginnings prior to impurities, A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
birds. 2. After seven days of residence in when the Shechina was first manifest. mizrachi.org/speakers

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