This week’s Torah portion, Tzav, continues to discuss aspects of the sacrificial cult. Our ancestors sought to draw close to God through the animal sacrifices offered up first in the portable Tabernacle and then in the Temple in Jerusalem. In fact the Hebrew word for sacrifice is korbon and its root meaning is “to draw close”. We no longer offer up sacrifices as our mode of worship. Today we worship God through prayer.
According to a prominent Duke University Medical Center
researcher, “If thankfulness were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling
product with [health benefits] for every major organ system.”
For some, being thankful means simply living with a sense of
gratitude—taking time to recognize and focus on the things we have, instead of
the things we wish we had. Prayer, specifically saying brachot or blessings,
takes the idea of thankfulness to a deeper level. The act of giving thanks
causes us to recognize the One who provides our blessings.
David knew that God was responsible for the safe delivery of
the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem (1 Chron. 15:26). As a result, he
penned a song of gratitude that centered on God instead of simply expressing
his delight in an important event. The ballad began: “Oh, give thanks to
the Lord! Call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!” (16:8). David’s song went on to
rejoice in God’s greatness, highlighting God’s salvation, creative power, and
mercy (vv.25-36).
This Shabbat is a special Shabbat called Shabbat Parah. The second Torah reading
reminds us to prepare ourselves spiritually for the upcoming Passover holiday.
We can be truly thankful by worshiping the Giver instead of the gifts we enjoy.
Focusing on the good things in our lives may benefit our bodies, but directing
our thanks to God benefits our souls.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Gary Greene
No comments:
Post a Comment