Community Torah Corner - May 1, 2026 — Emor

This week’s Parasha is parashat Emor, there are a few topics: first we learn about the laws of purity for the Kohanim, and then we learn about the holy holidays, including Shabbat. I think the connection is that both parts are about holiness in time and in people. 

The Kohanim have to be careful and pure because they serve in a holy place. The holidays are special times that are also holy, and we have to act differently on those days. This teaches us that holiness is not only about who you are, but also about how you live and how you use your time. As students, this can mean that just like the Kohanim had higher standards, we also have responsibilities. And just like Shabbat and the holidays are set-apart times, we should know that some moments, like family time, prayer, or even important school days,deserve extra focus and respect. Holiness happens when we treat certain roles and certain times as special.

The Parashah Emor opens with God speaking to moshe saying  “וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֱמֹ֥ר אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ לֹֽא־יִטַּמָּ֖א בְּעַמָּֽיו׃” 

“GOD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: None shall defile himself for any [dead] person among his kin,” 21: 1

From start to finish, God lays out the rules and laws specific to Aaron-the Kohan HaGadol- and his sons-the Kohanim. These laws are of strict purity and holiness.

The question is: Why are these rules so intense? Why do the Kohanim have to follow such strict regulation even after a family member has passed away or regarding whom they choose to love? 

In our daily lives the majority of us have leadership roles. Whether it's being an older sibling, a buddy, a parent, a senior or 8th grader, a leader at synagogue or in sports or arts. There's so many ways leadership is involved in daily lives. But how does this relate to the levits? In every leadership role, you may have differing rules and responsibilities from others. For example, in my house I'm the oldest kid, so I have a phone and more than 30 minutes of screen time a day, however my parents are more strict with me regarding my phone. Responsibility with rules. 

This is similar to the levits because they got to be held to a more holy standing out of the jews, but had more intense/strict rules to follow. 

This parasha contains so many topics and laws. From maintaining the holiness and purity of the priests, especially the High Priest. And continues with the law of keeping the Sabbath, which is repeated again in this parasha. Six days you shall work and on the seventh day is the Sabbath to the Lord. Also mentioned is the mitzvah to celebrate the holiday of Passover, seven days of eating matzah - unleavened bread, and the mitzvah of counting seven weeks, which is the counting of the Omer. The parasha also continues to tell us about the holy holidays in the month of Tishrei, Yom Kippur and the holiday of Sukkot. And ends with a collection of laws related to keeping the name of God and laws related to the society that remind us of some of the Ten Commandments.

Although this parasha has a lot of rules mentioned including some not so PG13 topics, we can still learn a lot from it. We can learn ideas of leadership and why being holy or pure is so important. Even if you don't follow these rules in your own life, we can still respect and interpret them into something meaningful for our own lives.

Have a good weekend and Shabbat shalom!