On Monday, March 18, reformjudaism.org published this D’var Torah on this week’s Parsha by Rabbi Benjamin Spratt.ย We are thrilled to share it with you below.
Never Too Proud to Wield the Sacred Shovel
One of the delights of the Book of Leviticus is the constant barrage of sacrificial details:ย dead animals, splattered blood, roasted entrails, and eventually, the leftovers —ย the bones, the rendered fat, and the mounds of ash. For those not sated by such meaty details, the organizationally minded amongst us may wonder: at the end of a day of sacrifice, who was in charge of cleaning up?
This weekโs Torah portion,ย Tzav,ย gives us an answer: The charred remains of roasted animals and their entrails were left not to a sacrificial janitorial team, not to the Israelites or Levites, but to the priests themselves โ even to Aaron the High Priest. As recounted in the Torah, โHe [the priest] shall take off his [priestly] vestments and put on other vestments, and carry the ashes the outside the camp…โ (Lev. 6:4). Rashi helps capture this scene in even greater detail, explaining that due to the huge amount of sacrificial ash and rendered fat, the High Priest would take off his sacred garb and don dirty clothes in order to handle the ashes (Rashi on Lev. 6:4). The spiritual leader, the intermediary between the people and God, started each day by cleaning ritual refuse in rags.
Imagine for a moment the President of the United States taking the Oval Office garbage out to the curb every morning. Imagine CEOs of Fortune 500 companies regularly cleaning out the corporate boardrooms to begin a day of business offerings. Here we have even Aaron the High Priest commanded to shovel ash in aย shโmata.
Rabbeinu Bahya, a biblical commentator from medieval Spain, explains this surprising role of the priest by deeming the disposal of such ash as an actual part of the sacrificial service (R. Bahya ben Asher on Lev. 6:3). Next to the pomp and circumstance of the sacrifices, the dumping of sacrificial waste seems to offer little of comparable worth. But it does force humility onto even the High Priest, and in this may lie the highest form of service. As Rabbeinu Bahya suggests, the smallest act from a place of humility is greater than the largest act from a place of arrogance.
We so often speak of the enormous imperatives and responsibilities on us as Jews. To be partners with God in the work of Creation. Pursuers of peace and justice. Ushering in an age of perfection. The audacious acts of grandeur are what capture headlines and headspace. But in our actual texts and traditions we find far greater attention placed on innumerable small acts, small deeds from a place of humility. Our Torah teaches us to refrain from taking a mother bird with her young (Deut. 22:6) โ we should never be so haughty as to force a mother bird to endure the pain of watching her children be taken from her. We should never be too righteous to help an enemy lift up his fallen donkey (Ex. 23:5): even an enemyโs beast of burden deserves our attention. And we should never be to busy or self-concerned to care for the widow (Ex. 22:21โ23;ย Deut. 24:17, 20) and the stranger (Ex. 23:9;ย Lev. 19:33โ34;ย Deut. 24:17, 20). Our charge is not to change the world in one fell swoop, but to change a moment in time. The fallen beast, the forgotten stranger.
Humility helps open our eyes to grasp these moments in time โ to shed our costumed arrogance and see the world through anotherโs eyes. The small acts, these moments of shoveling ash, are not world-shaking events. But they may be the most sacred.
As so often happens, this kind of eye-opening ethic was best expressed last year by our rising generation of youth. One of our first-grade classes, bedecked in superhero, unicorn, andย Minion-themed attire, were parading down the block, each carrying paper bags with colorful decoration. When I asked the class what they were up to, one of them called out โWeโre givingย mishloach manotto people!โ I learned that the grade was going around to different local businesses to give the workers Purim gifts. One of our children approached a nearby laundromat. The child handed the laundromat cashier her gift bag and said, โThank you for washing our clothes!โ At that moment, a laundromat worker stumbled, and laundry fell everywhere. Immediately, the child rushed to help pick up the spilled smocks and sweaters.
A small humble act of giving a paper bag containing two hamantaschen transformed that moment. A shared act lifted up a little of the worldโs disarray. A child finally saw the face of a woman she had walked by hundreds of times. The beaming smile of the cashier revealed the power of this acknowledgement.
This week marks the beginning of spring, our secular and Jewish season for cleaning out the efforts of the past year and turning to the possibility before us. It seems appropriate to be reminded of the image of the priest shoveling ash โ clearing out the altar, being reminded of the importance of these small, humble acts. We live in a world with an infinite need for these small acts, for individuals to open eyes and change moments in time. We need to overcome the pride that keeps us from repairing relationships and keeps us from finding opportunities to serve others. We need to set aside the pride that shuts our eyes from seeing the hundreds of moments a day that we may transform with just a few words, a hand on the shoulder, a paper bag with hamantaschen. In the Book of Exodus we are enjoined to become a โnation of priests.โ (Ex. 19:67).ย Parashat Tzavย reminds us that perhaps the most sacred moments for the priests existed outside the sacrificial spotlight. In donning the rags of humility, they performed small, simple acts. So too for us.
In the words of the American author and singer/songwriter, Carrie Newcomer:
A shovel is a prayer to the farmerโs foot,
when she steps down and the soft earth gives way …
a friend is a prayer when they ask the right question,
when they bring over soup,
and they laugh at your jokes,
when they text you a photo,
because you are lonely, or weary, or just that far from home…โ (โA Shovel is a Prayerโ inย The Beautiful Not Yet).
Sacred service is in the smallest acts. May each of us be blessed with many chances to shovel ash and change a moment in time.
Justin Callis (he/him), our Cantorial Intern, is a fourth-year student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. He is the recipient of the Reuben Peretz Abelson Prize for dedication to Yiddish Song, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize, and the Lee Gura Memorial Prize for Aptitude in Synagogue Choral Music.
Sarah Adams, viola, performs locally with the New York Chamber Ensemble, theย Claring Chamber Players, the Sherman Chamber Ensemble, the Friends of Mozart, and the Saratoga Chamber Players.
Violinist Michael Roth is a native of Scarsdale, NY and received his early musical training with Frances Magnes at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School. He attended Oberlin College and Conservatory, continuing his studies with Marilyn McDonald. At Oberlin, he won the Kaufman Prize for violin and First Prize in the Ohio String Teacher’s Association Competition. He completed his Master of Music degree at the University of Massachusetts where he worked with the distinguished American violinist and pedagogue Charles Treger and was a recipient of the Julian Olevsky Award.ย Mr. Roth is currently associate concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra and has appeared in chamber music and as a soloist with the company, most recently in the debut of “Slice Too Sharp”, a ballet of Biber and Vivaldi violin concerti, and “After the Rain”, violin music of Arvo Part. In addition he is a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Principal 2nd violin of the Westchester Philharmonic, the American Composers Orchestra and the New York Pops. He was concertmaster of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra for many years and often appeared as soloist there, as well as at the Caramoor and Bard Music Festivals. He has played and toured internationally with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the New York Chamber Soloists.
Known for his sweet and โsumptuousโ (New York Times) tone, American-born Doori Na took up violin at the age of four and began his studies with Li Lin at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He quickly made his first performance with orchestra at age seven with the Peninsula Youth Symphony as the first prize winner of the concerto competition. Thereafter Mr. Na went on to win top prizes in The Sound of Music Festival, The Korea Times Youth Music Competition, the Chinese Music Teacherโs Association, The Menuhin Dowling Young Artist Competition, The Junior Bach Festival, VOCE of the Music Teacherโs Association of California, and The Pacific Musical Society. Receiving full scholarships to private high school Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, he moved to Los Angeles to study with renown violin teacher, Robert Lipsett, at The Colburn Music School. There he appeared as soloist with the Palisades Symphony, Brentwood Symphony, and Torrance Symphony. During that time, the summer of 2004 was Mr. Naโs first time at the Perlman Music Program where his expression and musical identity were greatly influenced. He has been a part of the program ever since and participated in many of their special residencies in Florida, Vermont, New York, and Israel.
Alan Goodis is a touring Jewish musician playing over 150 events a year. Born and raised in Toronto, Alan is a proud product of URJ Goldman Union Camp Institute. Noted for his dedication to building relationships and community through music, Alan tours throughout the US to serve as an Artist-In-Residence and performer at Temples, Youth Conventions and Jewish summer camps.
Julie Silver is one of the most celebrated and beloved performers in the world of contemporary Jewish music today. She tours throughout the world, and has been engaging audiences with her gorgeous compositions and liturgical settings, her lyrical guitar playing, her dynamic stage presence, and her megawatt smile for over 25 years.
Dan is a product of the URJ Jewish camping movement. He has toured Jewish summer camps across North America for the last 15 years. A classically trained singer, Dan received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at the University of North Carolina. In 1995, realizing the potential of music to make powerful connections with Jewish youth, Dan established the Jewish rock band Eighteen. Since that time, Dan and Eighteen have released 13 albums. Songs like, Lโtakein, Bโtzelem Elo-him, Kehillah Kedoshah, Chazak, Sweet As Honey, and Asher Yatzar have become Jewish communal anthems throughout North America.
Naomi Less is an internationally celebrated singer/songwriter, ritualist and educator. Beloved for her warm smile and inviting presence, communities celebrate her imagination and innovation, tenderness and pizzazz! Her original music is sung in worship communities worldwide. Naomi serves as Co-Founder, Ritual Leader and Associate Director of Lab/Shul and is a leader in amplifying women’s voices through her work at Songleader Boot Camp and her Jewish Women Rock show on Jewish Rock Radio. Naomiadvocates for people struggling with fertility journeys as a performance artist and speaker for Uprooted: A Jewish Response to Fertility Challenges. Fun fact: Naomi and her husband wrote the song shine/Yivarech’cha, a Friday night blessing, specifically composed for URJ Crane Lake Camp, sung every Friday night in the dining hall.
Her destiny became obvious to Joanie Leedsโ parents when, at the tender age of 2, Joanie grabbed the performerโs mic at a party and belted out the entire songโTomorrowโ from Annie. Jaws dropped! No one could remember ever hearing a big voice like that coming from one so tiny and certainly no one would have thought she would one day earn a GRAMMYยฎ Award for her original music.
A composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, Elana Arian is one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music. Elanaโs music is part of Jewish life across the globe, and her compositions are sung in spiritual communities, summer camps, and synagogues from Louisville to London, from Chicago to the CzechRepublic, and everywhere in between. Elana just released her fourth album of original music, The Other Side of Fear, and her compositions have been published in countless Transcontinental Music collections. Elana serves proudly on the faculty of Hava Nashira (Oconomowoc, WI), the Wexner Heritage Foundation (Aspen, CO), Shirei Chagiga (London, England), and as an instructor at the Hebrew Union College in New York, where she teaches in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Elana has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and perhaps most memorably, five separate appearances at the (Obama) White House. She lives in New York with her wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Maya and Acadia.
Known for his unique, engaging, and deeply soulful approach, Noah Aronson is considered one of the most sought after Jewish musicians in North America, making over 65 community appearances each year.
There is a reason why Time Magazine has listed Michelle in their Top Ten list of Jewish rock stars.
Kol BโSeder has been composing and performing contemporary Jewish music since the early1970s. Rabbi Dan Freelander and Cantor Jeff Klepper met as college students; over the past 50years they have released numerous CDs and songbooks. With Debbie Friedman (z”l) and others, they forged a new musical sound for American Jewish camps, schools and synagogues. Their songs, such as “Shalom Rav,โ โModeh Ani,โ and “Lo Alecha,” have become traditionalJewish melodies around the world. They are delighted to be inaugurating their fiftieth anniversary celebration by appearing in support of URJ camps, where they first composed and incubated many of their early songs.
Rabbi Mira Weller (she/her) received her ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in May 2022. She studied Culture and Politics at Georgetown Universityโs School of Foreign Service and received her Masterโs in Jewish Education at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at HUC-JIR. She is the proud recipient of awards for her studies in rabbinic literature, her work in Jewish education, and she was granted the Myrtle Lorch Pfaelzer-Monroe Pfaelzer Award for an Outstanding Female Rabbinical School Student (2022). Rabbi Mira speaks Hebrew and Spanish (so please practice with her!). She has a passion for uncovering new possibilities in the great wealth of our tradition and for making music inspired by Judaismโs many cultures. Her guilty pleasures include cupcakes, classical music, and philosophy.
New York bassist Roger Wagner enjoys a long and diverse career. As soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral bassist, Mr. Wagner has appeared on many of the world’s great concert stages.
Sarah Adams 
Leonard Bernstein described 
Praised by the New York Times as โirresistible in both music and performance.โ flutist, 
Margaret Kampmeier, 
Michael Roth
Our initiative for young children and their grown-ups provides a slate of offerings including Shabbat and holiday celebrations, music, classroom readiness programs, and new parent experiences. During the pandemic, we have leaned on $1m of seed funding for Sholom Sprouts established through this campaign as we offer age-appropriate virtual programs for our families with young children, who are the future of our community. We look forward to welcoming our littlest members and their grown-ups back to our new fifth floor, as well as hiring a Program Assistant to increase the capacity of Sholom Sprouts to grow. This program provides a crucial entry-point to the congregation and membership for young families.
