Voices of WRJ: M'tzora

by Sheilah Abramson-Miles My husband is a rabbi. He dreads this Shabbat. Why? Of all the Torah portions, M’tzora and Tazria, which we read last week, are the most thematically difficult for a modern Reform Jew. M’tzora deals with purification for leprosy, discharges from sexual organs, and dealing with blight in houses. Where is k'dushah (spirituality) here? How can a rabbi relate this to any person or situation in her or his temple? There must be an answer; there always is. Perhaps we can make a connection to the rhythm of our Jewish lives. We only must look to our Jewish calendar. Pesach begins next Shabbat. Of all our festivals, Pesach is the most popular, the most observed. More Jews make or participate in a Seder than any other of our annual rituals. Why? In Hebrew, Pesach is Z’man Heruteinu, our season of freedom. This message of freedom has resonated with us for 4,000 years. If we truly immerse ourselves into the Haggadah, we take a spiritual journey from slavery to freedom. How? During the Seder we proclaim “Avadim hei’inuu, we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt," not only our ancestors 4,000 years ago but, through the medium of the Seder, our gantze mishpacha, our entire Jewish family! By retelling the story to each new generation, by eating fresh raw horseradish root (if we dare) we share a little bit of the physical pain. The question still remains, as nice as this is, what does this have to do with M’tzora, our Torah portion this week? Did I mention that M’tzora is an obscure portion to both understand and teach? The answer brings us back to dealing with the subject of blight in our dwellings, God forbid we inhabit blighted houses! Nevertheless, the coming of Pesach compels many of us to focus on our homes. We intensely prepare for Pesach by cleaning our homes and perhaps even changing our dishes and cooking utensils. Pesach is far from passive. It doesn’t just happen. We must make it happen. Desperate events bring desperate measures. Our Torah teaches if this house blight is so severe, if the blight cannot be removed, the house must be torn down. Our sages teach that every concept in the Torah appears for a reason. According to midrash, this portion was written in anticipation of the eventual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Still, what does this have to do with us, Women of Reform Judaism? This very Shabbat our WRJ Central District will gather at Goldman Union Camp-Institute (GUCI) for our Kallah. One of our honored guests is Women of the Wall Director Lesley Sachs. Not long ago WRJ rejoiced with our sisters, Women of the Wall, over the changes we anticipated for women worshipping at this holy site. Recently there has, again, been movement to block this rite and right at the Kotel. Our struggle today makes it abundantly clear to us that freedom is not a given, not here, not in Israel, not anywhere. As we anticipate Pesach, our Festival of Freedom, let us always strive together to protect and promote, cherish and preserve this precious gift! Sheilah Abramson-Miles is a WRJ Board member and WRJ Central District First Vice President.