This weeks Parsha, Parshat Emor, talks about many different laws that have to due with the Cohens and the offerings that the people of Israel give. It also talks about when to give the offerings like on Shabbat or on the Sheloshah Regalim. All of these are talked about in great depth in this parsha. What is really interesting is that in Perek 22 Pasuk 27 it says “When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain under its mother for seven days, and from the eighth day onwards, it shall be accepted as a sacrifice for a fire offering to the Lord.” Also for a baby’s Brit Milah we wait eight days. Both of these come from the same idea and that is, is that the newborn has to go through one Shabbat before it is deemed holy enough to be acted on for Hashem. Before the animal is brought as an offering it has to be unblemished and at least eight days old.  Also for a baby boy before he has his brit milah he has to be healthy and eight days old.

In the beginning of the parshah it also states that a Cohen has to be holy and healthy to perform the mitzvoth. So what does this have to do with us today? Well we don’t live in the times of the Temple so we can not give any offerings but we can still follow some of these laws. We can see that to be the best and most presentable to Hashem we have to be holy/pure and healthy and perform mitzvoth.

So may everyone be holy and healthy and have a great Shabbat!

Shabbat Shalom,

Yarden Harel