From Thoughts to Actions
May 17, 2024 / Iyar 8 5784
In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Emor, Gd commands in Leviticus 22:31: “You shall keep My commandments and perform them. I am Adnai.” The great commentary Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra teaches that the phrase “keep My commandments” refers to maintaining the mitzvot firmly in our hearts and minds. Whereas to “perform them” means actively putting those commandments into practice through our deeds.
Earlier this week we gathered on Yom HaZikaron to honor the ultimate embodiment of this lesson – the brave Israeli soldiers who not only kept the ideals of Jewish sovereignty and self-determination in their hearts but translated those sacred values into courageous action at the highest cost.
As expressed in my words at the community service: “We stand in awe of their unwavering courage, selflessness, and dedication to protecting our homeland and ensuring the survival of the Jewish people…These heroes’ sacrifices will never be forgotten, and their memories will forever be etched in our hearts.”
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By performing the supreme mitzvah of defending the Jewish nation, these fallen soldiers lived out the vision of Zionism held firm in the hearts of our people for millennia. Through their self-sacrifice to establish and preserve a strong, secure Israeli state, they fulfilled the age-old dream of Jewish self-determination on our ancient homeland.
Yet as this week’s Torah portion reminds us, our obligation goes beyond memorializing the past. In the face of rising global antisemitism, we must keep these same sacred ideals at the forefront of our consciousness. As I shared in my speech, “In these challenging times, it is paramount that we stand united as a community, drawing strength from our shared history, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the preservation of our homeland and the Jewish way of life.”
Just as our ancestors weathered persecution by maintaining an inner defiance against oppression, so too must we bear witness to the lessons of Jewish history contained within our hearts. But inner resolve alone is not enough. We must emulate the heroes of Israel’s wars by actively performing mitzvot and good deeds that honor their sacrifice and proclaim our people’s enduring presence on this earth.
On this Shabbat Emor, as we read the verse “You shall keep My commandments and perform them,” may we internalize the first part – engraving our faith, identity, and connection to the Jewish homeland forever within our souls. And may that inner dedication spur us to emulate the brave Israeli soldiers by taking action to keep our covenant, never shirking from the hard-fought responsibilities of Jewish survival, self-defense, and the upholding of human dignity.
“May the memory of our fallen heroes inspire us to cherish and safeguard the hard-won freedoms and the precious gift of self-determination that is the State of Israel.” By keeping the Torah’s commandments steadfastly in our hearts while bravely carrying on the work of our fallen soldiers through righteous action, we honor their incredible sacrifice and help pave the path to a future of continued Jewish sovereignty and redemption. Yehi Zichram Baruch – May we honor the memories of these heroes and their names be a blessing forever. Because we are…
Shabbat Shalom.
