Eighth

THE BIG IDEA

Your journey of purification begins now. 

We have entered the 30 day process that shifts us from Purim’s expansive energy into Passover’s constrictive consciousness.

The Torah Omens bring additional intensity this weekend, with the unexpected Eighth day of initiation for the Tent of Meeting. Imagine Aaron, dressed in his priestly garments, covered in anointing oil, watch as a fire descended from the holy of holies and claimed the lives of his two oldest sons (who gave an unauthorized incense offering). 

Breath in the power of Aaron’s grace, a father who was able to remain silent and complete the initiation process for the sake of the greater good. Pull the powerful energy of surrender into your life. 

If Aaron could get through that moment, you can get through cleaning for Passover, and whatever other challenges are coming at you. 

And if thinking about Passover feels premature, try applying Aaron’s grace to the way you eat. The Torah Omens are very clear this week — the easiest way to align with the divine, is to align your diet. 

BOUNDARY MEDITATION

While Aaron and his sons manage to complete the initiation process without breaking into tears, Aaron’s two surviving sons also manage to anger Moses by burning (instead of eating) the sin offering as he told them to do. We see Aaron jump in and respond to his brother, Moses, drawing a boundary around eating the offering. 

“Do you really think after everything that has happened to me today that if I ate the sin offering today it would be pleasing in the eyes of God?” 

And Moses agreed. This answer pleased him. No eating was needed. The episode was complete.

FIRST CONTEMPLATION:

How was Aaron able to know when he needed to surrender and when he was able to draw a boundary?

Take some time this weekend to consider the way you differentiate between times of surrender and times of boundary in your own life.

What is your limit?

What can you not tolerate to do…. what is too much?

SECOND CONTEMPLATION:

Aaron’s boundary around eating precedes the Torah’s main source for laws of permitted and restricted animals.

The text immediately offers an extensive list of permitted and forbidden animals to eat that we observe until this day.

It is as if God learned from Aaron’s boundary and shared his own. Certain animals and essences cannot be elevated through eating, and others can.

This week, invite yourself to contemplate the spiritual essence of what you eat.
What are you putting in your body? Does it elevate your consciousness or does it bring you down (to its level)? 

With each food you refuse to eat, see Aaron’s protest to his brother Moses, and the grace in knowing our limits.

Shabbat Shalom.

xx