This week I got a question from someone who spent several years in Thailand, that I think may interest many.
Rabbi - I have a question which I assume you have been asked many times before. This is the desire to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash to restore the korbanot or sacrifical system of worship. As you have probably guessed I was raised Reform with an occasional "dip" into Conservative Judaism (which I enjoyed). My family are "old" Americans emigrating to Pittsburgh during the Civil War to join relatives who were previously here. Thus, it was hard to accept animal sacrifices as part of "our" Judaism (we were taught sacrifices were a "stage" of development in Judaism that were no longer valid). As both a theist and a student of Jewish history how do I deal with a system that is both so foreign and frankly repugnant to our sensitivities. I am sure that I am not in the minority of American Jews that deals with this question.
With the best wishes to the Jewish community of Thailand
Before we get into the topic of sacrifices let me ask you something more mundane.
How do you feel about eating meat?
In this week’s Parsha are the laws of Kosher.
Prominent among the laws of Kashrut are the kinds of animals and birds that we may eat, providing that their slaughter is according to the instructions of the Torah.
Clearly as Jews we are permitted to eat fish, chicken and meat.
Yet, if you prefer to be vegetarian that is also acceptable. The Torah doesn’t say that you cannot be a vegetarian.
What does this have to do with the animal sacrifices that were central to the Bet Hamkidash service?
Allow me to digress to another critical and life and death question.
Euthanasia.
The oxford dictionary translates it as follows:
the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.
Ironically, with all the advances our world has made in so many fields, basic G-d based morality seems to be an area in which many are challenged.
As strange as it may sound, the more enlightened and educated the society becomes, the more they grapple with the clear demarcations between good and bac, moral and immoral.
Here is a letter I got a while back about from an elderly super-intelligent and sweet and kindhearted Jewish man whom I met more than thirty years ago when he visited Thailand. We remained friends via mail and then email. He became ill and after he was diagnosed with a with a cancerous tumor and a dire medical prognosis he made plans to end his life.
Two weeks worth of radiation to hopefully shrink the tumor. A palliative solution, that could give me a few months with a better quality of life.
At age 89, with an interesting and wonderful life, I can’t ask for anything more.
My plans, with a whole lot of support of our children, R2 up for an end of life solution, legal in California.
I wrote him a heartfelt note with some links to articles about the sanctity of life which I asked him to consider.
Click here for Torah based material on this topic (Quality of Life, Dying with Digntity etc).
To which he responded.
Rabbi and friend of many years,
When I get the energy, I will reread the article. After a brief glance, it seems to favor the idea of unbearable pain over being able to get relief
Not to mention the pain felt by relatives as they see a loved one dissolve into agony..
As I said, I will reread the article
I think we all agree that it is excruciating to see someone suffering like that.
At the same time, the Torah in the Ten Commandments is firm and unequivocal about the prohibition of taking life.
Suicide is prohibited. Assisted ‘end-of-life’ programs are immoral.
Life is given by G-d and it is only G-d who can decide when to end someone’s life.
To save a life, most of the laws of Torah may be violated. I should rewrite that. To save a life most of the laws of Torah MUST be violated.
Choose life! Says the Torah.
‘See I have placed before you life and good, death and bad’, says the Torah.
We are a people who clings to life. Am Yisrael CHAI. The Jewish People is ALIVE. We adore, cherish and pray for life. Every breath is a blessing. With every breath on earth we are serving G-d in a way that we cannot do anywhere else, not even in the Heavenly Gan Eden - Paradise.
That doesn’t change the face that our human hearts are filled with compassion and pity for someone who is in pain and suffering so greatly that death seems a better option than life.
Let me ask a question.
If an animal was suffering like my friend, with unbearable pain, would the Torah advise prolonging the life of the animal or would the compassionate path of ending the life be advised?
There is no reason to prolong the life of an animal who is suffering.
Taking the life of an animal is not immoral.
It is clear cut distinction.
Hashem forbids us to take the life of a human.
Taking the life of an animal is permissible.
Being cruel to animals sadistically is prohibited by the Torah. It is called ‘Tza’ar ba’alei chayim’.
But when there is a higher purpose for taking the life of the animal, like if they are in agony, then their life should definitely be ceased.
Imagine if an animal came to you and pleaded for help.
They have heard that there is an altar in Jerusalem in the Bet Hamikdash in which they can sacrifice their life and be freed from the misery and pain of empty and meaningless animalistic life.
How would you respond to an animal who is begging to ascend in fiery smoke to Heaven and become incorporated in the blissfulness of G-d’s embrace?
Would any person with a compassionate heart deny the animal their exit from animalistic meaninglessness to a G-dly state of eternal meaning and purpose?
It takes a leap of faith to see how the animal’s greatest aspiration would be to be offered up as a sacrifice on the Altar. Far from it being a ‘pity’ and ‘rachmonus’ on the animal, the animal would be honored and delighted to play the sacrificial role.
The basis of anything I write is belief in G-d. This article assumes that I am talking to those who believe in the Creator of the Universe and every detail therein.
The very delightful news is that when Mashiach comes, the curtain will be pulled back. It won’t need to be a leap of faith anymore.
G-d’s presence will be revealed. It will be so clear and evident that the greatest gift that can be given to an animal is to become a part of the service in the Bet Hamikdash.
Right now we don’t see it.
Our vision will change with the reality that will be opened before us when Mashiach comes.
Mashiach will bring peace to the world.
And moral clarity to humanity.
I am perfectly confident that my friends who find it challenging to understand the concept of animal sacrifices, will be at the head of the lines of those waiting at the entrance to the Bet Hamikdash to bring overdue korbanot – sacrifices.
So have no fear. Have faith. We will all ‘see’ the reality of G-d when Mashiach comes.
I can’t wait…
We want Mashiach NOW.
Shabbat Shalom
Chodesh Tov (Sunday and Monday are Rosh Chodesh Elul).
As we get closer to Rosh Hashana it is time to start wishing each other Shana Tova – may we be inscribed in the book of LIFE.
Rabbi Yosef Kantor