The Sedra Emor 5780

This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Emor, is filled with a vast array of topics, from the laws of the festivals to the counting of the Omer. However, the Sedra concludes with a deeply troubling and mysterious narrative regarding a blasphemer. This individual, born to a Jewish mother and an Egyptian father, finds himself in a violent struggle that ends in a tragic sin against God. Why does the Torah emphasize his lineage or mention his mother’s name, Shelomit bat Divri? Rashi explains that this man essentially fell through the cracks of the community. With no tribe to call his own and a complicated family history, he was set up for failure. While we are all responsible for our own choices, we must recognize the factors that lead people astray. It is our duty as a community to support those who are struggling before they reach a breaking point. Shabbat Shalom.