Tzav 5774

To prepare for their ordination, Aaron and his sons eat parts of the sacrifice.  They consume the offering of meal and meat; the rest is turned to smoke on the altar.  They dress in priestly garb, are anointed with oil, and are consecrated to God.

The fire of the altar is long since burnt out; the priesthood is no more.  Still, the act of preparing and consuming food remains a sacred one.  Many Jewish customs derive from the priests’ ritual behavior.  The Talmud transforms the Temple’s altar into the kitchen table (BT B’rachot 55a).  We wash hands before we eat bread because priests did so, too.  Shabbat challah represents the showbreads offered when the Temple stood.

When we offer blessings before eating, we elevate the act from an animal need to a sacred act.  When we restrict what we consume by following the laws of kashrut, we impose a discipline on ourselves that develops self-control.  Through these several steps, we pay attention to what we eat and drink, and elevate ourselves in the process.

Few members of our community make the blessings over food.  Some eat meat of all species.  No matter what your practice, try -- just this week -- to bring consciousness to your eating.  Pay attention to the choices you make and the flavors in your mouth.  Pause and offer thanks.  In so doing, you can become more attuned to yourself, your community, and God. 

We are what we eat.  Let’s make ourselves holy.