CONSISTENT

    There is a very interesting  Medrash reflecting  on this week's Torah reading, Pinchas. The  Medrash  tells of Rabbi Yehudah who asked his students, "Which sentence and directive  in our Torah would one consider as the cornerstone of our entire Avodas Hashem?"

   The first student, Ben Zoma answered , שמע ישראל........, "Hear o  Israel the Lord  is our G-D the Lord is one"

   The second student, Ben Azai, spoke and chose the verse, ואהבת לרעך כמוך.  "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "This must be the real essence of our faith."

  The third student, Ben Pazi, spoke up and quoted the sentence from this week's Parsha,

את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר ואת   הכבש השני תעשה בין הערבים.    "The one lamb shall you make in the morning and the second lamb you make in the afternoon"

     Rabb Yehudah pondered for a moment and announced that the selection of Ben Pazi bespeaks the essence of Judaism, and is indeed the cornerstone of our Judaic way of life.

    The question I pose is; "What is so significant about the daily sacrifices that warrants its distinction as the cornerstone of our Avodas Hashem?"

  Isn't the concept of the oneness of G-D, or the love of fellowman more overriding than the bringing of the Korban Tamid?

     Understandably, the Shemah is  truly a great principle and no doubt the concept of brotherly love keeps Judaism alive. However, the  directive of the Korban Tamid, of bringing a sacrifice every  morning and every evening, is to teach a very important lesson in how one is to live Judaism.

   If a person expresses his faith in specific, concrete deeds on a daily basis ,rain or shine , every single day of his life then it shows he is truly dedicated to his religious beliefs.  This daily Korban suggests that we subscribe not only in theory to our Judaic way of life, but that we live it and do something to show that we do so every single day of our lives.

   This is the true criteria by which we measure the depth of our religious life as individuals and as a community.

     Judaism is not and must not be only an occasional type of religious observance, it is much more. It needs to become our life sustaining force , which can only be accomplished in how we live on a daily basis.

     Although prayer has replaced sacrifices in our times, the lesson is clear and very important.  It is in our dedication and commitment to Judaism which requires "constancy and consistency" in our observance. 

     Yahadut is not a faith for special occasions only, as important as they might be, but one demanding a daily relationship.

     Let us hope and pray that through our daily commitment we will have the Z'chut of rebuilding  the Beit Hamikdash.

    שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו