Rabbi Levin's Blog

In the holiest place in the world, the Holy of Holies, on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, the holiest man in the nation, the High Priest, offers incense and atones for the sins of the people.  This was the main service of the day, in addition to the many other offerings and sacrifices that were done on that day.  This was an atonement process that Hashem gifted us, offering us the opportunity to start a new year with a clean slate.   So what would you title this lesson?  “Atonement?”  “Holiness?”  “Reset?”  “Yom Kippur?”  It seems very strange that the name of this Parsha is “Acharei Mot - After the Death.” Now it is true that Hashem instructed Moshe to teach Aharon the Yom Kippur service after his two sons, Nadav and Avihu, died.  As we discussed a few weeks ago, the first day the Sanctuary in the desert was dedicated by Aharon, his two sons brought an offering that they had not been commanded to bring and they died. ...

  Pesach is coming and we are all preparing on one level or another.  Most Jews around the world celebrate Pesach in some way.  While all this is going on, another monumental event is happening that is being marked around the world.  The Rebbe’s 120th birthday.  I think it’s safe to say that just the fact that hundreds of thousands of people, and maybe more, around the world are celebrating the birthday of a person whose physical life on earth ended 28 years ago is in itself a wonder, even before we get to the reasons of why this is happening.  The Rebbe’s impact is not only continuing after his passing, but it is growing by leaps and bounds.   There is a well-known question about the Parsha Chayei Sarah – meaning the life of Sarah.  The entire Parsha speaks about events that happened after her death.  In fact, the opening verses discuss her burial.  So why is the Parsha called “the life of Sa...