Sukkot Torah Reading

September 21, 2010 by Talia Hava Davis

Continued from Page 1

So the parsha basically discusses sacrifices. Thirteen bulls on the first day, twelve on the second, and on and on descending until only seven on the last day. This comes to a total of seventy. Why seventy? Well, it says there are seventy nations and we are bringing an offering for each. In addition to that, we bring two rams and fourteen goats each day. Beyond the livestock, there were also meal, wine, and oil to be brought for the sacrifice -- fine flour, wine, oil, two tenths of flour for each ram . . . it goes on and on.

I am sure you are wonder (as did I) why we read about these sacrifices if we can no longer perform them today. First, we cannot perform them today because there is no Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple). Once it was destroyed the second time, we were sent into exile without the Temple to come back to. So why do we read about this? Yes, we keep the history alive for ourselves but also, in Chassidus it says that when we read about these sacrifices it is, in G-d’s eyes, as if we have brought them. Therefore, we can’t actually do any of these for our own sakes any longer but by reading about them we are granted the same level of forgiveness.

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9/21/2010 4:00:00 AM

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About Talia Hava Davis

As the daughter, niece, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of rabbis, Talia Davis has been immersed in Jewish culture and communities throughout her life. She has lived in Israel and served as the Religious and Cultural Vice President of the Southeast Region of North American Federation of Temple Youth. Presently she enjoys attending synagogue at a variety of shuls that range from Chabad Orthodox to her father's post-denominational, Rocky Mountain Hai.

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