Whether reading Emor this week, or alternatively Kedoshim, we are entrenched in Leviticus, and with it the minutiae, and often harsh or inconsistent detailed instructions from God.
Why should anyone with a deformity be forbidden from becoming a priest, as instructed in Emor? Or why should not working on Shabbat stretch to not driving to Shul, which in reality is far less effort than walking.
These are some of the 613 commandments we have been given, and which give rise to endless debate.
In my humble opinion, our primary obligations are not what we may or may not eat or wear. Far more important are the ways in which we conduct our lives with regard to others, to our family, our friends, our fellow members of Mosaic, and equally important, to the wider Community.
The minutiae of Leviticus remind me at this time of the minutiae of building our new home, as Stanmore Hill moves ever closer to completion. It was comforting to visit the site earlier this week, with an architect far more understanding of these things than me, who was reassured by the quality of what he saw. The structure is now complete, and installation of electrical, IT and air conditioning systems is far advanced.
The most significant item still awaiting delivery is the partitioning. While it was ordered some time ago, it could only go into production once the structure was complete, the tracking on which it runs was installed, and precise measurements could be made. That has all now happened, and we eagerly await its arrival.
And as completion gets ever closer, and we visit the site weekly to monitor progress, the detail of the job, whether macro or micro, becomes apparent, and each issue need to be addressed. How will the partitioning get into the building, if the external railings go in first? And when can we start emptying the spare bedrooms and garages of so many members who have housed our possessions for so long?
The minutiae, and detailed issues are in themselves reflections of our Community, where so many individuals come together, each on their own a very small part of a very large process. And while not one of us plays a unique role, without which we could not survive, each of us makes a vital contribution, making Mosaic the very special project that it is, and Stanmore Hill the home in which it will flourish.
Shobbos greetings to all.
Harry Grant
