“Curious and Informative,” Rabbi Elaine Zecher’s Shabbat Awakenings

May 8, 2026 | 21 Iyyar 5786

Welcome to Shabbat Awakenings, a weekly reflection as we move toward Shabbat. You can also listen to it as a podcast.

We end the book of Leviticus this week with a double portion. The first portion ends with verses I find curious and informative. The commentators also wonder about their purpose.

You shall not make idols for yourselves, or set up for yourselves carved images or pillars, or place figured stones in your land to worship upon, for I the ETERNAL am your God. (Lev 26:1-2)

לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם אֱלִילִ֗ם וּפֶ֤סֶל וּמַצֵּבָה֙ לֹֽא־תָקִ֣ימוּ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶ֣בֶן מַשְׂכִּ֗ית לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בְּאַרְצְכֶ֔ם לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲות עָלֶ֑יהָ כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall keep My sabbaths and venerate My sanctuary, Mine, GOD’s.

אֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֣י תִּשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י תִּירָ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}

These two verses end the portion that begins with the words,

On the mountain of Sinai.
B’har Sinai
בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י

Though the Israelites stood at the foot of the mountain in Exodus, the reference toward the end of Leviticus placed Moses back on top of Sinai with three crucial ideas and themes that guided the Israelites thus far.

1. God was present not in any shape or form into eternity.

2. The Sabbath would continue to serve as the foundation for understanding time, celebration, and ritual.

3. The sanctuary and then the synagogues after exile would remain sacred and distinguished from other places to gather.

The commentator, Rashi, who lived in 12th century France, focused on having clarity about what it means to be a Jew: One God or physical representation; observe Shabbat; and show respect and awe with regard to our sacred spaces like synagogues. In addition, since we live among others, we may be drawn to their behaviors. Instead, he urged for us to stay true to whom and how we are Jewish and not succumb to what we call peer pressure.

The commentator, S’forno, who lived in 16th century Italy, recognized that we don’t lose our freedom even in exile. Our behavior still remains our responsibility. He particularly pointed out that the sanctuary spoken about reflects the prophet Ezekiel’s description that the sanctuary established in Jerusalem continued in exile through buildings as Mikdash m’at, מקדש מעט, a “miniature Temple.”

I find these two verses nestled between the two final portions of Leviticus an important reminder as we prepare to move from Levitical concerns of holiness and the rituals and the offerings to God toward the wilderness experience and preparation to enter the land of great promise. Wherever we have wandered and wondered as Jews, we have carried with us these ideas as tools to our expression and experience of Jewish life. They are as ancient as these words we read and yet also crucial as we move forward and thrive in our world today.

Shabbat Shalom! שבת שלום

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Rabbi Elaine Zecher