Parasha Emor (אמור) — Vayikra 21:1 – 24:23. Read on Shabbat, May 15, 2027.
Summary of Parasha Emor
G-d tells Moshe to speak to the kohanim, the sons of Aharon: a kohen must not become impure through contact with the dead, except for his close relatives. The Torah sets out particular rules regarding their marriage, and stricter requirements still for the High Priest. A kohen with a physical blemish may not offer the sacrifices, but he may eat of the holy things. The consecrated offerings may not be eaten by an impure kohen or by anyone outside the priestly family. The animals offered must be without blemish; a newborn animal must stay with its mother for seven days, and one may not slaughter an animal and its young on the same day. The Torah asks us not to desecrate the name of G-d and to sanctify Him among the children of Israel. The parasha then presents the cycle of the festivals: Shabbat, Pesach and the Festival of Matzot, the Omer offering and the counting of seven weeks until Shavuot, the first day of the seventh month marked by the sounding of the shofar, the Day of Atonement, and then Sukkot, with the four species and dwelling in the booths, followed by the eighth day. Next come the oil for the lamp and the showbread. The parasha concludes with the account of a man who blasphemes the Name; he is put to death, and the laws of damages are set out.
The Themes
- The holiness of the kohanim
- The cycle of the festivals
- Sanctifying the name of G-d
Rav Raphaël Benizri’s Lectures on Emor
There are no lectures by the Rav on this parasha yet. Find all available lectures on the Weekly Parasha page.
A Question for the Shabbat Table
Each festival has its own rhythm and meaning: which one speaks to us most, and why?
← Parasha Kedoshim · All the parashiot · Parasha Behar →
Summary by the Pensées Juives editorial team. The Rav’s teachings are found in his lectures, linked above.