5785/2025
Perfect. The word perfect is used all the time, perfect game, perfect scenery, perfect opportunity. According to Webster's dictionary the word perfect means to be entirely without a fault or defect. Due to “perfect” being such a high feat it is accepted among humans that no one is perfect. Even in Judaism it is accepted that only Hashem is perfect, and us mere mortals are not, “Ki Adam Ein Tzadik Ba’Aretz Asher Ya’aseh Tov VeLo Yichta,” “For there is not one good man on earth who does what is best and doesn’t make a mistake” (Kohelet 7:20).
Since this is so, then why in Parashat Emor does it say “MiTzarecha LiDorotam Asher Yehiye Bo Mum Lo Yikrav Lechem Elokav,” “No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God” (VaYikra 21:17)? Why is a Kohen who does the avodah not allowed to have any blemishes and must be physically perfect? The Torah usually understands that humans are not perfect and cannot be perfect and yet in this case we must be perfect!
Before we explain why a Kohen has to be physically perfect let us look at other ways that a Kohen is different. One way is that Kohanim are the only people who can eat Terumah as we see "VeKol Zar LoYochal Kodesh,” "No Layman shall eat of the hollies” (Emor 22:10).
We also see a difference in jobs. Their job is to do the Avodah in the Beit HaMikdash and to sacrifice the Korbanot.
Rav Dovid Rosenfeld explains that “Kohanim serve a unique function in the nation. They were physically close to God in the Temple – and to be so, they had to be physically perfect. Even though there is obviously nothing “wrong” with a Kohen with a defect (such as a broken leg), and it’s certainly not his fault, to be close to God [who is PERFECT] on such an intense level, one's perfection must extend to the physical plane."
We look at the Omer as a countdown to receiving the Torah. But there is more to the counting of the 49 days. What is special about the number 50? For us, the number 50 stands for 50 gates of Wisdom, 50 gates of Taharah, and every 50 years is a yovel year. During a yovel year, we do not work the land, every Eved Ivri goes free, and land returns to the original owners. Then why do we count to 49 during the omer not 50? The reason is because we are not able to reach 50 which is perfection, only Hashem can. We count to 49 because it is the closest we can get to perfection, and by being only one away from perfection is as if we counted to 50. The Maharsha teaches us that Lag BaOmer is special because it is two-thirds of the Omer count and is considered Rov, or the majority of the sefira, and thus we may assume that we will reach the 49th day successfully. On Lag BaOmer we celebrate that we all made it this far and that we are striving to be the best people we can be, and serve Hashem the best way that we can.
Have a Great Shabbat, and keep counting!