Parashat Emor

A few months ago the guest list to my Shemini Atzeret dinner was growing quickly as the holiday approached. Even though I had cooked enough chicken to feed twenty, I asked a friend to pick up a pound of turkey, just to be on the safe side. About an hour before candlelighting, my friend stopped by with one pound of chopped turkey, instead of the sliced turkey which I had assumed would be clear from this last minute request. The turkey remains in my freezer to this day. The Midrash in Leviticus Rabbah 28:1 reminds me of this encounter: “If a person buys a pound of meat in the market, how much trouble he must go through, how much anxiety he must suffer until he cooks it! While we sleep, God causes the winds to blow, clouds to rise, plants to grow, and fruits to be plump, but we only offer God the reward of an Omer, a sheaf of the first fruits of our harvest.”

This Midrash helps us understand the custom of counting the Omer which is discussed in this week’s Torah portion, Emor. Let our small act of counting the Omer serve as a daily reminder of all of the things that God does for each and every one of us, while we are awake and while we are asleep.

Have you purchased your Nail Decals for Shavuot? Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to accessorize with Torah. The holiday is fast approaching, so get yours today!

7 thoughts on “Parashat Emor”

  1. Here you go: Quinoa & Turkey Meatloaf. Yum!

    Ingredients

    1/4 cup quinoa
    1/2 cup water
    1 teaspoon olive oil
    1 small onion, chopped
    1 large clove garlic, chopped
    1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey
    1 tablespoon tomato paste
    1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
    2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    1 egg
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    2 tablespoons brown sugar
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    1 teaspoon water

    Directions

    Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
    Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
    Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
    Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

    PS: I throw in a bunch more spices and use the rest of the tomato paste on top. YMMV.

  2. Great drash. I ordered the decals and can’t wait to use them to get ready for Sinai 😉

      1. Ordering a second set right now. I think that my cantor will LOVE them!!! We’ll have to schedule a pre-Revelation mani/pedi day.

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