[Avodah] Ramp On!

[Micha Berger]

On Mon, January 28, 2008 10:34 am, R Michael Makovi wrote:
: I'm going to guess that Rav Hirsch writes ten pages on this....
: Something along the lines that our avodah must be whole and
: unblemished, and so the executors too must be whole and unblemished,
: as a symbolic representation....

All human beings are finite. Some may be limited in more obvious ways,
or even more limited than others, but that's a matter of degree not
kind.

RSRH is saying, kedarko beqodesh, that someone who is blatantly
handicapped, or perhaps only someone who is distractingly handicapped,
is a symbol of inferior avodah. Kayin's qorban of reject vegetables
rather than Hevel's offering of his finest.

HOWEVER, this just begs the question.

Why not allow the handicapped kohein serve, and use it as an
opportunity to teach the idea that we are all limited, finite, and
thus puny in comparison to the task of avodas Hashem. That we all have
a role to play WRT that which we do bring to the table.

The fact is that HQBH didn't choose to symbolize this message, but
rather bowed to the least common denominator of people's perceptions
of the handicapped. And so, I repeat, that it is not obvious why.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv