Emor (Hebrew: אמור – dis)
Leviticus 21:1–24:23 and Ezekiel 44:15–31
The parashah Emor and its haftarah highlight the importance of purity in divine service. While the Torah establishes the purification rules applicable in the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), the prophet Ezekiel announces continuity and fulfillment in the future Temple.
Ezekiel 44:23
וְאֶת-עַמִּי יוֹרוּ, בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחֹל; וּבֵין-טָמֵא לְטָהוֹר, יוֹדִעֻם.
They will instruct my people to distinguish between what is holy and what is profane; they will make known to them the difference between what is impure and what is pure.
Mikveh of the Ari HaKadosh
This verse reveals the role of the priests as a source of transmitting purity and holiness to the people—a spiritual dimension that is manifested in purification sites such as the Mikveh of the Ari HaKadosh in Safed. Located near the upper entrance of the town’s cemetery, this basin holds deep spiritual and mystical significance. According to tradition, Ari HaKadosh [1] immersed himself there daily. Fed directly by an aquifer, the mikveh offers water that is pure and cool (between 10°C and 15°C / approximately 50°F to 59°F). Today, this site welcomes visitors from around the world in search of purification and spiritual elevation. Further down the hill rest Ari HaKadosh and his son, Rabbi Moses Luria.
The Kabbalists of Safed
In Safed, before the arrival of Ari HaKadosh, the Ramak [2] led a kabbalistic school. He structured mystical teachings through his work Pardes Rimonim [3]. Upon his death, Ari HaKadosh continued his teaching by introducing major concepts [4]. Although he wrote little, his teachings were collected and disseminated by Rabbi Chaim Vital [5], his principal disciple.
Notes and References
[1] Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi (1534–1572) was known as “Ashkenazi” because of his father’s Ashkenazi origins. He grew up in Cairo in a Sephardic environment and later settled in Safed, which, in the 16th century, was a major center of Sephardic Jewish mysticism. He prayed and lived according to the Sephardic rite, and most of his disciples were also Sephardic.
The acronym Ari (האר״י) is derived from האלוקי רב יצחק (Ha-Eloqi Rav Yitzhak), meaning “The Divine Rabbi Yitzhak.” This acronym is also interpreted as Ashkenazi Rabbi Yitzhak or Adoneinu Rabbeinou Yitzhak (“Our Master, Our Rabbi Yitzhak”). It is also known by the names Ari Zal (Ari, his memory is a blessing) and Ari HaKadosh (Ari, the Holy).
[2] Rabbi Moses ben Jacob Cordovero (1522–1570) was a major figure in Kabbalah. He structured the kabbalistic teachings and profoundly influenced the development of Jewish mysticism in Safed. He is also known by the acronym רמ״ק (Ramak).
[3] Pardes Rimonim (פרדס רימונים), meaning “The Orchard of Pomegranates,” is a major work of Kabbalah. Its title refers to two symbolic elements:
– Pardes (פרדס), an acronym for the four levels of Torah interpretation—Pshat (פשט) for the literal sense, Remez (רמז) for the allegorical, Derash (דרש) for the homiletical, and Sod (סוד) for the mystical.
– Rimonim (רימונים), meaning “pomegranates,” is a symbol of wisdom, and the fruit’s seed count alludes to the 613 mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah.
[4] Kabbalistic concepts introduced by Ari HaKadosh include:
– Tzimtzum: The contraction or withdrawal of the divine presence in order to create space for creation.
– Chevirat Ha-Kelim: “Breaking of the Vessels,” a cosmic event that is the origin of primordial disorder.
– Tikkun Olam: “Repairing the World” through acts of kindness and holiness.
[5] Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542–1620), the principal disciple of the Ari, fixed his teachings in fundamental texts including Etz Ha’Hayim (The Tree of Life) and Cha’ar HaGilgulim (The Gate of Reincarnations). His son, Rabbi Samuel Vital (1598–1677), ensured the transmission of these teachings throughout the Eastern Jewish world.