Parashat Emor begins with the special laws that apply to the kohanim. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba) notes the juxtaposition between this series of laws and the command with which the Torah concludes the previous parasha, Parashat Kedoshim, which forbids consulting with ov or yid’oni – different types of divinations and spirits. This juxtaposition between the priesthood and the prohibition of ov and yid’oni, the Midrash suggests, alludes to the story of King Shaul, who committed two grave offenses toward the end of his life. He had the entire population of Nov, a city of kohanim, killed, and he consulted with a ba’alat ha-ov, a sorceress who communicated with spirits and brought the soul of the prophet Shemuel. These two incidents are alluded to by the juxtaposition between the prohibition of ov and yid’oni, and the halakhot relevant to the institution of the kehuna.
One of the roles served by the kohanim in ancient times was consulting with the urim ve-tumim oracle worn by the kohen gadol. When a matter of national importance arose, such as the question of whether to embark on a military campaign, the question would be posed to the urim ve-tumim which would then provide God’s answer through the illumination of certain letters. The Sages here note the irony in the fact that King Shaul executed the kohanim, thus losing access to the urim ve-tumim (which was brought to David by a refugee from the massacre), and, as a result, ultimately felt compelled to consult a ba’alat ha-ov. When the Pelishtim amassed their army and were poised to attack Benei Yisrael, Shaul desperately sought guidance, and thus went to a ba’alat ha-ov to consult with the deceased prophet. It was his impulsive and cruel decision to execute the kohanim of Nov that resulted in his consultation with the ba’alat ha-ov.
Rav Yehuda Leib Ginsburg, in his Yalkut Yehuda, suggests a different point of connection between the laws of the kohanim and the prohibition of ov and yid’oni. It is conceivable, he writes, that kohanimwould be more prone to enlist the services of these devices than other people. As the spiritual guides, the kohanim were often consulted for advice, especially by people in distress. We can imagine that the people looked to the kohanim for support, encouragement and guidance during the more difficult and tumultuous periods of life. And the kohanim, naturally, felt responsible to provide answers and solutions. This burden of responsibility may have made it tempting for many kohanim to resort to forbidden means of superstition in their desire to provide clear-cut solutions. The Torah’s ban on enlisting the services of ov and yid’oni certainly apply to all people, but it is presented just before the section of the kohanim as a particular warning to the kohanim against resorting to these devices as they seek to find answers to their constituents’ problems.
Thus, the Torah reminds kohanim – and other spiritual guides and advisors – to exercise humility and recognize their own limitations. People in leadership positions must be willing to say “I don’t know,” a confession that is far preferable to resorting to dubious, desperate measures in search for answers. More generally, the prohibition of ov and yid’oni instructs all of us to acknowledge and accept the limitations on our knowledge and understanding of events. We must be willing to admit that we do not know what will happen, or why past events happened, rather than search for illusory comfort in “ov and yid’oni” type answers.
Courtesy of Yeshivat Har Etzion - www.etzion.org.il