I was not familiar with this ceremony before reading it in the Mishna today. What struck me about it is that when we think of offerings in the Temple, we think of Kohanim and Levyim. Sure us common folk Yisraelim provide the goods, but we have little ceremonial role. It seems that the Ma'admadot, however, (though I am still a bit unclear as to what exactly this ceremony entails), provide a ceremonial counterpart for Yisraelim to the Kohanim and Levyim responsibility with the Mishmarot. In Jerusalem, all three classes would stand by the sacrifice together representing the people. But outside of Jerusalem, the Kohanim and Levyim would have to schlep to the Temple while the Yisraeli representatives of the Ma'amadot would assemble in their towns to read Torah.
Is this perhaps the model that the synagogue grew out of?
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
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3 comments:
It's an interesting thing, and clearly designed, at least according to the Mishnah, to allow people who are far away to "take part" in the central religious ritual of the tradition. The Mishnah seems to assume the presence of other worship services though, since Maamadot are not recited on hallel days, etc. For the Mishnah, at any rate, these Maamadot are simply additions to the prayers normally being said in the provinces. Historically, I am not sure this is an accurate representation, but it does show the extent to which the service in the Temple could be reflected in actual prayer services of people far from Jerusalem.
Also: what's the wood festival, and why don't we get to do it now?
That's left for Camp Ramah and USY Conventions
I am seeing a IC T-shirt...
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