Session 14: Parashat Tzav

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow," music: Harold Arlen, lyrics: Yip Harburg, 1939

In Parashat Tzav, Aaron and his sons are elevated to the priesthood through anointing. In Hebrew, the word for this action has the sames root as the word for Messiah. The central appeal of messianism is embedded in this etymology–that a leader emerges who is worthy of anointing in the biblical style,capable of bringing about a utopia.

Messianic dreaming exists in every society, a hope that all problems can be solved through an act of magical transformation. American messianism dates back to the earliest European settlers, who dreamed of building a perfect religious community. Utopianism imagines a better future, but we cannot wish away the grit and complication of reality. This message is reflected in the film The Wizard of Oz, in which the dreamy lyrics of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” contrast with the Emerald City’s disillusioning truth.

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