Emor: Defection

The dramatic story in the parsha is near the end.  The half-breed blasphemer is stoned to death by his audience and the people. Gd approves of the people's obedicnce in this matter.  A most unAmerican, intolerant story.

After a parha that deals  with defects and the invalidation from ritual  that follows from them, the blashemer is described in terms of his ( defective?) ancestry.  

In our world, the crime of blasphemy is not punishable.  It causes no harm to other people. 

The people, even Moshe, are confused about what to do with this person.  Perhaps it is not clear how the law applies to this individual.  Does he have the immunity of a resident alien on the basis of his paternal, Egyptian,ancestry?  What does it mean  that his father was Egyptian?  Does it mean that he did not join the Hebrews when they performed he Pesach ritual? Certainly this father is not a convert. 

The capital sentence for the blasphemer comes in the midst of several laws, including those concerning the penalty for  murder, killing animals, lex talionis and the equality of the the stranger under the law.   Why all this extra stuff?  Perhaps Gd was taking advantage of the rare direct communication  that the event occasioned.  Perhaps these laws, some of which are the classical example of  rules that are never taken literally ( eye for an eye) give context to this decision as well.  Don't rush to execution. 

Perhaps blasphemy is not the right  translation.  Maybe the act was  more akin to insurrection.  Did the defects of heritage, and the way he was treated  as a consequence, lead to these statements?  Did his home environment allow for this level of dissent?   Did the defect lead to the defection?