"Be holy!" says G-d. Wow - that's one tall order. But what's the recipe?
Here are the ingredients I suggest:
1. Be a part of the community; work for the community.
Rashi questions why the prologue to Kedoshim says this section was given "to all of the congregation of Israel." Aren't all the commandments incumbent upon the nation as a whole?
Rashi answers: The mandate "to be holy" was given specifically at the event of Hak?hel, when the entire nation was gathered together. In many societies, the "holy man" lives separate from the masses, a "hermit on a hill", who is largely unapproachable. Our "holy men" are different; they must live among the people, know the people, serve the people. As Moshe proclaimed and identified himself: "This nation of 600,000 of which I am a part." (Bamidbar 11:21)
2. Be a well-rounded person.
Our parsha intermingles all the different kinds of mitzvoth: those between Man and Man; those between Man and G-d; ritual laws, civil laws, the practical, the esoteric. While we today love to go to "specialists," for one to be holy, he must exercise all his spiritual muscles, not just a selected few. A truly holy nation contains scholars, soldiers, business people, artists, clerks and kings. A truly holy person exhibits holiness at home, in the workplace, and in the Bet Midrash.
3. While holiness involves sharing and caring with Amcha, there must be a sense that we can rise above, be unique, stand out in a crowd.
The word "kodesh" is related to "hekdesh", which means "set apart," or "designated for a specific purpose." A Jew may belong to the community of nations, but he must also understand that he is holy, created to lead by example, to provide a beacon in a dark world.
The Torah infers as much in the words, "V'Nikdashti b'toch Bnei Yisrael; Ani Hashem." ("And I shall be sanctified among the Jewish People; I am Hashem.") G-d is telling us that He dwells among us, is involved in our every activity, and yet He is Hashem, He is above all the Universe. So, we, too, must exhibit that dichotomy: we must be at once a part and apart. Like the star of the show, who is included among the cast of characters, yet shines out in glowing excellence, our deeds and our character must project us as a leading light and example.
I have been privileged to know such Keoshim. We can do it, too, if we follow the recipe laid out for us.
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Rabbi Weiss is Director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra?anana.
Here are the ingredients I suggest:
1. Be a part of the community; work for the community.
Rashi questions why the prologue to Kedoshim says this section was given "to all of the congregation of Israel." Aren't all the commandments incumbent upon the nation as a whole?
Rashi answers: The mandate "to be holy" was given specifically at the event of Hak?hel, when the entire nation was gathered together. In many societies, the "holy man" lives separate from the masses, a "hermit on a hill", who is largely unapproachable. Our "holy men" are different; they must live among the people, know the people, serve the people. As Moshe proclaimed and identified himself: "This nation of 600,000 of which I am a part." (Bamidbar 11:21)
2. Be a well-rounded person.
Our parsha intermingles all the different kinds of mitzvoth: those between Man and Man; those between Man and G-d; ritual laws, civil laws, the practical, the esoteric. While we today love to go to "specialists," for one to be holy, he must exercise all his spiritual muscles, not just a selected few. A truly holy nation contains scholars, soldiers, business people, artists, clerks and kings. A truly holy person exhibits holiness at home, in the workplace, and in the Bet Midrash.
3. While holiness involves sharing and caring with Amcha, there must be a sense that we can rise above, be unique, stand out in a crowd.
The word "kodesh" is related to "hekdesh", which means "set apart," or "designated for a specific purpose." A Jew may belong to the community of nations, but he must also understand that he is holy, created to lead by example, to provide a beacon in a dark world.
The Torah infers as much in the words, "V'Nikdashti b'toch Bnei Yisrael; Ani Hashem." ("And I shall be sanctified among the Jewish People; I am Hashem.") G-d is telling us that He dwells among us, is involved in our every activity, and yet He is Hashem, He is above all the Universe. So, we, too, must exhibit that dichotomy: we must be at once a part and apart. Like the star of the show, who is included among the cast of characters, yet shines out in glowing excellence, our deeds and our character must project us as a leading light and example.
I have been privileged to know such Keoshim. We can do it, too, if we follow the recipe laid out for us.
-------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Weiss is Director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra?anana.