In the Omer period - the seven weeks following Pesach - we are called upon to climb up the ladder of holiness to receive the Torah anew at Shavuot. Not by accident, the weekly Torah readings in this period are all about achieving holiness and purity, and about avoiding and removing the opposite: tum'ah (impurity). As a case in point, parshat Shemini admonishes us as follows:
"You shall not make yourselves impure through them [creeping creatures] so that you would be made impure through them. For I am HaShem your God; make yourselves holy and you will be holy, for I am holy." (Vayikra 11:43-44)
Why is the Torah using double language in each of these two verses?
The Talmud analyses the text in Yoma 39. From a seeming imperfection in the Hebrew of the first verse, Rabbi Yishmael learns that the word tum'ah is related to the word timtum (dulled understanding): "A sin dulls a man's heart."
Whoever brings tum'ah upon himself by eating forbidden foods such as creeping creatures or by doing other sins, brings timtum upon himself. As a consequence, he will not notice that he went down the ladder of holiness, and is in great danger to go down further.
In this light, the Talmudic teaching that follows the statement of Rabbi Yishmael is both logical and explains the double language used in Vayikra 11:43: "If one makes oneself a little impure by his own will, Heaven will let him increase his impurity by a lot."
One might argue that this is not fair. Why are we not afforded to see that we are going down the spiritual ladder? Our Sages go on to explain that the next verse, Vayikra 11:44, addresses the issue: "If one makes himself a little holier by his own will, Heaven will assist him to become holier by a lot."
Just as sin dulls a man's heart, avoidance of sin increases his spiritual sensitivity. Whoever goes up a step along the ladder of holiness will thus be aware of his gains, and that will make him want to go up another step. This outweighs the associated danger for those going into the opposite direction, because the world was created for man to achieve holiness.
There is no such a thing as standing still on the spiritual ladder. If you think you are standing still, you are in fact going down. Only constant striving for spiritual growth prevents one from going down.
In our days, the teaching of Rabbi Yishmael is strikingly relevant. It seems that the timtum has reached historically high levels in Israel, especially among those who purport to be its leaders. Quite manifestly, the impure do not see their own impurity. May the Holy One of Israel yet wake them up and protect His holy ones.
"You shall not make yourselves impure through them [creeping creatures] so that you would be made impure through them. For I am HaShem your God; make yourselves holy and you will be holy, for I am holy." (Vayikra 11:43-44)
Why is the Torah using double language in each of these two verses?
The Talmud analyses the text in Yoma 39. From a seeming imperfection in the Hebrew of the first verse, Rabbi Yishmael learns that the word tum'ah is related to the word timtum (dulled understanding): "A sin dulls a man's heart."
Whoever brings tum'ah upon himself by eating forbidden foods such as creeping creatures or by doing other sins, brings timtum upon himself. As a consequence, he will not notice that he went down the ladder of holiness, and is in great danger to go down further.
In this light, the Talmudic teaching that follows the statement of Rabbi Yishmael is both logical and explains the double language used in Vayikra 11:43: "If one makes oneself a little impure by his own will, Heaven will let him increase his impurity by a lot."
One might argue that this is not fair. Why are we not afforded to see that we are going down the spiritual ladder? Our Sages go on to explain that the next verse, Vayikra 11:44, addresses the issue: "If one makes himself a little holier by his own will, Heaven will assist him to become holier by a lot."
Just as sin dulls a man's heart, avoidance of sin increases his spiritual sensitivity. Whoever goes up a step along the ladder of holiness will thus be aware of his gains, and that will make him want to go up another step. This outweighs the associated danger for those going into the opposite direction, because the world was created for man to achieve holiness.
There is no such a thing as standing still on the spiritual ladder. If you think you are standing still, you are in fact going down. Only constant striving for spiritual growth prevents one from going down.
In our days, the teaching of Rabbi Yishmael is strikingly relevant. It seems that the timtum has reached historically high levels in Israel, especially among those who purport to be its leaders. Quite manifestly, the impure do not see their own impurity. May the Holy One of Israel yet wake them up and protect His holy ones.