This week's double parsha is highlighted by G-d's commandment to us to "be holy." Through 51 separate mitzvot enumerated in the sedra, we're given a glimpse of the all-pervasive nature of this elusive ideal.
Holiness, for a Jew, comes in all shapes and forms: how we talk; how we dress; what we eat; even how we feel; the way we treat our parents, our teachers, the poor and the convert; how we relate to G-d; and how we relate to people.
All these many acts contribute to our becoming "outstanding" and "unique", the essence of the meaning of "kadosh".
However, there is another important aspect of kedusha I wish to discuss with you. The Ramban tells us it is not enough to practice holiness by abstaining from that which is forbidden, or by performing that which we are required to perform. It is the way in which we fulfill these mitzvot that ultimately defines us.
Therefore, a person should not act in too arrogant a fashion if he is learned, if he is Shabbat-observant or if he fasts on Yom Kippur. He should not "lord it over others" who may not fulfill those mitzvot. In short, if he thinks he is holy, he probably is far from it.
Moreover, a person should act in a holy fashion by exercising caution specifically with that which is perfectly permissible. So while meat and wine are allowed, one should not gorge himself with steaks, nor drink to excess. He should not walk about all day with "talis ofen kup"; he should not daven too loudly; or "wave his lulav" in everybody's face. He should be humble, sensitive to others, and mindful of the way both he and his actions are perceived by all those around him.
Discretion, in other words, is the better part of holiness.
This past Shabbat, I was witness to a vivid demonstration of the Ramban's thesis. At the shul where I visited, an obscene letter had been put out likening (secular) Zionism to Nazism, charging that Zionist leaders had collaborated with the Nazis to kill Jews in WWII. The letter was an obvious attempt to incite anti-State-of-Israel feelings prior to Yom Ha'atzmaut. It was a perfect example of how lack of restraint and sensitivity kills kedusha. For while anyone is allowed to express his opinion, not everything that can be said should be said. The letter angered many people, and only served to sow disunity in a place that should instead bring Jews together.
On the other hand, I watched as many congregants silently read the letter, then folded it and placed it in the garbage where it belonged (some even took multiple copies). Without fanfare, they performed an act of kedusha that sent a powerful message. In a world of arrogance and immodesty, it is still possible to be holy.
Holiness, for a Jew, comes in all shapes and forms: how we talk; how we dress; what we eat; even how we feel; the way we treat our parents, our teachers, the poor and the convert; how we relate to G-d; and how we relate to people.
All these many acts contribute to our becoming "outstanding" and "unique", the essence of the meaning of "kadosh".
However, there is another important aspect of kedusha I wish to discuss with you. The Ramban tells us it is not enough to practice holiness by abstaining from that which is forbidden, or by performing that which we are required to perform. It is the way in which we fulfill these mitzvot that ultimately defines us.
Therefore, a person should not act in too arrogant a fashion if he is learned, if he is Shabbat-observant or if he fasts on Yom Kippur. He should not "lord it over others" who may not fulfill those mitzvot. In short, if he thinks he is holy, he probably is far from it.
Moreover, a person should act in a holy fashion by exercising caution specifically with that which is perfectly permissible. So while meat and wine are allowed, one should not gorge himself with steaks, nor drink to excess. He should not walk about all day with "talis ofen kup"; he should not daven too loudly; or "wave his lulav" in everybody's face. He should be humble, sensitive to others, and mindful of the way both he and his actions are perceived by all those around him.
Discretion, in other words, is the better part of holiness.
This past Shabbat, I was witness to a vivid demonstration of the Ramban's thesis. At the shul where I visited, an obscene letter had been put out likening (secular) Zionism to Nazism, charging that Zionist leaders had collaborated with the Nazis to kill Jews in WWII. The letter was an obvious attempt to incite anti-State-of-Israel feelings prior to Yom Ha'atzmaut. It was a perfect example of how lack of restraint and sensitivity kills kedusha. For while anyone is allowed to express his opinion, not everything that can be said should be said. The letter angered many people, and only served to sow disunity in a place that should instead bring Jews together.
On the other hand, I watched as many congregants silently read the letter, then folded it and placed it in the garbage where it belonged (some even took multiple copies). Without fanfare, they performed an act of kedusha that sent a powerful message. In a world of arrogance and immodesty, it is still possible to be holy.