By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
EL CAJON, California — This week’s Torah portion, which scholars refer to as the “Holiness Code” because of its emphasis on what human beings must do to strive toward holiness in all aspects of life, begins with a foundational instruction: “Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy.”
According to the revered sage Rashi, this resounding decree forms the bedrock of our highest spiritual teachings. Could it be that the Hashem wished for these words to be imparted to every soul among the children of Israel because they enshrine the quintessential truth of our existence? Is this the entire Torah? We are told that we are created in the image of Hashem and are now to pursue holiness to practice our likeness with Him.
To be holy is to walk the path of Hashem, to elevate our thoughts and deeds towards the supernal realms. It is to bear the spark of holiness that dwells within us all, to fan that ember into a glorious flame, illuminating our steps and guiding us towards transcendence. Since this instruction was given to the entire community of Israel, the message is clear – we all – all – can attain holiness through our behavior. When? Where? Everywhere and always. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, Rabbi Berel Wein observed, “Unfortunately we live in an age where holiness is at best a curiosity and certainly not the goal of most people.”
How can we ordinary people become holy? This is a question that Menachem Mendel of Kotsk asks and answers. He taught that since the verse above was shared with all Klal Yisrael, the hint to our becoming holy, is to fully align with, completely identify with and belong to the holy nation of Israel. Beware of the opposite…the more one distances her/himself from Klal Yisrael, the weaker one’s holiness. Holiness is not just about what we do or don’t do, but also about our character, according to Nachmanides. To behave in a holy manner is to undergo an extended process in character formation and moral growth, immersing oneself in a Mussar program of sorts. “Kedoshim tihiyu,” you shall be holy. This passage was said to the entire Jewish nation because every single Jew, no matter their past or present situation, can achieve greatness.
The luminous words in this week’s reading, “Love your neighbor as yourself: I am Hashem,” shine forth like a timeless beacon – guiding us along the sacred path of self-refinement. It was the great sage Hillel who plucked this jewel from the depths of parsha Kedoshim, revealing its profound wisdom as the very essence of what it means to live as a Jew – infusing one’s existence with the radiant light of kedusha (holiness) through the observance of the mitzvot we observe, to elevate and bring us closer to our Godly soul. In the Torah, being a good neighbor comes down to these three Hebrew words – “v’ahavtah l’re’echah camochah– love your neighbor as yourself.” These words eventually come to form the basis of the “Golden Rule”: treat others like you want to be treated.
Can we love another if we don’t love ourselves? The Sefat Emet wonders where in the Torah we are commanded to love ourselves, to use this as a yardstick in how we love others. On this, Rabbi Shimon Shkop suggests that the Torah suggests that one who does not love him/herself, cannot feel genuine love for another. Unconditional self-love is a prerequisite for unconditionally loving another. If we’re honest with ourselves, we all mess up sometimes. But just like we love ourselves even when we’re not perfect, we can love others completely too, even when they make mistakes. It all starts with realizing this: we’re all on the same journey. Maybe the verse “Love your neighbor as yourself – I am Hashem” means this: Even Hashem knows we’re not perfect, yet He loves us anyway. So, we are to love each other too, mess-ups and all.
Yes, we are instructed to observe mitzvot that are difficult – after all we are imperfect people, aren’t we? Don’t hold grudges? Don’t take revenge? Don’t shave the corners of our faces? Don’t mix different types of fabric or seeds? Delay gratification? Demonstrate self-control? Subscribe to a higher calling? Dedicate our mundane activities in the service of our people and humanity at large? Making the purpose of all our activities to increase the Glory of Hashem? What?
Take a moment and think about these…they serve as potent reminders to subdue our mortal compulsions and align our beings with the sacred rhythms of existence. For the transcendent call of Torah beckons us eternally, shepherding our Godly soul to the throne of our souls, over our animal soul – that we may walk perpetually in the radiance of Hashem, our actions reverberating with the harmonics of holiness. Isn’t that what Torah is all about?
Within the sacred teachings of Kedoshim, a profound truth reverberates – by caring for others through acts of charity and benevolence, we undertake a sacred alchemy of the soul. Hashem beckons us to walk His path not merely out of obligation, but to elevate our very beings into alignment with Him. This enlightened perspective on holiness transcends the notion that only select individuals, locations, and moments can partake in Hashem’s sacred attribute. Every thread of justice we weave, every hand we extend in care, every ember of anger we extinguish within ourselves – these become luminous threads in the tapestry of the sacred.
We can reveal the inherent holiness in each moment in our live, in each choice we make. We are invited to become co-creators, stitching the world with kindness and compassion, reflecting the Divine light back onto creation.
We begin from a place of following the holy instructions laid forth in the Torah, heeding the timeless commandments with unwavering devotion. As we tread this path, an ineffable transformation takes root within us. What was once an external requirement gradually blossoms into an intrinsic part of our nature, until the values of compassion and loving-kindness become the very essence of who we are.
For this is the ultimate purpose of the Torah, isn’t it? To reshape our inner mental landscapes, to chisel away the rough edges of our mortal selves until we fully embrace the virtues embodied by the Hashem. Like a masterful sculptor, each mitzvah we uphold chips away at our resistance, revealing the luminous soul shining within us.
In this age surrounding us with hatred’s venom and malice’s thorns, we would be wise to cling ever more fervently to our sacred obligation to love. We can become bold builders of ahavat Yisrael – with unconditional love for our fellow Jew. Imagine not judging your fellow Jew or not being judged by another fellow Jew? What a world that’d be. Let kindness be our sword to cut through darkness, our deeds radiating the warmth of human compassion in our current hate-filled world yearning for its embrace.
With every act of generosity, every moment of selfless giving, we undergo a metamorphosis – our souls elevated, our spirits attuned to the infinite song of lovingkindness echoing across the cosmos. We ascend from obligation to embodiment, our existence a shining testament to the transformative power of truly living Torah. This is what parsha Kedoshim is all about, creating holiness, creating Kadosh קָדוֹשׁ. And if we strive to be Kadosh, it’d be wise to carefully think about how we think about Hashem.
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com