‘You shall be holy, for I your G-d am holy’. Thus begins the Parshah containing many of the mitzvot of the Torah. Indeed Kedoshim is the central Parshah in a series that contains most of the mitzvot, and thus defines what it is to be Jewish. Therefore understanding this statement is crucial to Jewish identity, but what does it mean? The plain meaning of the word kadosh, normally translated as holy, is to be separated or different. A pagan prostitute, for example is called a kadesh, because he or she are separated out for that function in society. So we are to be separate or different because G-d is different. But G-d is so totally different from us that it is hard to know what precise aspect of Divine distinction we are meant to emulate. I think that the answer lies in a major motif of Jewish mysticism, the concept that we are living in G-d’s space. ‘G-d is the place of the world’ said the Rabbis, ‘but the world is not His place’. Or in terms of later Kabbalah, G-d contracted His presence in order to make room for creation. G-d hides Himself in order to create a space for us to exist and act independently. In that sense G-d is apart or different from us, this makes G-d kadosh. I would suggest that this is the aspect of G-d’s holiness or difference that we are called upon to emulate. Just as G-d is kadosh, in restricting his power in order to allow room for us, we are called upon to be kedoshim, by restricting our power, in order to allow room for other aspects of creation. Many of the mitzvot in the Parshah can be seen in that light. Shabbat is of course the most obvious. Indeed observing Shabbat is specifically linked to reverence for the Temple, as if to say, that just as we respect G-d’s boundaries by not encroaching on his space in the Temple, we need to respect the rights of the rest of creation by giving them space, at least one day a week. The laws of forbidden mixtures, teach us not to interfere to graphically in the order of creation, while we give even trees or animals space to grow, before we are allowed to use them for our own benefit. All this teaches us that as G-d makes room for us, we must give space to others. This is a vital lesson for our world today, suffering from an overabundance of human interference. We must heed the lesson of Kedoshim, that restraint is Divine.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Rishon              The requirement to be holy. Laws of improper sacrifices.

Sheni                Good relations between people.

Shelishi           Laws of trees, beards and respect for the aged.

Revi’i              Non-discrimination against the stranger and just business dealings.

Chamishi         Punishment for idolatry.

Shishi              Punishment for sexual crimes.

Shevi’i             The duty to observe G-d‘s statues.

Haftorah         Amos 9;7– 15: the sins of Israel and their punishment.

 

Sidra Statistics

Parshat Kedoshim

·               has 64 verses;

·               is the  7th  in Leviticus,  30th  in the Torah

·               9th  longest in Leviticus,  49th  longest  in the Torah  

·                has 13 pos + 38 neg  =  51  mitzvot.

 

PAST PARSHAH PUZZLE

If repairs don‘t work: demolish.

An infected house that stays infected.

 

PARSHAH PUZZLE

 

4th commandment trumps fifth.

 

WEEKLY HALAKHA

 

If Yom Ha-atzmaut falls on Friday or Shabbat, it is moved to Thursday.