Parasha Ajarei mot-Kedoshim Vaikra (Leviticus) 16: 1–18: 30 and 19: 1–20: 27
This Parasha focuses on holiness. The Jewish people not only have an obligation to adhere to the Creator's commandments, but through them we sanctify ourselves and become sacred. In these two parashiot , which are generally read together, the Torah gives us specific instructions to achieve this lofty goal. What matters is not only what we should do , but equally important is what we should avoid doing.
"Do not imitate the practices of the land of Egypt in which you dwelt, and do not imitate the practices of the land of Canaan to which I bring you, and do not follow their customs." 1 And this applies to all the lands of our pilgrimages.
It's always tempting to join a group, follow the masses, and embrace what's hot. Therefore, at the very beginning of our history, Hashem warns us that if we want to survive as Jews we must keep our faith, we cannot imitate the practices of the nations among which we dwell. Our morals and ethics are rooted in Sinai and cannot be changed, while the rules that legislate the lives of nations, the laws by which they live, are in a constant flux of change. What was considered immoral yesterday can be accepted today. Without going too far, consider the language that has become politically correct, the dress that is considered "high fashion," the entertainment that is considered "culture," the way the young are allowed to address the elderly. , the collapse of our families ... Then you will see for yourself the wisdom of this prohibition.
But what if we don't see it? What's wrong with being comfortable and not criticizing what society stands for? He remembers the final words of this passage: "Do not follow their customs." The only way the Jewish people had to survive the centuries of exile, the only way we have to resist the onslaught of assimilation, is to tenaciously hold on to the laws of our Torah and walk away from those statutes to the that, at first glance, we might be attracted. Our way of life, our values, our morals, everything has its roots in Sinai and in that Divine Voice that forces us eternally in every culture and in every country.
Trust: the basis of all relationships
One of the mitzvot that this parsha mentions is: "You shall not put an obstacle before a blind man." 2 This statement should not be taken literally, but also forces us to be careful not to give bad advice. We also need to make sure that we have no hidden goals and that our motivation for giving that advice is pure. However, the question that arises is: Why doesn't the Torah simply state that it is forbidden to deceive another person? Why do you speak metaphorically: “put an obstacle in front of a blind man”?
The Torah wants to teach us the seriousness and importance of trust. Just as no healthy person would trip a blind man or make him stop in front of a moving vehicle, giving another bad advice is equally deplorable. We all know how painful it is to discover that we have been betrayed by people in whom we place our trust, therefore we should try not to do the same to others. All relationships are built on trust. Neither individuals, nor families, nor societies can survive when there is no trust. When we come to understand this and understand that deceiving or confusing a person is no different than allowing a blind person to cross an avenue with a green light, we will certainly be more sensitive to every word we speak.
The golden rule
"Love your neighbor as yourself." 3 Rabbi Akiva proclaimed that this is a fundamental principle of the Torah, from which we can learn to relate to others. The question is whether it is possible to love another person as we love ourselves. The great Hasidic teacher, the Báal Shem Tov, responded by reminding us that just as we are aware of our many flaws and still love ourselves, so we should also be kind to others and love them despite their flaws.
The Rambam (Maimonides) teaches that this commandment obliges us to love all Jews as ourselves, to act with affection and take care of their feelings, their possessions, their money and their dignity as we would the own. On the other hand, the Ramban (Nachmanides) teaches that the Torah does not literally require us to love the other person as we love ourselves. In fact, there is a rule that states that in times of danger, our own life takes precedence. What God does demands is that we wish for others what we wish for ourselves, and that Let us treat with the same respect and consideration that we wish for ourselves.
Hillel the Elder paraphrased this commandment and said: "What you do not like to be done to you, do not do to others", and said to a future convert : “That's the whole Torah. Go and study it. The rest is comment. ”
The way to holiness
In this week's Parsha , we discovered the meaning of spirituality. God proclaims: " Vihitem Li kedoshim, ki kadosh Aní Hashem - They will be holy to Me, because I, Hashem, am holy" ... 4
Can an ordinary man aspire to holiness? Is that realistic? Yes, the Torah states not only that it is possible to achieve that goal, but that we have an obligation to do so. Our Parasha does not present this commandment as a theoretical idea, but rather details the exact steps that must be taken to achieve that goal. As a result, in this parsha most of the essential things of the Torah are mentioned, because through adherence to those mitzvot we become holy. These mitzvot range from respecting parents to loving our neighbor as ourselves, from not taking revenge to being careful not to gossip, from being kind to strangers to paying the worker on the same day, from respecting Shabbat to not worship idols, and much more. This covers all aspects of life.
Furthermore, Gd commanded Moshe to teach those commandments to the entire nation: "Kol adat benei Israel", every Jew was to be present to highlight the fact that holiness cannot be achieved through a hermit existence, through self-denial, meditation or climbing the Himalayas, but only by treating others with jésed , justice, consideration and love, drawing them closer and thus drawing us closer to Hashem.
The map to holiness
The Torah never leaves anything to speculation, but rather provides us with a clear map that shows us how to achieve our goals. Our Sages delineated several paths that lead to holiness:
1) Separate yourself from the immoral and sinful. Obviously, our definition of what is immoral or sin based on the Torah is very different from what the culture of the century XXI accepts as standard. As responsible Jews, we must study exactly what "immoral and sinful" means.
2) Sanctify yourself with what is allowed. We are charged with tempering all our actions and words with discipline.For example, we are allowed to eat, but not be gluttonous; we are allowed to buy, but not be addicted to shopping; We are allowed to drink alcohol, but not get drunk We sanctify wine by making kiddush .
3) Make God loved by our actions and words. As Jews, we have a responsibility to be God's ambassadors. That is why we have a mandate to inspire people to love and praise God. By showing kindness, refinement, and consideration, we bring honor and glory to the Name of God. This obligation is not limited to major world events, but also to our everyday interactions, such as thanking a store clerk or hostess, yielding to someone, and not taking the parking space away from someone else. The examples are endless.
4) Just as God is compassionate and merciful, we must also be compassionate and merciful. We must strive to emulate the attributes of God of compassion and mercy in our personal relationships, because there is the essence of holiness. At first glance, it may seem that this is the most difficult of all, but if we consider that we want God to forgive us for our transgressions, without a doubt we will be able to say two powerful words: "I forgive you."
(From Haish L.)
NOTES:
1. Leviticus 18:30.
2. Ibid . 19:14.
3. Ibid . 19:18.
4. Ibid . 20:26.
Dedicated for the complete healing of all the sick of Am Israel and the world, and for Hatzlaja and Beracha of all I srael.
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