Parashat Kedoshim- Achieving Holiness
**Candlelighting in Brooklyn, NY, May 2nd is at 7:35 PM.
MInha, followed by Derasha by Rabbi Mansour, and Arbit ,on Shabbat, May 3rd will be at 6:45 PM **
Parashat Kedoshim begins with God's command, "Kedoshim Tiheyu" – "You shall be holy." What exactly does it mean to be "Kadosh" – "holy," and how is this achieved?
The Sages teach that "Kedoshim" means "Perushim" – literally, "separate." When a man betroths a woman, he declares that she is hereby "Mekudeshet," a derivative of the word "Kadosh." A groom does not declare his bride to be "holy"; rather, he declares that she is designated, set apart from other women, to be his wife. Similarly, during the times of the Bet Ha'mikdash, when a person would consecrate an animal as a Korban (sacrifice) he would announce, "Hare Zeh Mekudash." Once again, "Mekudash" in this context does not mean "holiness"; the animal remains just that – an animal. Rather, "Mekudash" means that the animal is designated for a higher purpose, set apart from other animals in that it is earmarked as a sacrifice to the Almighty.
It is in this vein that we must understand the obligation of "Kedoshim Tiheyu." All Jews must see themselves as "Mekudash" – designated and set apart from other peoples, to live in a special way and behave according to a higher standard. This obligation thus refers to the overall character of our conduct and lifestyle, demanding that we conduct all our affairs with this mindset of "Kedusha," with the realization that we have been designated for a higher purpose.
With this definition of "Kedusha" in mind, we can proceed to answer our second question, namely, how a person can achieve this quality.
When God presents this command, He instructs Moshe to convey it to "Kol Adat Bene Yisrael" – "the entire congregation of the Israelites." As the commentators note, God ordered Moshe to teach this obligation to the entire nation altogether. Whereas other Misvot were first taught privately to Aharon, who then conveyed the information to the nation's leaders who in turn taught it to the rest of the people, this command was issued at an assembly of the entire nation. The reason, perhaps, is that "Kedusha" can be achieved only collectively, as a group. As we saw, "Kedusha" implies separateness, rising above the commonly accepted standard. If a person attempts to achieve this goal individually, in a vacuum, he will almost invariably meet with opposition, ridicule and scorn. The goal of "Kedusha" can be successfully achieved only if it becomes a group effort, if people join together with the aspiration of growing and living by a higher spiritual standard. The group dynamic gives each member the support and encouragement he needs to strive to rise above the normal standards of society. The Misva of "Kedoshim Tiheyu" thus had to be conveyed in a large, group setting – to impress upon the people the importance of pursuing Kedusha collectively, rather than trying to do it individually.
It is imperative for every person to join some group, some structure, where he associates with other, likeminded conscientious Jews aspiring for religious growth. Even if this entails something as simple as joining a weekly Torah class, some participation in a group devoted to "Kedusha" is an absolute necessity. Without the support of the group dynamic, it is virtually impossible for a person to withstand societal pressure and succeed in his pursuit of the higher standard that the Torah demands.
