PARSHAT SHEMINI by Yehuda HaKohen. “For I am HaShem your G-D – you are to sanctify yourselves and you shall be Kedoshim, for I am Kadosh; and you shall not contaminate yourselves through any teeming thing that creeps on the earth. For I am HaShem Who elevates you from the land of Egypt to be a G-D unto you; you shall be Kedoshim, for I am Kadosh.” (VAYIKRA 11:44-45)
Rav Tzadok HaKohen teaches in Tzidkat HaTzadik that kedusha (generally translated into English as “holiness”) connotes a total dedication to serving HaShem as a vehicle to reveal His Divine Ideal in this world. Just as G-D is Kadosh and His kedusha is expressed through the mysterious coexistence of both His transcendence beyond Creation and His immanence within every aspect of Creation, so are Israel meant to be Kedoshim through our ability to fully separate from the limitations of our world while at the same time involve ourselves completely in this world. All of the Torah’s mitzvot guide us to realize and actualize our inner kedusha through being both completely in and of this world while at the same time possessing the freedom to live beyond it. This kedusha empowers the Jewish people to pursue our national mission of bringing human civilization towards history’s goal of total perfection and the universal self-awareness of man’s relationship to HaShem as our inner Divine Source.
In order for Israel to express the kedusha necessary to achieve our national goal, we must exercise our will power and rise beyond the temptations to partake from forbidden foods, gaze upon impure sights or give unrestricted license to our physical lusts. HaShem created a world full of delicious foods, beautiful sights and outlets for our most natural desires, which are not merely permissible but even beneficial in helping us to advance towards higher levels of self-awareness. Implementing the will power to control and properly direct our cravings rather than allowing those cravings to dominate us permits us to experience our own power and inner Divinity. The Hebrew Nation was delivered from Egyptian bondage in order to be consecrated to an eternal national sanctity. Since becoming a “kingdom of priests and holy nation” was the purpose for Israel’s liberation from slavery, the Jewish people must strive to live up to our mission in all spheres of life, both collective and individual. Exercising our will to uphold modest behavior and dietary regulations are central components to the rich culture and collective ethos of Israel, whose national identity can best be defined by kedusha.
Beyond our own national culture and identity, Israel brings a special sanctity to Creation that appeared to be lacking from the world as it previously existed. The consecration of the Jewish people is not a man-made idea but rather a Divine historical occurrence. Israel is the miraculously created national unit meant to express the revelation of HaShem’s Oneness in this world – His emissary on earth destined to fulfill the purpose of Creation and the ultimate goal of all human history. Just as HaShem is Kadosh, so must Israel be Kedoshim in all areas of life, ranging from marital relations and business dealings to agriculture and modern warfare.
The Nation of Israel is commanded to emulate G-D and to walk in His ways. As a hallowed society that lives a national life of kedusha, Am Yisrael is to participate in and elevate all spheres of existence in order to reveal the inner connection of everything to the Divine Ideal. Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi teaches in the Kuzari that the Jewish people is a level of Creation separate from human beings (as human beings are separate from animals and animals are separate from plants) and it is Israel’s function to be a nation that radiates kedusha to the world, bringing mankind to an everlasting peace and to an intimate knowledge of HaShem’s Divine goodness.
With Love of Israel,
-Yehuda HaKohen
Am Segula
