Parshas Kidoshim begins with the
exhortation, "Tell the entire community of the children of Israel saying
to them holy you will be because holy I am Hashem your G-d" (Leviticus
19:2). The word holy (קדוש) typically
is a synonym for religion (דת).
However it seems to include much more. From the laws in parshas Kidoshim and
those preceding this verse in Achare Mos we receive additional insights.
Parshas Kidoshim contains 61 mitzvahs
and the section preceding it in Achare Mos has 24 for a total of 85. The first
pesucha (paragraph) deals explicitly with sanctity. Many of the mitzvahs are
prohibitions against what is really heinous behavior.
It starts with commandments to
honor parents, to observe Shabbos and a ban on idolatry. A discussion of the
sacrifices follows specifically saying that the sacrificial meal should be
eaten on the day it is brought and after the second one can not use it for
leftovers. The idea seems to be that taking food from a seudas mitzvah home for
mundane use profanes the sanctity of the offering.
The next section deals with what
can be loosely called agricultural laws. Specifically, not to harvest the edges
of one's field of grain or to pick up scattered individual stalks which have
fallen to the ground. Likewise one is not to harvest grapes growing
individually or pick up ones that have fallen. These are to be abandoned to the
poor. The unifying concept is that one should not be excessively efficient and
that there are limits to cost accounting and strict allocation. In a business
the owner should not be constantly counting pennies. The popular pejorative is
to squeeze a penny until the eagle on it screams.
The parsha continues with various
types of unscrupulous financial behavior such as cheating people out of their
money and not paying people at the agreed upon time. There is a ban on mischief
such as humiliating or misdirecting the unsuspecting. In addition one should
not take pleasure by recounting the disgrace of others. However one can not
twist this into a justification for silently allowing a crook to rob his
victim.
It is also prohibited to have a
disgusting hairstyle or mar the body. One may not be a charlatan or even deal
with them. One is required to respect the old and wise. Converts are to be
respected and treated with sensitivity. Licentiousness is condemned in detail. Only
animals that are reckoned as pure may be eaten and ones that are disgusting may
not.
The essence of the parsha is that
one should not hate his comrade in his heart. This refers to intentionally
harboring a grudge. Rather one is commanded to rebuke the offender. Hopefully
he will change, but the victim will at least have gotten the issue off his chest.
Ideally one should love his fellow as himself
The unifying theme of holiness as
understood in this passage is to have a good heart which is clothed in
principles. In addition one must be dedicated to G-d and the community. To a
large extent these characteristics are found in Rabbi Elezar ben Arach as
described in the end of the second chapter of Ethics of our Fathers. To him the
best characteristic a person could have was a good heart and the worst a bad
heart. His guiding principle were to diligently learn Torah, know how to
respond to an apostate, and to know the Master before which he was laboring,
and trust that He will give just compensation. This is like kidusha which is a
well spring which overpowers.
אזכור
הכבוד של תורמים ליד יוסף
אבי מורי פיליפ שרייבר, יוחנן הולצברג, אברהם שמרלר
לע"נ
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