Thursday, January 27, 2022

Isaiah 6:3 - Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh

 בס"ד



The book of Isaiah describes the prophet's vision of G-d on his throne. The fiery angels called to each other, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole world is filled with his glory”, (Isaiah 6:3). Concerning holy, the Metzudat David commented that this verse meant to say that He is sanctified and exalted in the world of the angels, the metaphysical world, and the lowly world.


Holiness is the central theme by which Israel understands G-d and its relationship with Him. He is called Kadosh in the prayer עלינו. Alenu is attributed to Yehoshua ben Nun, making it a very early usage. The popular usage today culls the phrase, the holy One, blessed be He (הקדוש ברוך הוא - haKadosh baruch Hu). However the term קָדוֹשׁ can be difficult to distinguish clearly and involves mystery,  unapproachability, and transcendency. Often it elicits irrational responses from humans. It involves fear and dread that is interwoven with awe and fascination.


In post Biblical Hebrew holy is used as the language of marriage and its associated jealousy. Specifically a man is publicly declaring that he loves this woman and she is his. Within holiness are internal standards of purity and righteousness, which carry strong moral and ethical implications. These include sexual purity within and outside of marriage, sovereignty, submissiveness and lifetime commitments. There are also attributes of trust, permanence, and tolerance.


These aspects also relate to the relationship between G-d and the creation and firstly to the nation of Israel. Holiness distinguishes between clean and dirty which grows into a separation between the sacred and the profane. Among the results is life and vitality. In order to relate to Hashem, Israel must be clean and pure. All of life is seen as having the option of moving from the natural to the spiritual, from the secular to holy, and it is the mission of Israel to sanctify the profane.


לע"נ  האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח

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