Articles with the tag: kedoshim
No Shortcuts to Heaven
The Chasidic master Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk once asked his disciples, “Where is G-d?” Puzzled, they replied, “Is it not written that G-d fills the heavens and the earth? Hence, G-d must be everywhere.”
“No,” replied the Rebbe, “G-d is where we let Him in.” While scientists have sought G-d in the design of the universe, historians in the survival of the Jewish people, and spiritualists in mystical experiences, there is a surer way. Just let Him in.
Though He could, G-d does not impose Himself on our consciousness. True, He walks in our garden, but for the most part He allows the children of Adam the deception that they can hide. His existence, at least the proof of it,...
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Covet Your Wife (20:10)
American culture grows cruder each and every day. Talented and intelligent young women are being led to believe that their God-given role is to serve as entertainment for lecherous men. Others are being indoctrinated by Joe Millionaire reality shows, that women should trade their hearts for a man’s wallet. With such ideas becoming mainstream America, and with so little outrage by women, it is not surprising that in 2001 there was increases of 1,500 percent in husbands making their wives sign prenuptial agreements, over the previous decade.
For married women, the situation is even bleaker. When husbands are constantly barraged with advertised images of the ‘perfect’ female body, wives become ordinary by comparison. Indeed, with the very narrow standard of…
Continue reading Covet Your Wife (20:10)
Love, by Not Forgetting Who Is G-d (19:18)
Although there are thirteen positive and thirty eight negative commandments squeezed into this week’s Biblical reading, the most famous of them is undoubtedly, “You shall love your fellow as yourself.” Unfortunately, the last two words of that very same verse, “I am Hashem,” did not attain the same level of renown as its counterpart. I say unfortunate, because by adding this phrase the Torah is connecting the command of fraternal love with an affirmation of belief in G-d.
It is noteworthy that the Torah standard of loving others is the love of self. The Sefas Emes raises the question, where do we find that there is a mitzvah to love oneself, which would allow us to utilize that as the…
Continue reading Love, by Not Forgetting Who Is G-d (19:18)
Love…yourself (19:18)
The law of laws, the mitzvah of mitzvohs is of course the commandment, “To love your fellow as yourself.” / It is that which Rabbi Akiva called, “The great principle of the Torah.” Curiously enough, this ever-challenging directive is contained in the same sentence and follows the phrase, “You shall not take revenge or bear a grudge.” /
One wonders why these two disparate concepts and scenarios are packaged together. Couldn’t the Torah have found more refined company for the individual willing to live by the golden rule of love? Does he then have to be paired with such coarse and petty characters as those who stoop to revenge and cannot let go of a grudge?
There is a story…
Continue reading Love…yourself (19:18)
Love Your Fellow Jew (19:18)
Lubavitcher Chassidim are an enigma. If we had stayed in Brooklyn, the world wouldn’t have given us a second thought. But spending so much time and energy for other Jews! Why? The reason is simple. A Chassid’s concern is Divine, sanctioned and mandated by the Almighty Himself.
The commandment referred to is, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which first appears in this week’s Torah portion. Ancient man - not much different than his 20th century cousin - asked the basic question, “You expect me to what? Love that no good…!”
The prophets didn’t bother explaining. Instead they added details. The word “neighbor” they clarified, includes those who cannot afford your neighborhood too. The orphan, widow and stranger also have to…
Continue reading Love Your Fellow Jew (19:18)
Talk Yourself into Love (19:17)
TALK YOURSELF INTO LOVE (19:17)
The soul that breathes life into all of Jewish literature is the Bible. At its center is the third book of Vayikra (Leviticus). Penetrate to its core, and one arrives at the “Holiness” passages of chapter 19 with its momentous call: “You shall be holy because I, the L-rd your G-d, am holy.” And the heart of that section is a brief paragraph which deals with, not surprisingly, matters of the heart: Do not hate your brother…You must surely admonish your neighbor and not bear sin because of him. Do not take revenge or bear a grudge…Love your neighbor as yourself. I am G-d.” /
Much has been written regarding the final verse, “Love your…
Continue reading Talk Yourself into Love (19:17)
Discover the Chochom (19:2)
The current two portions (Achrei Mos & Kedoshim) are filled with mitzvohs the way a pomegranate is filled with seeds. / Well, maybe not quite. But Kedoshim alone does have more than 50 commandments! In fact, due to the pivotal nature of many of the laws mentioned therein, G-d had Moses disregard normal procedure.
Traditionally, Moses would first begin transmitting what he had learned from G-d only to Aaron. After allowing his brother to digest the information, Aaron’s two sons would join the class. A third rendering was then done in the presence of the seventy elders…and only afterwards, was the rest of the community invited to participate in hearing of G-d’s teachings.
Why was standard protocol thrown out the…
Continue reading Discover the Chochom (19:2)
The Priest and the Child (19:2)
As a Rabbi, I am a regular visitor at several hospitals. At one such facility, there is a local priest that I often encounter. At first, our greetings to each other were merely perfunctory. Lately however, I’ve noticed a change. The priest is not content with a civil “Hello,” he is actively trying to draw me into conversation. Since I am not into sports, have no insights on the weather, and am not current on the latest movies, the exchanges are becoming theological.
This is particularly annoying to me as (a) these discussions can lead nowhere, and (b) it’s obvious he’s simply trying to score ‘religion’ points (mine is better than yours!). This past Sunday, he remarked on how wonderful…
Continue reading The Priest and the Child (19:2)
Kedoshim: the Priest and the Child
As a Rabbi, I am a regular visitor at several hospitals. At one such facility, there is a local priest that I often encounter. At first, our greetings to each other were merely perfunctory. Lately however, I’ve noticed a change. The priest is not content with a civil hello, he is actively trying to draw me into conversation. Since I am not into sports, have no insights on the weather, and am not current on the latest movies, the exchanges are becoming theological.
This is particularly annoying to me as (a) these discussions can lead nowhere, and (b) it’s obvious he’s simply trying to score ‘religion’ points (mine is better than yours!). This past Sunday, he remarked on how wonderful…
Continue reading Kedoshim: the Priest and the Child
Covet Your Wife (20:10)
American culture grows cruder each and every day. Talented and intelligent young women are being led to believe that their God-given role is to serve as entertainment for lecherous men. Others are being indoctrinated by Joe Millionaire reality shows, that women should trade their hearts for a man’s wallet. With such ideas becoming mainstream America, and with so little outrage by women, it is not surprising that in 2001 there was increases of 1,500 percent in husbands making their wives sign prenuptial agreements, over the previous decade. For married women, the situation is even bleaker. When husbands are constantly barraged with advertised images of the ‘perfect’ female body, wives become ordinary by comparison. Indeed, with the very narrow standard of…
Continue reading Covet Your Wife (20:10)
Love, by Not Forgetting Whose G-d (19:18)
Although there are thirteen positive and thirty eight negative commandments squeezed into this week’s Biblical reading, the most famous of them is undoubtedly, “You shall love your fellow as yourself.” Unfortunately, the last two words of that very same verse, “I am Hashem,” did not attain the same level of renown as its counterpart. I say unfortunate, because by adding this phrase the Torah is connecting the command of fraternal love with an affirmation of belief in G-d.
It is noteworthy that the Torah standard of loving others is the love of self. The Sefas Emes raises the question, where do we find that there is a mitzvah to love oneself, which would allow us to utilize that as the…
Continue reading Love, by Not Forgetting Whose G-d (19:18)
Love Your Fellow Jew (19:18)
Lubavitcher Chassidim are an enigma. If we had stayed in Brooklyn, the world wouldn’t have given us a second thought. But spending so much time and energy for other Jews! Why? The reason is simple. A Chassid’s concern is Divine, sanctioned and mandated by the Almighty Himself.
The commandment referred to is, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which first appears in this week’s Torah portion. Ancient man - not much different than his 20th century cousin - asked the basic question, “How? Love that no good…!”
The prophets didn’t bother explaining. Instead they added details. The word “neighbor” they clarified, includes those who cannot afford your neighborhood too. The orphan, widow and stranger also have to be embraced.
Over the…
Continue reading Love Your Fellow Jew (19:18)
Love…yourself (19:18)
The law of laws, the mitzvah of mitzvohs is of course the commandment, “To love your fellow as yourself.” It is that which Rabbi Akiva called, “The great principle of the Torah.” Curiously enough, this ever-challenging directive is contained in the same sentence and follows the phrase, “You shall not take revenge or bear a grudge.”
One wonders why these two disparate concepts and scenarios are packaged together. Couldn’t the Torah have found more refined company for the individual willing to live by the golden rule of love? Does he then have to be paired with such coarse and petty characters as those who stoop to revenge and cannot let go of a grudge?
There is a story of a…
Continue reading Love…yourself (19:18)
Discover the Chochom (19:2)
The current two portions (Achrei Mos & Kedoshim) are filled with mitzvohs the way a pomegranate is filled with seeds. Well, maybe not quite. But Kedoshim alone does have more than 50 commandments! In fact, due to the pivotal nature of many of the laws mentioned therein, G-d had Moses disregard normal procedure. Traditionally, Moses would first begin transmitting what he had learned from G-d only to Aaron. After allowing his brother to digest the information, Aaron’s two sons would join the class. A third rendering was then done in the presence of the seventy elders…and only afterwards, was the rest of the community invited to participate in hearing of G-d’s teachings.
Why was standard protocol thrown out the window…
Continue reading Discover the Chochom (19:2)