MAKE THEM HOLY

“The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am Holy. Each of you shall fear his mother and his father and you shall observe My Sabbaths, I Am the Lord your God. Do not turn to the false gods, and do not fashion for yourselves cast gods, I am the Lord your God.” (Vayikrah 19:1-4)

The first three verses of parshat Kedoshim contain three distinct precepts. Firstly, a general call to be holy.  Secondly, a warning to revere parents and observe Shabbat, and thirdly, an exhortation not to engage in idolatry. In each case, the Torah appends the phrase “I am the Lord.” Rabbi Zalman Sorortzkin (in Oznayim L’Torah) sees in these words an important directive to a Jewish leader.

The ideal Jewish leader is one who is able to communicate the message of holiness to “the entire congregation of Israel”, to all of the different sects, divisions and groups that make up the Jewish people.   Sanctity and holiness are not limited to scholars or pious recluses living apart from society. At Sinai, God told Moshe to tell the entire nation (Shmot 19:6), “You shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  When a Jew performs a mitzvah, be it a world-renowned rabbi or a small child, he or she must first recite a blessing: “Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the world, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to…” Thus a leader must educate all of his flock in the aspects of living a holy life.

However, writes Rabbi Sorotzkin, the leader must communicate his message in a particular order. Moreover, the style and “packaging” of his message must differ from group to group. First, the leader must reach out to the budding talmidei chachamim, Torah scholars, in the community. These are people who have already encountered holiness and are ready to hear his message. Through his teaching and personal example, he must guide them further along the path of holiness. This group corresponds to the first verse, “and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am Holy.” It is vital for the leader to give this group his attention because he will need them as his allies if he is to influence the next two groups. A leader cannot work alone, he needs helpers to achieve his goal.

Next are the “average” members of the community. They are not necessarily scholars but they are committed to living a life dedicated to observing mitzvoth, be they positive mitzvoth like revering parents or negative mitzvoth like not desecrating the Shabbat. These are referred to in the second verse, “Each of you shall fear his mother and his father and you shall observe My Sabbaths, I Am the Lord your God.” The leader, together with the scholars of the first group who will assist, must educate the rank-and-file of the community about the components of living a Jewish life. This group will require a different method of communication compared to the first group. The scholars crave text-based learning and intense discussions whereas the second group will need a healthy dose of inspiration, instruction and consolidation.

Then there is the third group and this is the most difficult of all. These are people who are distant from the community. Either by choice or by circumstance, they have moved away from the practice of Judaism. They know very little about Torah and mitzvoth. They are in danger of assimilation and some may already be sampling other religions or cultures. This group is referred to in the third verse, “Do not turn to the false gods, and do not fashion for yourselves cast gods, I am the Lord your God.” In modern parlance, the work done with this third group is known as kiruv rechokim, bringing close those who are far. 

There are a number of major Jewish organisations that concentrate most of their efforts on this third group: Chabad, Ohr Somayach, Aish HaTorah, Arachim, to name but a few. Each kiruv organisation has its own methodology, philosophy and mission. But all of them have a single goal: to reach those Jews who have strayed from Judaism and to expose them to authentic Jewish messages with the hope that they will adopt a Jewish lifestyle. The spiritual ancestor of all these groups is none other than our father, Abraham and our mother, Sarah. They saw their mission as exposing as many people as possible to belief in the One God. In the words of our sages (see Rashi on Bereishit 12:5), “Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women.” Their success was a result of their methodology – kindness and hospitality. They did not criticise or rebuke. Rather, they drew people in with a good meal and an inspiring message.

A leader must not ignore any of these groups. At times, one group will require more of his attention than another. Sometimes the scholars will need him to deliver a shiur on the Talmud; at other times he might be required to affix a mezuzah to the home of someone in the second group, and at other times, he might have to patiently explain to someone in the third group why he or she should not cremate a relative. Holiness can only be achieved in its totality when all of the Jewish people are committed to it.

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Liebenberg

Rabbi’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/giLDXPXuYZw?si=P4f4DNEkeqFGrjV2

PESACH SHEINI – 14 Iyar / Monday 12 May

This Monday is Pesach Sheini, the ‘second Passover’ (see Bamidbar 9:1-14). In the days of the Temple, if one became impure through contact with a dead body or too far away and could not bring the Pesach sacrifice on the 14^th Nissan, one would have the opportunity to offer it a month later. There was no requirement to remove chametz from one’s home for the second Pesach, but the sacrifice, itself, could not be eaten together with any leaven products, but rather with matzo and bitter herbs. Some commemorate Pesach Sheini by eating matzo and omitting Tachnun.

LAG B’OMER – 18 Iyar / Thursday night 15 & Friday 16 May

This Friday is the minor festival of Lag B’Omer. The name of the festival translates as “the 33^rd day of the Omer.” According to tradition, the plague that decimated the 24 000 students of Rabbi Akiva ended on this day and therefore, the mourning restrictions during the Omer period are relaxed and one can get married, have a haircut and celebrate the day with singing and dancing.According to tradition, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, one of the main disciples of Rabbi Akiva and the primary author of the Zohar, the basic kabbalistic text, passed away on Lag B’Omer which always coincides with the 18^th of Iyar. It has therefore become customary for Jews (especially Chassidim and Sephardim) to make a pilgrimage on Lag B’Omer to the grave of Rabbi Shimon in Meron, near Sefad, where he ran a Yeshiva. Three-year-old boys are given their first haircut and bonfires are made symbolising the great light of Torah that Rabbi Shimon brought into the world.