פָּרָשַׁת קְדֹשִׁים Parashat Ḳedoshim
INTRODUCTION:
Parashat Ḳedoshim (Lev. 19:1-20:27) contains the following sidrot:
Ninety-Fourth Sidra՚, an eclectic collection of laws generally referred to as Holiness Laws;
Ninety-Fifth Sidra՚, Holiness Laws continued - forbidden practices, offences against true worship, and offences against the family including forbidden sexual practices.
ANALYSIS:
Ninety-Fourth Sidra՚ (Lev. 19:1-22): An eclectic collection of laws generally referred to as Holiness Laws.
"And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them holy you shall be; for holy, am I YHWH your God" (Lev. 19:1-2)
We are to revere both our mothers and our fathers, and keep YHWH's Shabbaths. We are not to turn to false gods, nor are we to make molten gods. If a wellbeing-offering is brought to YHWH, the one bringing it must do so out of their own free will. The offering is to be eaten on the day that it was slaughtered and on the morrow; anything remaining on the third day is to be burnt in fire. If any of it is eaten on the third day it is פִּגּוּל [befouled] and the offering becomes unacceptable, "And the one that eats it shall take up his iniquity, because the holy thing of YHWH he has profaned, and that soul shall be cut off from its people" (Lev. 19:8). We must not harvest our crops up to the corner of our fields, nor are we to glean the remaining crop. We mustn't glean our vineyards nor bunches of grapes that have broken off from the vine; all gleanings are for the afflicted and the Sojourner [גֵּר]. We are not to steal, deceive, or lie to each other. We shall not swear a lie in YHWH's name, thus profaning His name. Do not exhort your fellow, do not rob them, and pay a hired worker on time. Don't insult the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blind; revere YHWH our God. Do not be unjust in judgement, don't lift up the face of the poor, and don't honour the face of the great; with righteousness we are to judge our kinsman. Refrain from being a talebearer among your people, neither stand by the blood of your fellow. Do not hate your brother in your heart, rebuke your kinsman so that you do not bear sin on account of him. Don't take vengeance and don't bear a grudge against your people, but be helpful to your fellow who is one like yourself. We are to keep YHWH's laws. Don't cross breed life-stock, don't sow your field with two kinds of seeds , and don't wear a garment that is shaՙaṭnez (defined as a garment made from linen which is vegetable, and wool which is animal; see Deuteronomy 22:11). If a man has sexual relations with a woman - a handmaid designated for another man - and she has not been ransomed or given her freedom (see Exodus 21:9-11), there shall be an inquiry but they are not to be put to death because she was not free. However, such an act does necessitate guilt, therefore the man is to bring a ram as a guilt-offering to YHWH so that the kohen can make atonement for him before YHWH for the sin that he sinned; and he shall be forgiven.
Ninety-Fifth Sidra՚ (Lev. 19:23-20:27): Holiness Laws continued - forbidden practices, offences against true worship, and offences against the family including forbidden sexual practices.
When a tree is planted in the land of Israel, for the first three fruit bearing years the fruit is to be regarded as ՙorla [עָרְלָה - foreskin] and is not to be eaten. In the fourth fruit bearing year all its fruit is to be regarded as being, "a holy praise to YHWH" (Lev. 19:24). However, in its fifth fruit bearing year the fruit may be eaten. The reason for this is, "to increase for you its produce" (Lev. 19:25). We are not to eat meat together with its blood, nor are we to practice divination or soothsaying. We are not allowed to round off the side growth of our heads, or to destroy the side growth of our beards. It is not permissible to make an incision in our flesh for a dead person (this is still practiced by Shi'ite Moslems on the Day of 'Ashura), nor are we to place on ourselves writing of skin etching (tattoos). We are not to profane our daughters by making them into prostitutes lest we fill the land with licentiousness. We are to keep YHWH's Shabbaths, and to revere His Temple. We are not to turn to ghosts or to familiar spirits to enquire from them; if we do we will become defiled. We are to rise before someone in their old-age and we are to honour and by so doing we revere God. We are not to oppress the Sojourner who sojourns in our land in fact they are to be treated like the citizen, and we are to be helpful to them as one of our own, "for sojourners were you in the land of Egypt; I am YHWH your God" (Lev. 19:34). Do not do injustice in judgement, in measure, in weight, and in capacity; for just balances, just weighing-stones, and just measurements we are to posses, "I am YHWH your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. And you shall keep all My laws and all My judgments, you shall do them; I am YHWH" (Lev. 19:36-37).
Any Israelite or Sojourner who gives their offspring to Molekh shall be put to death; the people of the land are to stone them. YHWH will set His face against anyone who commits such an offence and they will be cut off from among their people. For such an act makes the Temple impure and profanes YHWH's holy name. Anyone who ignores the person performing this act and does not have them brought to justice, then YHWH will place His face against that man and against his clan, "and I will cause him to be cut off and all who go a-whoring after him to whore after Molekh from among their people" (Lev. 20:5). Anyone who turns to ghosts or to familiar spirits to whore after them, YHWH will set His face against them and cause them to be cut off from among their people.
"You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am YHWH your God. And you shall keep My laws, and do them; I YHWH who makes you holy" (Lev. 20:7-8). Anyone who insults his father and his mother is to be put to death. Some commentators maintain that this is not an 'either or' situation, but that both the mother and father needed to be have been insulted in order for the culprit to be liable for the death sentence. If a man commits adultery with the wife of another man the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. A man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered the nakedness belonging to his father, the man and the father's wife shall be put to death. A man who lies with his daughter-in-law, the two of them shall be put to death, "confusion they have done" (Lev. 20:12). "And a man who lies with a male in the ways one lies with a woman, an abomination they have both done; death they shall be put to death their blood is upon them" (Lev. 20:13). A man who takes a woman and her mother they shall be burnt in fire, "and there shall not be licentiousness among you" (Lev. 20:14). A man who has sexual intercourse with a beast; both the man and the beast shall be put to death. A woman who copulates with a beast; both the woman and the beast shall be put to death. A man who has sexual relations with his full-sister or half-sister, "it is a disgraceful thing, and they shall be cut off, before the eyes of the children of their people; the nakedness of his sister he has uncovered his iniquity he shall bear" (Lev. 20:17). A man who lies with a woman while she is menstruating both of them have uncovered the source of her blood, therefore, both of them shall be cut off from among their people. A man is not to have sexual relations with his aunt whether she is his mother's sister or his father's sister. A man shall not lie with his uncle's wife (even if they are divorced or she is a widow), "their sin they shall bear accursed they shall die" (Lev. 20:20). A man shall not take the wife of his brother (even if they are divorced). We are to keep all of YHWH's laws and all of His judgments, if we don't we will be vomited out of the land of Israel. "And you shall not walk in the laws of the nations, that I am sending out from before you; for all these they did, and I abhorred them" (Lev. 20:23). Just as YHWH our God has separated us from the other nations, so we are to separate between the pure beasts and fowl and the impure ones, lest we make ourselves detestable through any impure creature. "You shall be holy to Me, for I YHWH am holy; I have separated you from the nations to be Mine" (Lev. 20:26). A man or woman, who summons up a ghost or a familiar spirit in a séance in order for it to take possession of them, is to be put to death by stoning; their blood is upon them.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
The theme of holiness is interwoven throughout Parashat Ḳedoshim, it is the state to which we are to aspire - it is imitatio Dei; the imitation of God at its loftiest:
And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them holy you shall be; for holy, am I YHWH your God (Lev. 19:1-2)
You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am YHWH your God. And you shall keep My laws, and do them; I YHWH who makes you holy (Lev. 20:7-8)
You shall be holy to Me, for I YHWH am holy; I have separated you from the nations to be Mine (Lev. 20:26)
These verses emphasise various notions relating to the concept of holiness; i) YHWH is holy therefore the Children of Israel are also to be holy, ii) We become holy by the keeping of YHWH's laws, and iii) In order for us to sustain a level of holiness we have to spiritually, religiously, and culturally separate ourselves from the nations of the world - for YHWH has separated us from the nations to be His special possession.
Holiness by its very nature needs to be separated i.e. 'set apart' from that which is not holy. YHWH, Who is intrinsically holy - is 'set apart' from the mundane things of the world. Impurity detracts from holiness, that which is holy i.e. YHWH, withdraws from that which is unholy or defiled; what is unholy is to be thrust away from that which is holy. The laws of purity are there to safe-guard the holiness within this world, for impurity brings in its wake an absence of holiness, just as darkness is an absence of light and cold the absence of heat. Impurity thus becomes a physical state where holiness cannot abide until the impurity has passed. Not only can physical states bring about a certain level of impurity, but also the negation of YHWH's commandments. Immoral and unethical acts also render us impure and thus detract from holiness. What is holy is therefore not only utterly pure but also morally and ethically sound - sin causes impurity and thus detracts from holiness. In order for the sinner to return to a state of purity and holiness YHWH needs to erase our sins, which He hates. Thus on Yom Hakkippurim we afflict our souls in order to repent of our sins, purifying ourselves, and thus returning to a state of purity and holiness. YHWH has a very specific intention for Israel, "And you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:6). Israel is to be a nation set apart for holiness and by being so she will become "a light to the nations" (Isaiah 42:6). In order for Israel to fulfill the destiny that YHWH has determined for us and to merit Him as our benefactor and protector; we must uphold both the ethical/moral and cultic/ritual commandments of the Torah. This is our mission, our destiny, our raison d'être; sadly one that most of Jewry has forgotten.
Parashat Ḳedoshim (Lev. 19:1-20:27) contains the following sidrot:
Ninety-Fourth Sidra՚, an eclectic collection of laws generally referred to as Holiness Laws;
Ninety-Fifth Sidra՚, Holiness Laws continued - forbidden practices, offences against true worship, and offences against the family including forbidden sexual practices.
ANALYSIS:
Ninety-Fourth Sidra՚ (Lev. 19:1-22): An eclectic collection of laws generally referred to as Holiness Laws.
"And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them holy you shall be; for holy, am I YHWH your God" (Lev. 19:1-2)
We are to revere both our mothers and our fathers, and keep YHWH's Shabbaths. We are not to turn to false gods, nor are we to make molten gods. If a wellbeing-offering is brought to YHWH, the one bringing it must do so out of their own free will. The offering is to be eaten on the day that it was slaughtered and on the morrow; anything remaining on the third day is to be burnt in fire. If any of it is eaten on the third day it is פִּגּוּל [befouled] and the offering becomes unacceptable, "And the one that eats it shall take up his iniquity, because the holy thing of YHWH he has profaned, and that soul shall be cut off from its people" (Lev. 19:8). We must not harvest our crops up to the corner of our fields, nor are we to glean the remaining crop. We mustn't glean our vineyards nor bunches of grapes that have broken off from the vine; all gleanings are for the afflicted and the Sojourner [גֵּר]. We are not to steal, deceive, or lie to each other. We shall not swear a lie in YHWH's name, thus profaning His name. Do not exhort your fellow, do not rob them, and pay a hired worker on time. Don't insult the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blind; revere YHWH our God. Do not be unjust in judgement, don't lift up the face of the poor, and don't honour the face of the great; with righteousness we are to judge our kinsman. Refrain from being a talebearer among your people, neither stand by the blood of your fellow. Do not hate your brother in your heart, rebuke your kinsman so that you do not bear sin on account of him. Don't take vengeance and don't bear a grudge against your people, but be helpful to your fellow who is one like yourself. We are to keep YHWH's laws. Don't cross breed life-stock, don't sow your field with two kinds of seeds , and don't wear a garment that is shaՙaṭnez (defined as a garment made from linen which is vegetable, and wool which is animal; see Deuteronomy 22:11). If a man has sexual relations with a woman - a handmaid designated for another man - and she has not been ransomed or given her freedom (see Exodus 21:9-11), there shall be an inquiry but they are not to be put to death because she was not free. However, such an act does necessitate guilt, therefore the man is to bring a ram as a guilt-offering to YHWH so that the kohen can make atonement for him before YHWH for the sin that he sinned; and he shall be forgiven.
Ninety-Fifth Sidra՚ (Lev. 19:23-20:27): Holiness Laws continued - forbidden practices, offences against true worship, and offences against the family including forbidden sexual practices.
When a tree is planted in the land of Israel, for the first three fruit bearing years the fruit is to be regarded as ՙorla [עָרְלָה - foreskin] and is not to be eaten. In the fourth fruit bearing year all its fruit is to be regarded as being, "a holy praise to YHWH" (Lev. 19:24). However, in its fifth fruit bearing year the fruit may be eaten. The reason for this is, "to increase for you its produce" (Lev. 19:25). We are not to eat meat together with its blood, nor are we to practice divination or soothsaying. We are not allowed to round off the side growth of our heads, or to destroy the side growth of our beards. It is not permissible to make an incision in our flesh for a dead person (this is still practiced by Shi'ite Moslems on the Day of 'Ashura), nor are we to place on ourselves writing of skin etching (tattoos). We are not to profane our daughters by making them into prostitutes lest we fill the land with licentiousness. We are to keep YHWH's Shabbaths, and to revere His Temple. We are not to turn to ghosts or to familiar spirits to enquire from them; if we do we will become defiled. We are to rise before someone in their old-age and we are to honour and by so doing we revere God. We are not to oppress the Sojourner who sojourns in our land in fact they are to be treated like the citizen, and we are to be helpful to them as one of our own, "for sojourners were you in the land of Egypt; I am YHWH your God" (Lev. 19:34). Do not do injustice in judgement, in measure, in weight, and in capacity; for just balances, just weighing-stones, and just measurements we are to posses, "I am YHWH your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt. And you shall keep all My laws and all My judgments, you shall do them; I am YHWH" (Lev. 19:36-37).
Any Israelite or Sojourner who gives their offspring to Molekh shall be put to death; the people of the land are to stone them. YHWH will set His face against anyone who commits such an offence and they will be cut off from among their people. For such an act makes the Temple impure and profanes YHWH's holy name. Anyone who ignores the person performing this act and does not have them brought to justice, then YHWH will place His face against that man and against his clan, "and I will cause him to be cut off and all who go a-whoring after him to whore after Molekh from among their people" (Lev. 20:5). Anyone who turns to ghosts or to familiar spirits to whore after them, YHWH will set His face against them and cause them to be cut off from among their people.
"You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am YHWH your God. And you shall keep My laws, and do them; I YHWH who makes you holy" (Lev. 20:7-8). Anyone who insults his father and his mother is to be put to death. Some commentators maintain that this is not an 'either or' situation, but that both the mother and father needed to be have been insulted in order for the culprit to be liable for the death sentence. If a man commits adultery with the wife of another man the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. A man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered the nakedness belonging to his father, the man and the father's wife shall be put to death. A man who lies with his daughter-in-law, the two of them shall be put to death, "confusion they have done" (Lev. 20:12). "And a man who lies with a male in the ways one lies with a woman, an abomination they have both done; death they shall be put to death their blood is upon them" (Lev. 20:13). A man who takes a woman and her mother they shall be burnt in fire, "and there shall not be licentiousness among you" (Lev. 20:14). A man who has sexual intercourse with a beast; both the man and the beast shall be put to death. A woman who copulates with a beast; both the woman and the beast shall be put to death. A man who has sexual relations with his full-sister or half-sister, "it is a disgraceful thing, and they shall be cut off, before the eyes of the children of their people; the nakedness of his sister he has uncovered his iniquity he shall bear" (Lev. 20:17). A man who lies with a woman while she is menstruating both of them have uncovered the source of her blood, therefore, both of them shall be cut off from among their people. A man is not to have sexual relations with his aunt whether she is his mother's sister or his father's sister. A man shall not lie with his uncle's wife (even if they are divorced or she is a widow), "their sin they shall bear accursed they shall die" (Lev. 20:20). A man shall not take the wife of his brother (even if they are divorced). We are to keep all of YHWH's laws and all of His judgments, if we don't we will be vomited out of the land of Israel. "And you shall not walk in the laws of the nations, that I am sending out from before you; for all these they did, and I abhorred them" (Lev. 20:23). Just as YHWH our God has separated us from the other nations, so we are to separate between the pure beasts and fowl and the impure ones, lest we make ourselves detestable through any impure creature. "You shall be holy to Me, for I YHWH am holy; I have separated you from the nations to be Mine" (Lev. 20:26). A man or woman, who summons up a ghost or a familiar spirit in a séance in order for it to take possession of them, is to be put to death by stoning; their blood is upon them.
TEACHINGS OF HAKHAM REKHAVI:
The theme of holiness is interwoven throughout Parashat Ḳedoshim, it is the state to which we are to aspire - it is imitatio Dei; the imitation of God at its loftiest:
And YHWH spoke to Moses saying. Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them holy you shall be; for holy, am I YHWH your God (Lev. 19:1-2)
You shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am YHWH your God. And you shall keep My laws, and do them; I YHWH who makes you holy (Lev. 20:7-8)
You shall be holy to Me, for I YHWH am holy; I have separated you from the nations to be Mine (Lev. 20:26)
These verses emphasise various notions relating to the concept of holiness; i) YHWH is holy therefore the Children of Israel are also to be holy, ii) We become holy by the keeping of YHWH's laws, and iii) In order for us to sustain a level of holiness we have to spiritually, religiously, and culturally separate ourselves from the nations of the world - for YHWH has separated us from the nations to be His special possession.
Holiness by its very nature needs to be separated i.e. 'set apart' from that which is not holy. YHWH, Who is intrinsically holy - is 'set apart' from the mundane things of the world. Impurity detracts from holiness, that which is holy i.e. YHWH, withdraws from that which is unholy or defiled; what is unholy is to be thrust away from that which is holy. The laws of purity are there to safe-guard the holiness within this world, for impurity brings in its wake an absence of holiness, just as darkness is an absence of light and cold the absence of heat. Impurity thus becomes a physical state where holiness cannot abide until the impurity has passed. Not only can physical states bring about a certain level of impurity, but also the negation of YHWH's commandments. Immoral and unethical acts also render us impure and thus detract from holiness. What is holy is therefore not only utterly pure but also morally and ethically sound - sin causes impurity and thus detracts from holiness. In order for the sinner to return to a state of purity and holiness YHWH needs to erase our sins, which He hates. Thus on Yom Hakkippurim we afflict our souls in order to repent of our sins, purifying ourselves, and thus returning to a state of purity and holiness. YHWH has a very specific intention for Israel, "And you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex. 19:6). Israel is to be a nation set apart for holiness and by being so she will become "a light to the nations" (Isaiah 42:6). In order for Israel to fulfill the destiny that YHWH has determined for us and to merit Him as our benefactor and protector; we must uphold both the ethical/moral and cultic/ritual commandments of the Torah. This is our mission, our destiny, our raison d'être; sadly one that most of Jewry has forgotten.