A big issue, as we face the Spring semester, is how to allocate time. It seems so many things vie for attention: A full seder (schedule), optional shiurim (classes), all the davvening (prayer), and various important spiritual/personal growth practices. This is not to mention books to read, skills to work on, exercise, supplementing yeshiva fare with real food, correspondence and encouragement with family and friends back home, and nurturing relationships in yeshiva and Israel. No wonder we talk a mile a minute and are encouraged to have z’rizut (quickness and energy).
Parashat Kedoshim provides us an organizing principle lest we come to see our day as a mere string of tasks.
“You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G-d.
Notice it does not say “do holy things,” but rather “be holy.” This suggests that life is really more about being than doing. But how does one be holy? We can’t be anything without doing something to make ourselves that way.
Parashat Kedoshim always falls within the Omer period (the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuot). The Omer is a time of purification; as it says in every siddur (prayerbook): “…the Counting of the Omer, in order to purify us…” The Midrash says we fell to the 49th level of impurity before Hashem redeemed us from Mitzrayim (Egypt); we then needed as many days to purify ourselves to receive the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Coming during the Omer, Parashat Kedoshim reminds us of the purpose of purification: to be holy. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach describes the difference between purity and holiness. He says “purity means I am not angry at G-d.” You accept what He gives you. “Holiness means I know that G-d is right.” It all makes sense and you appreciate the unique existence and relationships between things as established by G-d. Reb Shlomo explains that purity precedes holiness.
The Omer is the foundation of this purification. Each of the seven weeks is devoted to one of the seven sefirot, or emotionally-oriented psychic attributes. Rabbi Simon Jacobson, in his Omer workbook, translates them as love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding, and sovereignty. Purity, therefore, involves adjusting your emotional response to things.
Most people are not averse to changing their schedule, or the subject of a conversation, but we tend to resist changing our very emotional makeup. This requires strong motivation. Therefore, Hashem promises “You shall be holy, for holy am I…” This hints that the route to holiness involves being like Hashem. And how does one take on the qualities of someone he admires? By spending time with him: learning about him, talking with him, and doing things with him. This corresponds to Torah study, prayer, and mitzvot (commandments, acts of kindness). When we learn, pray, and do, our intent should be that we want to be like Hashem.
Now to do this effectively, we must come to actually experience His Presence. Admittedly, this is not easy. Therefore, Hashem developed for us a packaged system with specially matched components to facilitate our reaching this state: The Season of Redemption, the Omer …and Parashat Kedoshim. The Season of Redemption is set in Springtime and includes holidays and a davenning seder that induces joy by removing references to our sins and emphasizing the Jewish People and our special relationship with Hashem who takes us out of Egypt, rejoices over us, and has big plans for us. The Omer helps us by clearing the emotional blockages that inhibit our relating properly. Parasha Kedoshim teaches mitzvot that relate to togetherness, righteousness, and a sense that “Hashem is right” in what He created for us.
The season really started with Purim, during which our friends and rabbis openly encouraged and criticized us from the drunken, enlightened place only Purim provides. It continued with Pesach, or “peh sach,” “the mouth speaks;” we tell our story and the exile of speech is redeemed. We can therefore enter a more honest and articulate relationship, for purity’s sake, with Hashem. It’s warmer now, and the wildflowers will open your heart; go out in the fields and stroll with Him. Go out in the street. Sit in your room. He is everywhere, always. Rabbi Nachman says you can do hitbodedut (being alone with Hashem), even in a crowded room. He wants to see more of you…don’t be a stranger.
It started with searching for the chometz of the yetzer hara (animal desire, ego, arrogance), and ridding yourself of what could be seen, what was more obvious. The omer, however, requires a more thorough investigation, questioning witnesses—your experiences with their feelings and inner motivations—under regular consultation with Hashem, Who will help you interpret and illuminate them, sefirah by sefirah.
May each of our manifold daily tasks be an opportunity for clarity of purpose and motivation. May Hashem assist us in our quest for purity, as it says, “so that cleansed should be the souls of Your people Israel…,” making us each an open vessel to receive the holiness, “kedushah,” promised by the joyful fulfillment of mitzvot that tie us to each other and to Hashem.