Friday, April 29, 2011

What is Holiness? A Reflection for Kedoshim 5771

3 comments:

  1. Rabbi Blake,

    If I may posit but one small point, and that is - that holiness is not merely all those good things we do to others, void of any spiritual contemplation. To behave ever so nicely, yet without invoking thought of the Almighty who commanded we behave this way, is to remove yourself from holiness. If we behave nicely because we ourselves figured out these are the "right" ways, we miss the whole point of Torah. Torah was given by G-d and without acknowledging HIm, but rather relying solely on our own wits, is looking a gift horse in the mouth.

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  2. We may travel down different roads but they lead to the same end: let all of our acts of gemilut chasadim and our fulfillment of mitzvot affirm the omnipresence of God!

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  3. Affirming G-d via some behavior is good, except for this:
    A false image is put on the face of good behavior. Travelling the path that obliterates reference to G-d, gives one the convenience to pick and choose behaviors based on ONE's OWN, and therefore arbitrary, mind. The rejection of G-d, therein, is hidden. While this may not have negative consequences all the time, it will, to be sure, advance them some of the time.

    Here's an analogy: A doctor who is too much relied upon, because he saved one life, may, by the same token, kill the next time, albeit unwittingly.

    Wishing you well, and have a happy Iyar - whose acronym, in Hebrew, stands for, "I, G-d, am your healer".

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