This week’s parsha contains a group of seemingly random commandments put forth in a haphazard sequence. Shabbat, honoring parents, idol worship, dont steal. When analyzing a Parsha as a complete unit, we assume all these disparate ideas have a unifying or several central themes, this is called an assumption of coherence. Science has the same assumption of coherence in regards to the universe. When experiments are conducted an assumption that the universe is understandable, repeatable and coherent is built in.
One clue to unlocking the central concepts in a Parsha are it’s name and the first few pasukim. The title of the parsha this week is Kedoshim. A loose translation of Kodesh is Holiness. If we look at the commandments as activities such as farming and agriculture, courts and business, ritual sacrifice and intimate relationships, one message of the Parsha could be that Holiness is not a concept that is relegated to the temple or even just the home. Every endeavor a Jew embarks on is an opportunity to infuse holiness in to the world.
Another concept that connects many of the different ideas at the start of Parsha Kedoshim, is the Ten Commandments. All of the Ten Commandments are mentioned at the start of the Parsha, out of the original order. This Parsha is speaking to the people about their life, the day to day activities. Our day to day life have many different interactions, these are not random events happening in a haphazard sequence, all of our activities are opportunities to connect to God, this was one of the main teachings of the Baal Shem Tov the founder of the Chassidic movement.
The Baal Shem Tov received the name of the man who would be buried next to him and went to visit. Approaching the house he observed him from afar and witnessed this man’s daily activity. He would eat breakfast from 8 Am until 11:30 then eat lunch from 12-3 take a nap then eat dinner from 6-9 then fall asleep. The Baal Shem Tov wondered why this man was buried next to him so he went inside his home and introduced himself. After the man said hello he asked the Besht what he wanted. The Besht said , I have to ask, what are you doing here all day? The large man replied, the Russians took my father and they burnt him in the fire , so all day, all I do is eat and eat, so when the Russians come and burn me, it will be a big fire.
This man merited to be buried next to the Baal Shem Tov because all of his actions were for the sake of God, everything he did was holy. We infuse holiness into reality through our intentions.
One clue to unlocking the central concepts in a Parsha are it’s name and the first few pasukim. The title of the parsha this week is Kedoshim. A loose translation of Kodesh is Holiness. If we look at the commandments as activities such as farming and agriculture, courts and business, ritual sacrifice and intimate relationships, one message of the Parsha could be that Holiness is not a concept that is relegated to the temple or even just the home. Every endeavor a Jew embarks on is an opportunity to infuse holiness in to the world.
Another concept that connects many of the different ideas at the start of Parsha Kedoshim, is the Ten Commandments. All of the Ten Commandments are mentioned at the start of the Parsha, out of the original order. This Parsha is speaking to the people about their life, the day to day activities. Our day to day life have many different interactions, these are not random events happening in a haphazard sequence, all of our activities are opportunities to connect to God, this was one of the main teachings of the Baal Shem Tov the founder of the Chassidic movement.
The Baal Shem Tov received the name of the man who would be buried next to him and went to visit. Approaching the house he observed him from afar and witnessed this man’s daily activity. He would eat breakfast from 8 Am until 11:30 then eat lunch from 12-3 take a nap then eat dinner from 6-9 then fall asleep. The Baal Shem Tov wondered why this man was buried next to him so he went inside his home and introduced himself. After the man said hello he asked the Besht what he wanted. The Besht said , I have to ask, what are you doing here all day? The large man replied, the Russians took my father and they burnt him in the fire , so all day, all I do is eat and eat, so when the Russians come and burn me, it will be a big fire.
This man merited to be buried next to the Baal Shem Tov because all of his actions were for the sake of God, everything he did was holy. We infuse holiness into reality through our intentions.
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