Category Archives: Parshas Kedoshim

Parshas Acharei Mos – Kedoshim: You Are Great And Can Soar!

Parshas Acharei-Mos-Kedoshim

You Are Great And Can Soar!

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“Speak to the entire congregation [of] Bnei Yisroel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy.” (Vayikra 19:2)

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 8:10) tells us that when Hashem created Adam, the angels wanted to proclaim Adam’s holiness. Before Adam sinned, he was on such a lofty level of holiness that the angels could not distinguish the difference between him and Hashem. The Alter of Slobodka zt”l says that even after Adam fell from his great heights of holiness upon sinning, he still retained within him the capacity to return to that level of greatness. Our sages tell us that when the Jews accepted the Torah, they returned to the lofty level of Adam before his sin. They subsequently lost that level when they sinned with the golden calf.

The Torah tells us, “Speak to the entire congregation [of] Bnei Yisroel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy.”  (Vayikra 19:2) The Midrash quotes the tanna, Reish Lakish, who says that from the first part of the pasuk, “You shall be holy”, One would think that a Jew can become as holy as Hashem. Therefore, the pasuk adds a qualifier, “For I am Holy”. That teaches us that Hashem’s holiness is superior. Our sages, despite their profound comprehension of Hashem’s greatness, dared to contemplate that man’s holiness can be on par with Hashem’s Holiness. However, it is only because human potential is limited that a person cannot attain the same level of holiness as Hashem.  

We see from this, the awesome latent ability that Jews have, to attain holiness! We see from this the inherent, hidden greatness of every single Jew! Every Jew has the sparks of great holiness within him that he could ignite. In fact, the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 5:2) says that every Jew can become a tzadik like Moshe Rabbeinu!

Rabbi Aharon Karliner zt”l once said that the biggest tragedy is when a prince believes that he is a peasant.

Our forefathers and other ancestors were great, beyond human comprehension. They were the like the most distinguished royalty. We are children of royalty. We have inherent greatness and must act like royalty. We must recognize that each of us is special and comes from forefathers who were special! When we are tempted to sin, we should remember how great and special we are. To succumb to sin is beneath our dignity.

In fact, Rabbeinu Yona (Shar Ha’Avoda) says that recognizing our self-worth is the first step to being able to stay away from sin and to strengthen mitzvah observance. If one is convinced that his abilities are mediocre and that he cannot accomplish much, he may feel that there is no point in trying.

Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l (Rav Chaim’s Discourses translated by Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Klugman and Rabbi A. Scheinman) says that every Jew must grow spiritually, as much as possible. If one fails to do so, he deprives not only himself but society as well. One can maximize his potential to reach such a high level of spiritual development and achievement in 3 main ways. He can do so through diligence in Torah study, prayer, and limiting excessive indulgence in physical pleasures.

Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum (in a Vayimaen video at vayimaen.org) quotes a Midrash Tanchuma (Parshas Chukas). A man was traveling from Eretz Yisroel to Bavel. Along the way, he noticed 2 birds fighting. The fight ended as 1 bird killed the other bird. Then the man noticed that the bird flew to a certain bush and plucked off a leaf. It took the leaf in its beak and touched the dead bird with it. The dead bird immediately came back to life. This man was privy to seeing a special plant that was the secret to bringing the dead back to life. The man plucked off a leaf and decided to test its authenticity. He continued his travels, looking for a dead body. Finally, he came upon a dead lion and touched it with the leaf. The leaf brought the lion back to life. The lion immediately pounced on him and killed him.

Rabbi Oelbaum asks what are we supposed to learn from this story? He quotes Hagaon Rav Elyashiv zt”l who said, had the man been wise, he could have used this key of reviving the dead in a constructive way. He could have returned to Eretz Yisroel and brought our forefathers, the Avos, back to life. Or, he could have continued going to Bavel and could have brought our great prophet, Yechezkel back to life. Unfortunately, this man did not understand. He didn’t appreciate the gift that he had, and it cost him his life.

Each and every Jew has tremendous gifts that Hashem has given us. Unfortunately, not all of us understand the great abilities that we have. Thus, when we experience challenges in our lives, we don’t think that we have the ability to overcome them. We are incorrect in our thinking. Hashem has endowed each of us with tremendous abilities! We have so much inherent holiness! We must be able to bring out that tremendous potential. We must always remember that we have the ability to soar past all challenges!

 (One of the sources used was Sefer Chidushei HaLev, written by Rabbi Binyomin Luban, based on the mussar talks of Rabbi Henach Leibowitz zt”l)

 

 

Parshas Kedoshim – Please Talk To Me!

Parshas Kedoshim

Please Talk To Me!

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“You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall certainly rebuke your friend ….” (Vayikra 19:17)

Numerous times, every single day, in our heartfelt tefillos, we beseech Hashem to send Moshiach and to rebuild the Bais HaMikdash. We have been asking for almost 2,000 years! Why hasn’t Hashem responded to our tefillos?

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l answers this question. Our first Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of three terrible sins: idolatry, immorality, and murder. During the period of the second Bais HaMikdash, the Jews were involved in learning Torah, doing mitzvos, and performing acts of kindness. Yet, our Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because we harbored baseless hatred in our hearts.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l says that since unwarranted hatred caused the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, that sin must first be repaired before the Bais HaMikdash can be rebuilt. One of the mitzvos in the Torah is not to hate our fellow Jew in our heart (Vayikra 19:17). That applies to all Jews, regardless of their knowledge or observance. The only exception is that one is permitted to hate a heretic.

According to the Torah, as soon as a person distances himself mentally and emotionally from his fellow Jew, he begins to violate the prohibition of hating a Jew. At times, a very minor annoyance can balloon into a full-fledged hatred in one’s heart.

Hating a fellow Jew in one’s heart, covers one’s heart with a spirit of impurity which can last for eternity, even in the World to Come. The Talmud (Shabbos 32) lists a few, very serious punishments, to one who harbors unwarranted hatred in his heart.

Why is this sin of harboring hatred so severe that it equaled the three major sins of idolatry, immorality, and murder? The Chofetz Chaim zt”l explains that, unlike other sins with which a person sins one time, every moment that one’s heart feels hatred, one is sinning anew. Sometimes the feelings of hatred last a month, sometimes a year, and sometimes even longer! Additionally, hatred is the root cause of many other serious sins such as dissension, lashon hara, hurtful speech, the embarrassment of others, slander, and even murder!

What triggers the feelings of baseless hatred? Often, it stems from jealousy of one’s friend’s success, the honor that he receives, or his good middos.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l says that it is foolish to be jealous of another’s wealth. Being wealthy is a challenge which not everyone can manage successfully. Hashem knows who is capable of being a custodian for wealth, sharing enough of it properly with appropriate charitable causes. Sometimes Hashem gives wealth to one who is notably undeserving to reward him for his few mitzvos. That is so that he won’t receive an even greater reward for his few good deeds in the World to Come.

It is foolish to be jealous of another’s success in business, feeling that he is encroaching on your business. Hashem predetermines one’s success or failure. No one can take even a penny from you if it was not predetermined by Hashem.

It is also pointless being jealous of the honor that another is receiving instead of you. Hashem honors those who deserve it. If you try to disgrace a person’s honor, you will become more disgraced by others.

Furthermore, we each have different missions to accomplish in our lives. Hashem gives us all that we need to accomplish our specific mission. If there is something that we feel we are lacking, it is because we do not need it to fulfill our life’s mission.

What can we do to remove this terrible sin from our hearts?

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l suggests that we “talk to” the yetzer hara who tries to implant ill feelings in our heart towards our friend. He tries to get us angry at others. We should tell the yetzer hara that we hate him for he distorts reality and tries to get us to sin. Those words will help erase the hatred from our hearts.

Judging our fellow Jew favorably can help stop hatred from taking root in our hearts. It can also help remove any hatred that we may already feel.

Sometimes one is upset because his friend did not do him a favor. It says in Pirkei Avos (2:5) that we should not judge our fellow Jew (Avos 2:5) unless we are in his place. Had the situation been reversed and we were in the position to do the favor with the same set of circumstances that your friend had, maybe we would not have acted any differently than he. Perhaps we would have also refused to do the favor.

Many commentaries say that the best advice is communication. Chizkuni & Bchor Shor (Vayikra 19:17) say that if someone made negative comments about you or falsely accused you of wrongdoing, behind your back, don’t bottle-up resentment in your heart by hating him. Rather, in a soft tone, approach him and ask, “Why did you do that to me? What prompted you to act that way towards me?” Perhaps you will be able to prove to him that he had completely misinterpreted your action. This is not merely a good idea to bridge peace. Even if you are convinced that your remonstrations will not help at all, the Torah obligates you to attempt a reconciliation.

Similarly, the Or HaChaim says that you must communicate. Do not assume that the action done against you cause was done purposely. Do not assume that he feels hostility towards you. Give him the benefit of the doubt and discuss the matter with him. Your discussion will give him the opportunity to explain why he said or did what he did. Once you hear his reason for what he did, the hatred may be erased from your heart. Your open communication may also help change his attitude towards you. This conversation can lead to harmonious relations.

Especially during this period of Sefiras haOmer, we should do all we can to promote peace with each other.

(The dvar Torah is largely based on Ahavas Yisroel by the Chofetz Chaim zt”l)

 

Parshas Acharei Mos – Kedoshim: The Clothes Make the Man. And You Had Better Watch Out!

Parshas Acharei Mos – Kedoshim

The Clothes Make the Man. And You Had Better Watch Out!

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He [the Kohain Gadol] shall don a sanctified, linen tunic and linen pants shall be on his body. He shall gird himself with a linen sash and place a linen turban on his head.” (Vayikra 16:4)

Rabbi Shimon Schwab zt”l held a rabbinical position in Germany in 1933, prior to immigrating to the United States. He had given a Shabbos sermon that was misunderstood to be criticizing Hitler. The Gestapo called Rabbi Schwab in for questioning. He explained the misunderstanding. He was freed but was told that they were going to investigate him. Over the next two months, he did not know what the Gestapo would do to him. During that entire time, he went to sleep at night wearing his clothes, not his pajamas. When asked about it, he explained his unusual behavior. Apparently, another rav had been recently executed by the Gestapo, in the middle of the night. He had been wearing his pajamas and was left hanging in a public place. Rabbi Schwab was afraid that he, too, would be arrested and hung in the middle of the night. He felt that it would be a chilul Hashem, a desecration of Hashem’s name, for a rav to be left hanging while wearing his pajamas.  Therefore, he slept in his clothes for the entire two months that his life was in the balance.

The Kohain Gadol performed various holy services in the Beis HaMikdash on Yom Kippur. When performing the services outside of the Kodesh HaKedashim, the Holy of Holies, he wore all eight special garments of the Kohain Gadol. Before entering the Holy of Holies, he removed the four special garments that were made from gold. Thus, he entered wearing only the remaining four linen garments, the same garments that a regular Kohain wore when he officiated.

Why did the Kohain Gadol remove the four golden garments? Rashi explains that the prosecutor cannot become the defender. The golden garments were a reminder of the egel hazahav the golden calf. The sin of the golden calf still hovered over the Jewish People. It would not have been judicious for the Kohain Gadol to wear clothes that were a reminder of the golden calf, while he was davening to Hashem to forgive the Jewish People for their sins.

The Midrash Rabba (Vayikra 21:10) cites various opinions as to why the Kohain Gadol did not wear the golden clothes while performing the service in the Kodesh HaKedashim. One opinion was quoted in the above Rashi. The Midrash quotes another opinion that it was because of arrogance. The Matnos Kehuna explains that the Kohain Gadol should not have any feelings of arrogance while standing before Hashem.  This is based on a pasuk in Mishlei (25:6), “Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence.”  The Malbim explains that one’s own honor should be nullified in comparison to the king’s honor. By dressing in a certain way, one is exhibiting the feeling that his honor is something important as well. That is not appropriate when standing before Hashem, the King of kings. One’s actions would then seem to be diminishing Hashem’s honor. Similarly, Rashi says, “Do not glorify yourself before a king to show your honor and to be proud before one who is greater than you.”  Rabbeinu Yona on the Torah adds that the Kohain Gadol should enter the Kodesh HaKedashim with fear and trepidation. He should not feel arrogance that he, alone, was chosen from amongst all the Jewish People to perform this holy service. Therefore, in order not to feel arrogant before Hashem, the Kohain Gadol removed his golden garments.

The Kohain Gadol might feel a trace of arrogance before Hashem because he was singled-out for this holy task of davening for the entire Jewish People. If so, then why would those feelings of arrogance disappear if he would only wear the white linen garments without the golden ones? Apparently, the Kohain Gadol would only feel this trace of arrogance if he also wore the golden garments.

What a beautiful lesson for us! Even the Kohain Gadol, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, in the Kodesh Kedashim, in the holiest place, while standing before the Shechina, would be apt to feel a trace of arrogance. Why? Only because of the golden clothes that he would be wearing.  Even such a holy person, in such a holy place, at such a holy time, could be influenced by the type of clothing that he would be wearing. 

Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya were thrown into a fiery furnace by King Nevuchadnetzar. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 92B) quotes the school of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov who taught that even during a period of danger, a person should not deviate from his prominence and demean himself. Rashi (Daniel 3:21) says that Chananya, Mishael, and Azarya wore their royal garments when they were cast into the blazing, fiery furnace. The Maharsha (Sanhedrin 92B) adds that if one doesn’t wear respectful clothes, it shows that he is pained and saddened by Hashem’s justice. Wearing respectful clothes will help one lovingly and joyfully accept Hashem’s justice.

We see from this that even tzadikim who are ready to give their lives al kiuddush Hashem, for the sanctification of Hashem’s name, can have their feelings influenced by the clothes that they wear.

The clothes that we wear influence our thoughts and feelings. We should be alert to how we dress.

We should dress respectfully, modestly, not extravagantly, and not arrogantly.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi Alter Henach Leibowitz zt”l

as recorded in Sefer Chidushei Halev by Rabbi Binyamin Luban