"And YHVH spoke to Moses, saying,
'Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel
In contrast to most of YHVH's addresses in
the previous Parashot we have been studying, here the “entire congregation of
the sons of Israel
The
theme of Parashat Kdoshim is encapsulated in 20:24b-26: "I am YHVH your
Elohim who has separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore distinguish
(literally “separate”) between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds
and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or
by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated
from you as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I YHVH am Holy, and have
separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." This clearly
illustrates the contaminating effect which the unclean has upon Elohim's
People. At the same time, it highlights the separateness of those who belong to
Him and who are rendered set apart by this fact. The single verb used here for
“separate” and “distinguish” is “havdel” (b.d.l, bet, dalet, lamed), used 3
times in the creation account in B’resheet 1: in regards to the separation of
the light from darkness (v. 4), the separation of the water above the firmament
from the water below it (vs. 6,7), and in creating heaven’s lights that were to
divide light from the darkness (vs. 14,18). Thus the usage of the root b.d.l
points to the distinct category that YHVH had allocated for His people among
other people groups, as well as to the way they were to conduct their daily
life.
Going back to chapter 19, we will notice
that most of the injunctions or clusters thereof end with "I am YHVH your
Elohim." Thus, we read about reverence for father and mother and keeping
the Shabbat. This is followed by a command to reject idols. The issue of peace
offerings is succeeded by how one is to treat those less fortunate than one’s
self (the poor and the sojourner), by leaving for them the gleanings of the
fields and vineyards, for “… I am YHVH your Elohim." Theft, deception,
lying and swearing falsely in YHVH's name are enumerated next. These constitute
"profaning" His Name (vs. 8, 12, 29, in the latter, the
translation says “do no prostitute”), which is “chalel” (ch.l.l., chet,
lamed, lamed) meaning, “to make hollow or burrow,” and is
also the root for "casualty" (such as in war). Dealing
unjustly (a.sh.k – ayin, shin, kof, oppressing and stealing) with one's fellow
man, cursing the deaf and putting a stumbling block in front of the blind,
diverting justice in court, tale bearing and not taking responsibility when a
friend's life is in danger, all are sealed by "I am YHVH." Obviously
we are moving here into more subtle matters that may not be necessarily noticed
by society at large, but will be seen by Him whose "eyes run to and fro
throughout the whole earth" (ref. 2nd Chr.16:9; Zech. 4:10b).
This takes us to even deeper issues of the heart, such as, "You shall not
hate your brother in your heart" (19:17).
"Brother," aside from its
obvious meaning, could also relate to one's “fellowman,” just as do the
following terms: "Associate" - amit (19:11, in the
translation ‘one another,’ while in vs.15,17b the translation renders it as
‘neighbor’), and "re'ah," that is, “friend or fellowman”
(again, more commonly rendered "neighbor" in the English
translations. See 19:13,16,18). The utilization of these terms clarifies that
‘others’ are equal to one’s self, and therefore should be treated accordingly.
In verse 17 there is also an instruction of commission, relating to the action
that should be taken when the need arises to reprimand or rebuke one’s fellow
man (rather than harbor hatred and bitterness in one’s heart). If "open
rebuke is better than love carefully concealed” (Prov. 27:5), how much more
does this apply when hate is the option? One is not to nurse vengeance nor bear
a grudge against one's own people, logically leading to the highest dictum;
that one is to love one's fellow man as one's self (v. 18), while in Hebrew the
word used is “re’ah” – friend, associate. Again, this is sealed by "I am
YHVH."
After the prohibitions regarding mixing of
seeds and improper nuptials, chapter 19 continues with the tending of trees in
YHVH's Promised Land - which for the first three years are to be
considered “uncircumcised” – “arelim,”
and in the fourth are to be “praises to YHVH" - “hiluleem” (ref. 19:23-25), and with
prohibitions concerning all pagan idolatrous customs. "I am YHVH"
seals these passages, and is also appended to the Shabbat’s observance and to
the honor due the elderly. The next cluster deals with the sojourner, because
of the Israelites’ own experience in Egypt
Chapter 20
echoes chapter 18 (in Parashat Acharey Mot), in dealing largely with various
forms of incest, forbidden forms of cohabitation, and abominable sexual
practices, which are described by the phrase, “exposing the nakedness” (again,
nakedness is tantamount to not having a “covering” – “kippur”). “Nakedness”
here is “erva” of the root a.r.h. (ayin, resh, hey). A similar word,
stemming from the root a.r.r (ayin, resh, resh) and means “stripped” and
“childless” is “ariri” (e.g. Gen. 15:2; Jer. 22:30). Thus we read
verses 20 and 21: “And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he has
uncovered his uncle's nakedness - erva. They shall bear their sin. They
shall die bereft of children – arireem. If a man takes his
brother's wife, it is an unclean thing. He has uncovered his brother's
nakedness - erva. They shall be childless - arireem” (italics
added). This makes evident the
fruitlessness and lifelessness of sin, symbolizing the fact that sin results
only in death (childlessness in this case).
Hebrew Tools for
Everyday Use
This
time we will focus on the “separation” – havdel – and look at a couple of its
usages. Many are familiar with the “havdala” –
literally separation – service at the end of Shabbat to distinguish it
from the weekdays. On Shabbat we particularly love to praise our Elohim, and so
we’ll learn how to express in words this love.
After
Shabbat Havdala is done
A’charey
Shabbat oseem Havdala (lit. after Shabbat doing Havdala)
To
differentiate between holiness and that which is not holy
Le’havdil
beyn kodesh le’ma she’lo kadosh
We
will praise Elohim on Shabbat
Ne’ha’lel
et Elohim be’Shabbat
Recording:
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