"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 (bareness 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 say that
in Hebrew.
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
