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Home -> 5761 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5761

“You shall not lie to one another.” (19:11)

One day, a number of the prominent householders of Brisk came to their rav, Horav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, z.l., the Bais HaLevi, complaining that the kefirah, heresy, spouted by members of the Haskalah, enlightenment movement, was rampant. These people were being eminently successful and making serious incursions into the observant community. Regrettably, this was the scenario in many Jewish communities. Why were they succeeding? After all, everything they were expounding was founded in falsehood. Rav Yosha Ber turned to them and queried, “Why are you surprised? Truth always prevails.” “Rebbe, how can you say that? How can you refer to…

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Home -> 5761 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5761

“You shall love your fellow as yourself.” (19:18)

  This pasuk has become the global standard-bearer for defining human inter-relationships. Love your fellowman as yourself. What does it mean to care about someone else as well as we care about ourselves? Horav Yosef Zundel Salant, z.l., explains that the word kamocha, like yourself, applies to an individual who has the same vocation or position as you. It once happened that a Jew opened a grocery store on the same block as another Jew. One can imagine that the resulting competition brought about ill will. When the man who had been there first complained to Rav Yosef Zundel, the…

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Home -> 5760 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5760

“Do not turn to the idols, and molten gods shall you not make for yourselves.” (19:4)

  Rashi’s explanation of the pasuk conveys a profound message. The elil, idol, is nothing. It is man-made and has no powers. Yet, explains Rashi, if someone is foolish enough to turn to this elil, he will slowly begin to respect it and, before he realizes it, it will have become a god to him. Rashi is teaching us, says Horav Yerucham Levovitz, z.l., that idols are gods made by man. At first they are nothing, and man knows that they are nothing. Regrettably, however, it does not remain that way. He transforms them into a god! Idolatry is a…

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Home -> 5760 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5760

“You shall not lie to one another.” (19:11)

One day, a number of the prominent householders of Brisk came to their rav, Horav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, z.l., the Bais HaLevi, complaining that the kefirah, heresy, spouted by members of the Haskalah, enlightenment movement, was rampant. These people were being eminently successful and making serious incursions into the observant community. Regrettably, this was the scenario in many Jewish communities. Why were they succeeding? After all, everything they were expounding was founded in falsehood. Rav Yosha Ber turned to them and queried, “Why are you surprised? Truth always prevails.” “Rebbe, how can you say that? How can you refer to…

Continue Reading

Home -> 5760 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5760

“You shall love your fellow as yourself.” (19:18)

  This pasuk has become the global standard-bearer for defining human inter-relationships. Love your fellowman as yourself. What does it mean to care about someone else as well as we care about ourselves? Horav Yosef Zundel Salant, z.l., explains that the word kamocha, like yourself, applies to an individual who has the same vocation or position as you. It once happened that a Jew opened a grocery store on the same block as another Jew. One can imagine that the resulting competition brought about ill will. When the man who had been there first complained to Rav Yosef Zundel, the…

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Home -> 5759 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5759

Speak to the entire assembly of Bnei Yisrael and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I. (19:2)

Rashi explains that the concept of “Jewish holiness” refers  to distancing oneself from immorality and idol worship.  We see two extremes,  each at an opposite end of the spectrum.  On the one hand,  we are enjoined to sanctify ourselves, our behavior and our thoughts; on the other hand,  Rashi tells us that the opposite of kedushah, holiness, is immorality and degradation.  We must understand how these two extremes co-exist.  Chazal view  kedushah as being the zenith of spiritual ascendence: How do you admonish someone who strives for that pinnacle of human behavior to distance himself from illicit relationships and debauchery? …

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Home -> 5759 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5759

You shall not steal, you shall not deny falsely, and you shall not lie to one another. (19:11)

Horav Chaim Soloveitchik,zl, once said, “It is conceivable that specifically because an individual’s  father would “run” to perform mitzvos, the son would break down doors in order to steal merchandise from which he could profit.  While this statement seems incredible at first, Rav Chaim  substantiates it with the following explanation:  A child inherits the nature  and personality of his parent, concerning innate traits.  Behavior and mannerisms will not necessarily transfer to the offspring. When one pursues mitzvos as a result of an innate love for the Almighty and His mitzvos, purely for the sake of Heaven, this activity integrates into …

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Home -> 5759 -> Kedoshim

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5759

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow. (19:17)

The mitzvah of tochachah, administering rebuke to a fellow Jew who is erring, has two criteria that should be met.  Indeed, if these two conditions are not met, it is better that one does not rebuke.  First and foremost is l’shem Shomayim: He must be acting for the sake of Heaven.  He has no ulterior motives; he does not hate the sinner; he simply cannot tolerate to see Hashem’s Torah denigrated: He cares for his fellow-Jew who probably does not realize the seriousness of his actions.  He speaks from the heart, out of love and caring.  His words will thus…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

You shall be holy for Me;……and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine. (20:26)

Rashi cites Chazal who explain this pasuk in the following manner:  If you keep yourselves separate from the nations and their life styles, you will be Mine; otherwise, you will belong to Nebuchanetzar and his ilk.  Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya adds, one should not say, “I do not eat pig because I do not like pig meat.” Rather, one should say, I would like to eat pig meat, but Hashem has  prohibited me from eating it and has commanded me to separate from the other nations to be His, and only His”  Horav Eliyahu Meir Bloch, zl, remarks that essentially…

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Home -> 5758 -> Kedoshim

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5758

Reprove your fellow (19:17)

Usually when the Torah repeats a word it is providing  emphasis.  In this case the emphasis placed upon the word “hochei’ach“, reprove,  tells us, “you shall surely reprove”.   Horav David Feinstein, Shlita, goes a step further.  He suggests that while the emphasis is apparently upon the reproach,  the focus, however, is not  on the one who has sinned, but rather on the mochi’ach, the one who is reproving.  There must be constant reproof. This means that prior to reproving someone else, one should first go through a bit of self-censure, chastising himself repeatedly in order  to ensure that his…

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