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Home -> 5778 -> Kedoshim

קדשים תהיו כי קדוש אני

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5778

You shall be holy for holy am I. (19:2)

Be holy because holiness means to be G-d-like. Ki kadosh Ani, “because I/Hashem am holy.” It is not enough to be observant — or even to be virtuous or righteous. One must strive for kedushah, holiness, sanctity, because that defines Judaism. Kedushah means to be separate, distinct, different, to be unlike other peoples. Our laws are different; our definition of virtue and kindness is not subject to human rationale. It is all mandated by the Torah. Hashem sets before us the Law which, as interpreted by our Sages, defines what is right and what is wrong, what is virtuous and…

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Home -> 5778 -> Kedoshim

בצדק תשפט עמיתך

Moshe Marcovich
In Kedoshim, 5778

With righteousness shall you Judge your fellow. (19:15)

Judging a fellow Jew judiciously is vital, because we often do not see the entire picture, which precludes us from thinking positively prior to rendering judgment. Furthermore, if we are not prepared to give our fellow the benefit of the doubt, why should Hashem do the same for us – especially when He knows the truth concerning our actions? He might be inclined to acquiesce or gloss over some of our infractions when He knows that we act similarly towards others. Last, by exerting patience and waiting to root out the whole story, not only will we spare ourselves the…

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Home -> 5777 -> Kedoshim

קדושים תהיו... איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמרו אני ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5777

You shall be holy… every man: your father and mother shall you revere and My Shabbasos shall you observe. I am Hashem. (19:2,3)

It was 1945 and Horav Moshe David Tenenbaum, zl, who was then head of the Vaad HaYeshivos in the Holy Land, went for a vacation in a small village in the north. As he was walking one day, a member of a nearby kibbutz approached him and asked if he could serve as the tenth man for a minyan. At first, he thought the fellow was teasing him, since it was a non-religious kibbutz and tefillah b’tzibur, davening with a minyan, was uncommon (to say the least). How surprised he was when he arrived at the kibbutz to meet the…

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Home -> 5777 -> Kedoshim

לא תלין פעלת שכיר אתך עד בקר. לא תקלל חרש

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5777

You shall not withhold a worker’s wage with you until morning. You shall not curse the deaf. (19:13,14)

The Baal HaTurim notes the juxtaposition of the prohibition against cursing a deaf person, or anyone for that matter, upon the prohibition against withholding a worker’s wages. He explains that, despite one’s justification for monetary claim, he may not curse him. He should take him to court to litigate whatever claim he may have against him. The Torah outlines the parameters of dispute for us. Reuven worked for Shimon. It was not easy labor. He put in his time and effort, and now he expects to be paid. He has every right to demand his wages. His children were home…

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Home -> 5777 -> Kedoshim

מפני שיבה תקום והדרת פני זקן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5777

In the presence of an old person shall you rise and you shall honor the presence of a sage. (19:32)

In the Talmud Kiddushin 32b, a Tannaic dispute is presented concerning a zakein ashmai, iniquitous elder, whether if one must honor him or not. Rashi is the one who defines ashmai as iniquitous. Tosfos disputes this, since it is a mitzvah not to respect an iniquitous elder. Such a person warrants disrespect. Therefore, Rabbeinu Tam explains ashmai to mean a boor, an ignoramus, one who is otherwise unworthy of respect. Nonetheless, since when are we enjoined to respect an ignoramus, simply due to his advanced age? One must earn respect, be worthy of the reverence accorded him by others. True,…

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Home -> 5776 -> Kedoshim

בצדק תשפוט עמיתך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5776

With righteousness shall you judge your fellow. (19:15)

We must be careful not to condemn. While a person may have acted inappropriately, we must give him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps we are unaware of what actually occurred or of the extenuating circumstances that quite possibly played a role in the individual’s decision to act as he did. There is no question that it is, at times, difficult to give a person the benefit of the doubt – especially when we have no doubt. He was wrong; there are no two ways about it. Yet, the Torah enjoins us to judge him righteously. It becomes increasingly difficult…

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Home -> 5776 -> Kedoshim

לא תעמד על דם רעך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5776

You shall not stand aside while your brother’s blood is shed. (19:16)

Rashi explains that one may not stand idly by witnessing his friend drowning in the river and not save him. Likewise, if a wild animal or a robber is chasing his friend, he must take action to save him. In the secular world, one who reaches out to his fellow is considered a kind person. One who acts maliciously to hurt his fellow is considered a cruel person. The one who does nothing, acts normally, does not want to get involved, is neither good nor bad. No laws enjoin us to be kind. The Torah has a different view.  Torah…

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Home -> 5776 -> Kedoshim

ואהבת לרעך כמוך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5776

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

How does one define friendship? Obviously, varied responses might address this question. The one which I feel is most appropriate is: “A true friend is consistently willing and prepared to place the happiness of the other above the friendship.” A good friend does not fear being brutally honest concerning his friend’s shortcomings if he thinks that it will save him from failure. It goes without saying that the friend will use common sense in conveying his message. A good friend will not refrain from telling his friend something that he might not want to hear – something that might even…

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Home -> 5776 -> Kedoshim

מפני שיבה תקום והדרת פני זקן

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5776

Before an old man you shall rise, you shall honor the presence of a sage. (19:32)

The pasuk appears to be redundant – unless a difference exists between zaken and seivah. The Talmud Kiddushin 32b, explains that a zaken is zeh she’kanah chochmah, “one who has acquired wisdom.” Wisdom and age are not necessarily synonymous. Some young people have– either due to sheer brilliance or great effort– achieved the title of zaken. They are erudite scholars who are able to hold their own with the sages of “old.” Alas, some elderly Jews — due to their advanced age– deserve the title seivah; they are not by definition, zekeinim, since they are not erudite, as they have…

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Home -> 5775 -> Kedoshim

קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5775

You shall be holy, for holy am I. (19:2)

Regardless of how we translate kedushah, holiness, it clearly represents a state of being which is above and beyond the usual. One may be good – wonderful – virtuous, whatever other adjective that comes to mind, but it does not mean that he is holy. It represents the next step. Once one has achieved all of the other appellations which define upstanding behavior – then there is kedushah, holiness. Interestingly, Kedoshim tiheyu, “You shall be holy,” is a mitzvah which is addressed to all of Klal Yisrael – not just a select few. Every Jew is enjoined to achieve a…

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