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Home -> 5775 -> Kedoshim

ואהבת לרעך כמוך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5775

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

Rabbi Akiva declares that the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael, to love one’s fellow as himself, is the fundamental rule of the Torah. Hillel paraphrased this mitzvah, Man d’alach sani l’chaveircha lo saavid, “What is hateful to you, do not do unto others.” When a gentile came to Hillel and asked to be converted “while I stand on one leg,” he responded with the above rule. The question is asked why Hillel did not use the pasuk, V’ahavata l’reiacha kamocha, to respond to the gentile. The Chidushei HaRim explains that, since the fellow was still a gentile, he was unable to…

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Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5774

Speak to the entire congregation of Bnei Yisrael. (19:2)

Rashi derives from the communal reference in the above pasuk that Parashas Kedoshim was recited b’Hakhel, at a public gathering of the entire nation, because, as Rashi explains, “Most of the Torah precepts are derived from it.” Ramban explains that the foundations of all the Aseres HaDibros, Ten Commandments, are represented in this parsha. Horav Yisrael Belsky, Shlita, opines that the communal element of mitzvah observance is addressed in this parsha. While acknowledging that the Torah begins as a private, individual obligation between man and Hashem, we also embrace a communal aspect, a public obligation to Torah and mitzvos that…

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Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

קדושים תהיו כי קדוש אני ד' אלקיכם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall be holy, for I, G-d, your G-d, are holy. (19:2)

A Jew must achieve a spiritual plateau that towers above pious, virtuous, good, saintly and other such wonderful adjectives. A Jew must strive for kedushah, sanctity, holiness. In Parashas Kedoshim, the Torah outlines a small number of laws which define the character of Jewish life. These are the fundamentals for the social ordinances that govern a communal Jewish life under Hashem: morality; justice; selflessness; and brotherly love. In the previous parsha, Acharei Mos, the Torah detailed the negatives, the immoral behavior that was a way of life for the Canaanites, a way of life that is strictly forbidden to the…

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Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

לא תעמד על דם רעך... ושמתי אני את פני באיש ההוא ובמשפחתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is being shed. (19:16) Then I shall concentrate My attention upon that man and upon his family. (20:5)

There are two pesukim, seemingly unrelated to one another, that both impart the theme of collective responsibility for all Jews. In other words, just because one does not see something happen, he is not relieved of responsibility if he has been aware of it. Likewise, when we cover up the malevolent activities of those close to us, we will answer for it. The Torah first teaches that one must not stand idly by as Jewish blood is spilled. Rashi adds, “To see his death, and you are able to save him.” Rashi is teaching us that, if we are able…

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Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

לא תשנא אחיך בלבבך הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך ולא תשא עליו חטא

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and do not bear a sin because of him. (19:17)

Maase avos siman labanim, “The actions of the fathers are a sign/portent for their sons.” Chazal teach that, when the Patriarchs acted, the manner in which they acted, the consequences of their actions, the situations which they encountered, the challenges which they experienced, are all simanim, signs, for us, their children, to follow, to emulate, to study and remember. We must derive a lesson from their responses, so that we are prepared when a similar situation confronts us. Yaakov Avinu had issues with three of his sons, whom he rebuked shortly before his death: Reuven, Shimon and Levi. Likewise, Moshe…

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Home -> 5774 -> Kedoshim

ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5774

You shall love your fellow as yourself – I am Hashem. (19:18)

The principal middah, character trait, on which one must work the most is loving our fellowman. If one truly manifests love, care and sensitivity, he has no place for any of the other character deficiencies. If we always think first of our fellow Jew, we cannot harbor anger, arrogance, lack of sensitivity. If we care for all Jews, then we have resolved our bein adam l’chaveiro, relationship between man and his fellowman; this will also resolve our bein adam laMakom, relationship with Hashem. Horav Yaakov Moshe Charlop, zl, derives this from the above pasuk and the manner in which it…

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Home -> 5773 -> Kedoshim

הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5773

You shall reprove your fellow. (19:17)

The redundancy of the words, ho’cheach tochiach, gives us something to ponder.  Clearly, the Torah is placing emphasis on the mitzvah of tochachah, rebuke, but is it necessary to repeat the words to prove a point – or, is the Torah conveying another message? In his Drushim, the Ben Ish Chai explains this idea with an incident that occurred concerning a clever thief. A fellow was caught stealing in a country in which there was a zero tolerance law regarding theft. Anyone who was caught stealing was sentenced to death. There was no reprieve, no commutation. The form of punishment…

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Home -> 5773 -> Kedoshim

לא תקום ולא תטר את בני עמך

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5773

You shall not take revenge, and you shall not bear a grudge against members of Your people. (19:18)

The Torah forbids us from taking revenge in any shape or form. Is revenge really that bad? For one individual, it might give him closure to an ordeal which he wants to forget. Another just might desire the fellow who harmed him to feel some of the emotional and physical pain which he had experienced. Some might even consider revenge to be sweet. What they do not realize is that revenge is obsessive and destructive, taking its toll on both parties. The old proverb which states, “He who seeks revenge should prepare two graves,” is very true. Yet, should revenge…

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Home -> 5772 -> Kedoshim

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל ואמרת אליהם קדשים תהיו כי קדוש אני

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5772

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

A while ago I received a call from a Peninim reader, concerned about the fact that I had distinguished between the focus of punishment meted out to a Jew and that meted out to a gentile. Hashem’s punishment of the Jewish nation is therapeutic, to elevate and better the individual Jews. The punishment that Hashem metes out to the gentile world is punitive. Apparently, more is demanded of us. The caller took issue with the notion that I was differentiating between people. I apologized, but reality is what it is. At times, it might make us uncomfortable. In Parashas Kedoshim,…

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Home -> 5772 -> Kedoshim

ושרט לנפש לא תתנו בבשרכם...את שבתתי תשמרו ומקדשי תיראו אני ד'. אל תפנו אל האבת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum
In Kedoshim, 5772

You shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead…My Shabbosos you shall observe and My Sanctuary shall you revere. I am Hashem. Do not turn to (the sorcery of) the Ovos and Yidonim (those who claim to speak with the dead). (Vayikra 19:28, 30, 31)

There is no way of getting around it: the death of a loved one is one of life’s most crippling experiences. This is especially true for the death of a parent – regardless of his or her age. Respect for parents and the deceased has long been one of the hallmarks of Judaism. When a parent passes on to the World of Truth, the surviving family reacts with grief, followed by public displays of reverence. The family observes shivah, the seven-day mourning period. Sons recite Kaddish for eleven months following the death of a parent. It is a time when…

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