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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 -> Acharei Mos

ושמרתם את חקתי ואת משפטי אשר יעשה אתם האדם וחי בהם

Moshe Marcovich
In Acharei Mos, 5778

You shall observe My decrees and My laws, which man shall carry out and by which he shall live. (18:5)

The Talmud (Yoma 85B) expounds on the words, v’chai bahem, “and live by them,” that pikuach nefesh, saving a life, takes precedence over all mitzvos, except for the three cardinal sins: murder; idolworship; adultery (and shmad, when gentiles force a Jew to choose between Hashem and his own life). Under such circumstances, one forfeits his life. Rashi interprets v’chai bahem to mean that, as a result of one’s adherence to mitzvos, he will achieve eternal life in Olam Habba, the World to Come. Horav Hillel Vitkind, zl, explains v’chai bahem homiletically as applying a mussar, character refinement, approach. A person…

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Home -> 5778 -> Acharei Mos

ולקח מלא המחתה גחלי אש מעל המזבח מלפני ד' ומלא חפניו קטרת סמים דקה והביא מבית לפרכת

Moshe Marcovich
In Acharei Mos, 5778

He shall take a shovelful of fiery coals from atop the Altar that is before Hashem, and his cupped handful of fiery ground incense-spices, and bring it within the Curtain. (16:12)

The Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh Hakodshim, Holy of Holies, four times on Yom Kippur. The first time was to burn incense. This was followed by sprinkling the blood of the bull between the Badim, Poles, of the Aron Kodesh. The third time, he entered with the blood of the sa’ir, he-goat, that was slaughtered l’Hashem. This blood was also sprinkled. Each time the Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh Hakodshim, he immersed himself in the mikveh. He also changed the vestments, since the Kohen Gadol was not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies while wearing gold vestments. He performed…

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Home -> 5778 -> Metzora

וצוה הכהן ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהרות

Moshe Marcovich
In Metzora, 5778

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified, there shall be taken two live, clean birds. (14:4)

Rashi explains why fowl are used as the korbanos, sacrifices, to effect atonement for the metzora. Negaim, afflictions/plagues, are the punishment meted out against one who speaks lashon hora, slanderous speech, which is the result of pitputei devarim, verbal twittering. Thus, one who “twitters” around, talking about people and their activities, inevitably ends up speaking ill of others. Veritably, the one safe way to guarantee that one not speak lashon hora is to refrain from speaking altogether! People get sucked into saying something negative – even when their original intent had been to speak positively. Shlomo Hamelech says (Koheles 9:12),…

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Home -> 5778 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצרע ביום טהרתו

Moshe Marcovich
In Metzora, 5778

This shall be the law of the metzora on the day of his purification. (14:2)

We no longer have the affliction/purification process of tzaraas, spiritual leprosy. This is the consequence of a degraded spiritual condition. Degradation applies at a time and circumstance in which our people are on an elevated moral standing, so that the failing is noticeable in contrast to the spiritual status we are expected to maintain. Since we lost our Bais Hamikdash and our spirituality plummeted, we have no longer been on the spiritual plateau deserving of such a manifestation. To put it in simple terms, the term “sick” applies to one who is otherwise healthy. Likewise, in spiritual health, one must…

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Home -> 5778 -> Metzora

זאת תהיה תורת המצורע

Moshe Marcovich
In Metzora, 5778

This shall be the law of the metzora. (14:2)

The term metzora is comprised of the construct motzi-ra, brings out bad (about his fellow). This is a baal lashon hora. The Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh teaches that one who speaks negatively about his fellow is still called a baal lashon hora, even if what he says is the truth. When one sins, he is called a baal aveirah, baal lashon hora; the word baal means husband of. Why is this? Furthermore, when a boy reaches the age of thirteen, he is called a bar-mitzvah, bar, meaning son of. With regard to mitzvos, one is called a son, while concerning one’s relationship…

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Home -> 5778 -> Tazria

כל ימי אשר הנגע בו יטמא טמא הוא בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו

Moshe Marcovich
In Tazria, 5778

All the days that the affliction is upon him, he shall remain impure; he is impure. He shall stay in isolation; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. (13:46)

Not only must the metzora be isolated from pure, healthy people, but even those who are also impure are to be isolated from him (Rashi). The commentators debate concerning the identity of these impure ones to whom Rashi refers. Some say this refers to individuals who are in a severe state of impurity, such as those who have been in contact with the dead. They are not banished from all three camps – as are those who are afflicted with tzaraas. Others contend that Rashi refers to other metzoraim, who may not stay together outside all three camps. Rashi explains why…

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Home -> 5778 -> Tazria

וטמא טמא יקרא

Moshe Marcovich
In Tazria, 5778

He is to call out: “Contaminated, contaminated!” (13:45)

The metzora, individual afflicted with a spiritually-originated form of leprosy, is isolated. In an effort to safeguard people from coming in contact with him, he must warn people to stay away by calling out: “Contaminated, contaminated!” Chazal (Moed Kattan 5a) offer another reason for his declaration of spiritual contamination. Letting people know of his circumstances, informing them of his pain, will motivate them to pray for his recovery. A homiletic rendering of the pasuk is very appropriate and practical. V’tamei, one who is himself contaminated – ie, one who is a victim of his own shortcomings – will make a…

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Home -> 5778 -> Shemini

ובגדיכם לא תפרומו

Moshe Marcovich
In Shemini, 5778

And do not rend your garments. (10:6)

In order not to interfere by casting a pall of grief on the joy of the inauguration, Hashem forbade the usual display of mourning, even to the brothers of Nadav and Avihu. The Sefer HaChinuch (149) says that the Kohanim are prohibited from entering the Sanctuary with disheveled, long hair – out of respect for the Bais Hamikdash and the service which they perform. This also applies to the clothing worn by the Kohanim that may not be torn. Obviously, since we no longer have the Bais Hamikdash, these laws transfer over to the Mikdash Me’at, miniature sanctuaries, the batei…

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Home -> 5778 -> Shemini

וידם אהרן

Moshe Marcovich
In Shemini, 5778

And Aharon was silent. (10:3)

With two words, “And Aharon was silent,” the Torah presents its standard for confronting tragedy, for dealing with grief. While this spiritual plateau is reserved for the “Aharon Hakohens” of our People, it is vital that we understand the profundity of his reaction, to achieve an understanding of his response to this tragedy. In this way, we are able to develop a deeper appreciation of his greatness and we have a model of the sublime level of spirituality to which we should aspire. When a person is, lo aleinu (not on us), confronted with tragedy, he, by nature, seeks an…

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