“You shall be holy for I, God, am holy,” we are told in
Leviticus 19:2. Such a grand theological
statement! We, earthly creatures
descended from Adam, share a common trait with God. Created in God’s image, we can aspire to
emulate the Epitome of Holiness. Our
lives, usually filled with baseness and banality, can be rendered sacred. We can be more than we are.
Parshat K’doshim describes the “Holiness Code” – rules for
developing holiness in our lives.
The directions are scarcely spiritual, however. There is no discussion of fasting or
prayer. Rather, the rules deal principally
with human interaction. They are
grounded in ethics: Revere your parents. Keep
Shabbat. Don’t turn to idols. Provide for the poor and the stranger. Don’t steal or deal deceitfully with each
other. Pay people on time. Don’t insult the deaf or place a stumbling
block in the path of a blind person.
For the Jew, ethical behavior IS religious behavior.
How can we make our lives meaningful, special, holy? By
treating other people well, even in the small moments. Divinity is in the details.
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