4.25.26 ~ Limiting the Permissible

This week's Torah portion, Acharei Mot and Kedoshim, focuses on the commandment to be holy even as He is holy from Leviticus 19:2, as well as 1 Peter 1:15–16:

"Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy."
(Lev. 19:2)

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
(1 Pet. 1:15–16)

Have you ever asked, "What is the greatest threat to holiness?" Is it a sin? Have you ever considered permission? Avoiding what is forbidden is clear. But what about everything you are allowed to do and never stop to question? What if the real test of holiness (kadosh) is not just saying no to sin, but knowing when to say no to yourself?

The theme of holiness permeates this week's Torah portion, setting the stage for how God's people are to conduct themselves in every aspect of their lives. The command, "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy," serves as the foundation for everything that follows in chapter 19.

Holiness is not limited to ritual observance; it extends into everyday life through instruction in ethical behavior, such as justice, honoring family and elders, and sexual morality—building on what we begin to see in the previous portion of Acharei Mot ("after the death"). Each command reflects the standard of holiness that God expects in both communal and personal life. By weaving together daily conduct with high moral and spiritual expectations, Acharei Mot and Kedoshim call Israel to carry out God's holiness in every aspect of life.

Within this holiness section is the great command to love your neighbor as yourself, which lists the four ways in which it is to be done (Lev. 19:18)—a commitment to treat others with the same care that we desire for ourselves. This practice becomes the lens through which the rest of the commandments are lived out. This principle is echoed in the teachings of Yeshua, who identifies it as one of the two greatest commandments, second only to loving God with all your heart (Matt. 22:37–39). This command is not peripheral; it is central. It rises above differences and captures a universal truth about how we are meant to live, calling us to build lives and communities marked by compassion, dignity, and love.

Without a doubt, this week's Torah reading covers a lot of territory in a short amount of space. Some of the holiness issues addressed in this portion are: honoring one's parents, honoring the Sabbath, how to treat the poor, a detailed explanation of how to love one's neighbor, and a miscellaneous list of other commands ranging from agricultural laws to prohibitions against sorcery and child sacrifice.

Kedoshim begins with God's instructions that the children of Israel are to be holy:

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy."
(Lev. 19:1–2)

The word Kedoshim is the plural form of holy. What does it mean to be holy? A lot of things should be taken into account when we define what it means to be holy, but the primary aspect of holiness is to find its revelation through restrictions. This is why God gave the children of Israel so many "you shall not" commandments—in order to set them apart from the pagan nations around them through restrictions in their conduct, showing that they were meant to be a holy people.

One way to understand what it means to be holy is to understand what it means to be unholy. Huh? When many people think of something unholy, they usually think of something wicked or evil, but that is not really what it means. It simply means to be common (chol)—or, to use the King James terminology, profane. If a person is unholy, it just means they are common and like everyone else; to be holy means that we are different from those around us. One way we can enact this is to restrict or limit ourselves in the things that the Torah prohibits. Thanks, Mr. Obvious :-).

Anyone who studies the Scriptures can pick up on the fact that we are not supposed to engage in commerce on the Sabbath, eat "porky pig" and other non-food items, speak evil of our brother, defraud our neighbor, etc. What is more of a challenge is limiting what is permissible. Not everything that is permitted is necessary. Do we really need that third helping of dessert? Do we really need over 300 channels on our televisions? Do we really need the dozens of video games covering our shelves? Do we really need that ______?

By not limiting ourselves to things that are permissible according to the strict reading of the Torah, we can find ourselves, too often, in a position described by Nachmanides as "disgusting with the permission of the Torah." Even though we may be strictly living according to the "letter of the law," we could easily find ourselves in a position where the beauty and wisdom of the Torah begin to lose their luster because our eyes are clouded with the world. Even though the Torah gives us the right to do certain things, it is not always in our best interest to do so, especially when it negatively affects our brother. As Paul reminded the believers at Corinth:

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything."
(1 Cor. 6:12)

The next time you pass on that extra helping of dessert or refuse to make a brother pay for damages he is responsible for, remember that you have just taken a step toward holiness and become part of a holy—set apart—people.

Before we wrap up our Sabbath morning thoughts, let us connect this to last week. In Tazria and Metzora, we explored spiritual contamination—how impurity spreads and separates. This weekend, with Acharei Mot and Kedoshim, we see the other side: how holiness is accomplished, not just by avoiding what is forbidden, but by intentionally limiting what is permitted. Holiness is not just about staying away from the "no-brainer" bad behaviors, but learning to live set apart with limitations.

Happy 21st day of counting the Omer and Shabbat Shalom!

Alan

Watch Video: "Cast Off___and Put On the Kingdom" (Malchut) (Est. 5:1)

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