{"id":29900,"date":"2025-05-08T18:27:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T21:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/?p=29900"},"modified":"2025-05-08T18:27:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T21:27:29","slug":"parashat-kedoshim-are-you-holy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/parashat-kedoshim-are-you-holy\/","title":{"rendered":"Parashat Kedoshim - Are you holy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week, we read two Torah portions: <\/strong>Acharei Mot<\/strong><\/em> and <\/strong>Kedoshim<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong>
Both are rich with meaning, but Kedoshim<\/em> begins with a powerful and universal instruction: \""You shall be holy."\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what does that really mean? What is holiness<\/em> in a Jewish\u2014and human\u2014sense? Let's explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holiness Means Separation\u2014But Not Isolation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Judaism, the word \u201choly\u201d (in Hebrew, kadosh<\/em>) means to be separate<\/em>\u2014something set apart, distinct from the ordinary. A holy object or person is not mixed with the mundane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when the Torah says, \u201cYou shall be holy,\u201d it's instructing us to rise above the everyday, the material, the routine. This directive is given to the Jewish people, but the concept of striving for holiness applies to all of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Contradiction: Holy or Involved?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here's the challenge: If being holy means separating from the world, how can we fulfill God's purpose to make this world\u2014a very physical, mundane world\u2014His dwelling place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I separate from society, avoid the messiness of life, and retreat into a bubble of spirituality, how can I impact the world for the better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is holiness about going to the mountaintop and meditating, cut off from people, work, and daily life? If so, how does that help bring holiness into the world<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deeper Truth: Transform the Mundane<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is profound: holiness is not about escaping<\/em> the world\u2014it's about transforming<\/em> Item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, being holy includes being distinct. But not in the sense of withdrawal. Instead, it means revealing the spark of godliness that exists in everything\u2014even in the most mundane aspects of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God creates the world anew at every moment, and His divine energy is hidden in all things. Our job is to uncover it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyday Holiness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how do we do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We eat, sleep, work, talk, and rest\u2014but we do it with intention. We eat to nourish our bodies so we can do good. We speak kindly to uplift others. We sleep to restore our energy to serve the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holiness doesn't mean rejecting these things\u2014it means elevating them. God gave us physical needs for a reason. When we perform even simple tasks with awareness of God and a sense of purpose, we sanctify those moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Where Do I Find the Strength?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great question\u2014and the Torah offers two powerful answers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Do Your Part\u2014God Will Help<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our sages teach: \u201cIf you open for Me an opening like the eye of a needle, I will open for you a space like the entrance to the Temple.\u201d<\/em>
In other words, take even the smallest step toward holiness, and God will help you go the rest of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. You Will Become Holy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The portion begins with \u201cYou shall be holy\u201d<\/em> and ends with \u201cYou will be holy.\u201d<\/em>
This isn't just a command\u2014it's a promise. If you commit to this path, you will<\/em> become a holy person. Not just someone trying, but someone transformed<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holiness is not reserved for the saints, the scholars, or the spiritually elite. It's a daily calling for all of us\u2014to elevate the ordinary, to find the divine in the details, and to bring light into the world, one holy act at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So yes, You shall be holy<\/strong>\u2014and with every step, You will be holy.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This week, we read two Torah portions: Acharei Mot and Kedoshim.Both are rich with meaning, but Kedoshim begins with a powerful and universal instruction: \"You shall be holy.\" But what does that really mean? What is holiness in a Jewish\u2014and human\u2014sense? Let's explore. Holiness Means Separation\u2014But Not Isolation In Judaism, the word \u201choly\u201d (in Hebrew,… Read More \u00bbParashat Kedoshim - Are you holy?<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29899,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3316],"tags":[3487],"series":[],"class_list":["post-29900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kedoshim-en","tag-holiness"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/00EnglishParasha-1.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"

Parashat Kedoshim - Are you holy?<\/a><\/blockquote>