Parshat Acharei-Kedoshim 2025
In this week’s Parshah, we are charged with “Kedoshim Tehiyu—You shall be holy.” The Ramban famously teaches us that this directive of “Kedoshim Tehiyu” commands us to go above the letter of the law, and hold ourselves back even from things that we are permitted in, lest we become a “naval b’reshus haTorah”—a lowlife who technically does not violate any Torah prohibitions, yet spends his entire day chasing earthly pleasures.
Rashi, based on the Toras Kohanim, teaches us that this commandment was said when the entire Klal Yisroel was gathered together. What is the Torah trying to teach us by stressing this point?
One idea may be as follows. It would be very easy, or convenient, for us to measure ourselves relative to the entire world. For example, we could say to ourselves: Well, I’m not engaged in whatever crazy and immoral thing the entire world is doing right now—I must be holy! If we were to lower the bar based on the actions and morality of the world around us, we would be in pretty good shape, without any serious effort on our part. To this end, the Torah stresses that we were all gathered together before hearing this commandment. Hashem is telling us: You, the Jewish People, are a separate entity from the rest of the world. Kedoshim Tehiyu—you are to be held by your own standard, and not relative to the rest of the world. It is all too easy to fall back on this and fool ourselves into thinking that we have achieved what we are commanded to do, simply by comparing ourselves to (fill in the blank). We must always remember that we are a cut (or two) above, and accordingly must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Another idea may be as follows. There are some religions which believe that only select members of the religion are capable of attaining (their notion of) holiness; the rest of the people—not so much. Everyone else is entitled to go about their lives, doing as they wish, because they can count on those few courageous and holy people to put in the work and sacrifice for them. Once again, the Torah teaches us that this is not the case. Every single Jew was gathered together and commanded: Be holy! Holiness is not for the select few; it is something that each and Jew is commanded in and must strive for. We cannot allow ourselves to think, Well, there are some very holy and pious Jews in Bnei Brak or Yerushalayim putting in the work for me—I can continue going about my own life.
Our Parshah teaches us that each and every one of us are commanded—and capable—of achieving holiness.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
