"You are holy. Because I, the Lord your God am holy." (Leviticus 23:32)
This is how the portion opens. This is the promise. This is the hope. This is our right. God is presenting the greatest example of unconditional love. We don't have to do or not do ANYTHING. Being holy is automatic. It's not based on what we say, or think, or feel. It's not dependent on our actions God is our God and we are God's people. This, plus that, means we are holy. We are "kadosh". (God certainly would prefer, and actually also insists that we fulfill the mitzvot. But, we are holy regardless.)
The portion opens with this verse but doesn't explain what it means to be holy, to be "kadosh". What does it mean to be holy? What does it feel like? What does it look like? Once we have it, can we we lose it?
As usual, I am left with more questions than answers. I have thought about this concept of "kadosh" a lot. It's woven throughout our liturgy, part of how we welcome in Shabbat and a integral piece of the Passover seder (feel free to sing or hum along - "kadesh, urchatz, karpas, yachatz…"). So why doesn't God follow the statement with some specifics around what this actually means?
If I am holy because God is holy, and you are holy because God is holy, and my neighbor is holy because God holy, and the farmer in Nebraska is holy because God is holy and EVERYONE is holy because God is holy then perhaps what it means to be holy is for each of us to be ourselves? If the "kadosh" is automatic, then maybe what God is saying is "be you!", "be fully you". And how does one do this? How do we get ourselves into position so we can be fully ourselves? How do we direct ourselves towards being our full self?
Maybe there is a distinction between being holy and being able to activate our holiness? Being holy is just the beginning. In order to activate the holiness within, we need to think, feel and do. We need to have an intention to live holy. God sets us up, gives us the soil. Then it's up to us to cultivate the soil, open the richness of the soil to support growth.
Mekor Ha'chayiim, Source of Life, "THANK YOU" for the gift of "kadosh". As we move into Shabbat, may we focus our intention on activating this gift. Let us BE our full selves.
Shabbat shalom u'mevorach (a restful and blessed Shabbat),
Laurie
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