הרב אלון שליט"א
שיעורי הרב מרדכי אלון שליט"א
The taste of Shabbat – Parshat Kedoshim 5776
The taste of Shabbat – Parshat Kedoshim 5776
Rav Mordechai Elon
Our parsha begins with an almost unique opening verse:
דַּבֵּר אֶל כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
Speak to the whole nation of Israel
Rashi explains that the parsha was delivered in a “Hakhel” a mass meeting of all the men women and children. Similarly the first mitzvah we received, whilst we were still in Egypt was delivered in the same way
דַּבְּרוּ אֶל כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר בֶּעָשֹׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה וְיִקְחוּ לָהֶם אִישׁ שֶׂה לְבֵית אָבֹת שֶׂה לַבָּיִת
Speak to the whole nation of Israel and tell them on the tenth of the month to take a goat..
This is the introduction to the world of holiness we enter in our parsha – the entrance card is “the whole nation of Israel” . Just as the whole nation had to be told to leave Egypt, and everyone his only personal Egypt – so everyone is able to reach the level of “you will be holy”. Every religion talks about holiness, only the Torah sees it as an inclusive idea for the masses. Holiness is not an unachievable level for us – we are all invited to strive for it.