WHAT DOES “BE HOLY” ACTUALLY MEAN?

Rabbi Dunner looks at one of the most curious instructions in the Torah, which appears at the beginning of Kedoshim, where the Jews are instructed “Kedoshim Tiheyu” – “Be Holy!”

Is this baffling instruction one of the 613 Torah-mandated mitzvot, or is it only a piece of useful advice? Whatever the answer to that question may be, how exactly would one go about ‘being Holy’ in any event?

Rabbi Dunner explores Maimonides‘ understanding of this directive, in the three different places that he mentions it. In fact, looking at Maimonides presents us with a very confusing picture, as he seems to be saying three very different things that don’t appear to have a common thread.

With the help of Seforno and a fascinating piece from Rabbi Shimon Shkop, Rabbi Dunner shows how ‘being Holy’ must be an integral part of our Jewish identity, in ways that are both spiritually uplifting and deeply practical.

PARSHAT KEDOSHIM TIHEYU 2016 – SOURCE SHEET