"You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d, am holy"(Leviticus 19:2) Iyar 7, 5783/April 28, 2023 Today is Twenty Two Days, which are Three Weeks and One Day of the Omer The word, "holy," appears twenty-four times in this week's double parasha reading of Acharei Mot-Kedoshim. The first twelve mentions are found in Acharei Mot, and they are all part of the description of Aharon's intense service on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. The second set of twelve mentions of the word "holy" begins in the very opening verses of this week's second parasha, Kedoshim, which means holy, (in the plural): "And HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d, am holy." (Leviticus 19:1-2) It sounds simple enough, but what does it mean to be holy? The Hebrew word translated as holy, kadosh, literally means to be separate. Something which is separated and set aside from the profane, is holy. If we are to be holy, from what do we need to separate ourselves? Unlike other philosophies and ways of life, the Torah does not prescribe separating oneself from society as a path toward attaining holiness. There are no monks in Judaism, nor is asceticism or abstinence encouraged. Torah's single concession to abstinence is in the case of the nazir (nazirite). And while this path is allowed, it is not encouraged. In any case it is only a temporary measure, and it concludes with the bringing of a sin offering, an atonement of sorts, for having taken on the nazirite vow to begin with. So how do we become holy? Parashat Kedoshim is filled with ways to achieve holiness! "Every man shall fear his mother and his father, and you shall observe My Sabbaths. I am HaShem, your G-d. You shall not turn to the worthless idols, nor shall you make molten deities for yourselves. I am HaShem, your G-d. When you slaughter a peace offering to HaShem, you shall slaughter it for your acceptance." (ibid 19:3-6) And this is just the start. "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not fully reap the corner of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you collect the fallen individual grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am HaShem, your G-d. You shall not steal. You shall not deny falsely. You shall not lie, one man to his fellow. You shall not swear falsely by My Name, thereby profaning the Name of your G-d. I am HaShem. You shall not oppress your fellow. You shall not rob. The hired worker's wage shall not remain with you overnight until morning. You shall not curse a deaf person. You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and you shall fear your G-d. I am HaShem." (ibid 19:9-14) Every time we hear "I am HaShem" we are being reminded of our opening statement: "You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your G-d, am holy." All these various and sundry commandments are paths to holiness. We achieve holiness not by separating ourselves from society or by denying ourselves the bounty of creation. We achieve holiness by improving upon what we have been blessed with, by embellishing and burnishing all that HaShem has blessed us with. Holiness is attained in the pursuit of justice, and aiding the poor. Holiness is attained in caring for our children and holiness is attained in caring for our elderly. After listing all the many commandments and more, Torah reminds us once again, "You shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am HaShem, your G-d." (ibid 20:7) This is all well and good, but what do all these commandments truly have in common? What is the active ingredient contained in them all that constitutes holiness? The answer to our question is contained in the succinct, understated conclusion of one of our Kedoshim commandments: "You shall neither take revenge from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am HaShem." We can be commanded to observe Shabbat, and we can be commanded to bring an offering. We can be commanded to leave the corners of our fields for the destitute. But can we be commanded to love? Clearly from our verse we can only love our neighbor if we love ourselves. But how do we love ourselves? The answer to this question is right before our eyes: "I am HaShem, your G-d." "I am HaShem, your G-d" is the common denominator between all Torah commandments. "I am HaShem, your G-d," and I am present in all these things that you, (not Me), are being encouraged to do and are capable of doing. We discover HaShem within ourselves by acting righteously, by acting generously and with loving kindness and concern for one another. We achieve holiness by discovering HaShem's presence within us, and we do this by acting according to His will. Once we discover Hashem within ourselves we can begin to love ourselves. And once we recognize HaShem within ourselves we can recognize HaShem within others. "I am HaShem, your G-d." We sanctify ourselves by reconnecting with G-d within us. King David has told us, "I have placed HaShem before me constantly." (Psalms 16:8) When we place HaShem before us we see all that is before us through the prism of His presence. We see His presence in the beauty of creation and we see His presence in our fellow man. G-d does not create clones. We are all unique reflections of G-d. Discovering the unique aspect of HaShem which is within us is how we become kadosh - separate and unique. We are neither better than nor lesser than our neighbor. We are all holy, unique expressions of HaShem's holiness. G-d needs each one of us present in His creation. If not, we wouldn't be here. The Torah, our covenant with Hashem is, in its entirety, intended to provide for us a path, in fact, 613 paths, towards holiness. These mitzvot that we translate coldly as "commandments" are simply HaShem's way of coaxing us along the path of self-discovery. And once we discover our true self - our G-dly self, we recognize it in others. And that way "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" becomes as easy as seeing our own reflection in a mirror. Being holy is being our self. And we are worthy of love. . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven talks about Israel's Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzma'ut, and how Israel goes from lament to dance, from sackcloth to joy, and the double parasha, After the Death of the Holy Ones. Israel's most dramatic two days of the year are Yom HaZikaron, (Israel Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers), immediately followed by Yom HaAtzma'ut, (Israel Independence Day). We honor our fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terror on Yom HaZikaron, through remembering them and expressing eternal gratitude, and we sanctify their ultimate sacrifice by celebrating on Yom HaAtzma'ut the incredible state of Israel they have bequeathed us! |
Sefirat Ha'omer: Today is Twenty Two Days, which are Three Weeks and One Day of the Omer. Counting the Omer "Blessed are You, HaShem our G-d, King of the universe, Who sanctifies us with His commandments, and commanded us to count the Omer." 7 Iyar: Today is Fifteen Days, which are Two Weeks and One Day of the Omer. (Chesed within Netzach) |
The Half-Shekel Offering: Partnership In The Holy Temple! This Shabbat is Shabbat Parashat Shekalim: "HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying: 'When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to their numbers, let each one give to HaShem an atonement for his soul when they are counted; then there will be no plague among them when they are counted. This they shall give, everyone who goes through the counting: half a shekel according to the holy shekel. Twenty gerahs equal one shekel; half of such a shekel shall be an offering to HaShem. Everyone who goes through the counting, from the age of twenty and upward, shall give an offering to HaShem. The rich shall give no more, and the poor shall give no less than half a shekel, with which to give the offering to HaShem, to atone for your souls. You shall take the silver of the atonements from the children of Israel and use it for the work of the Tent of Meeting; it shall be a remembrance for the children of Israel before HaShem, to atone for your souls.'" In these prophetic times when the building of the Holy Temple is nearer than ever, the Half Shekel offering is an unprecedented opportunity to be a partner in the building of the Temple, "a house of prayer for all nations!" (Isaiah 567:7). The current value of the biblical half shekel is $10.00. All half shekel donations made to the Temple Institute will go toward the physical, spiritual and educational preparations necessary for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple! |
The Temple Institute: Bringing The Holy Temple To Life! "Speak to the children of Israel, and have them take for Me an offering; from every person whose heart inspires him to generosity, you shall take My offering..." (Ex. 25:2) Thus begins Terumah, last week's Torah reading, in which HaShem reveals His desire that Israel "make for Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst." (Ex. 25:8) The Temple Institute is dedicated to making the Holy Temple a reality in our day, and toward this end, the Temple Institute has, for 36 years, been building and planning and researching and teaching and sharing with you our reconstructed sacred vessels and priestly garments, our books and paintings, our red heifer candidates, our teachings and insights and our love for HaShem and the Holy Temple! It is only through the generosity of your hearts that we are able to continue our important work. Only together can we build for HaShem a sanctuary and "a house of prayer for all nations!" |
Help To Build The Holy Temple In Our Time! Donate Generously To Help The Sacred Work Of The Temple Institute! Every contribution helps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our Time! |
The double Torah reading of Acharei-Mot Kedoshim contains two lists of sexual prohibitions. For thousands of years these prohibitions were universally accepted as being both moral and grounded in basic biology. Today, of course, people pushing progressive agendas are throwing out all the rules, and "follow the science" has fallen out of fashion when it comes to the undeniable anatomical differences between men and women. Defend the propriety of the Torah prohibitions and you know what to expect. Nevertheless, believing in G-d and staying faithful to His Torah may be the only option left for those who refuse to be swept away in the madness.. Acharei-Mot Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27) Parashat Acharei-Mot Kedoshim is read on Shabbat: Iyar 8, 5783/April 29, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Acharei-Mot Kedoshim Amos 9:7-15: "Are you not like the children of the Cushites to Me, O children of Israel? says HaShem. Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and Aram from Kir? Behold the eyes of HaShem G-d are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from upon the face of the earth; but I will not destroy the house of Yaakov, says HaShem..." |
The Sacred Temple Vessels! Make an online visit to the Temple Institute's gallery of our recreated Temple vessels! Every sacred vessel used in the Temple service has been painstakingly recreated by the Temple Institute, in accordance with Torah commandments and more than 3,000 years of tradition! Each vessel is ready for use in the rebuilt Holy Temple, may it be soon! |
A Temple Mount Moment: Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day) On Yom HaZikaron, (Israel Memorial Day), Israel remembers its fallen soldiers and its victims of terror, all of who have given their lives sanctifying G-d's name, defending the land of Israel. May He comfort all of us for the loss of our precious sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. A Temple Mount Moment is the joint project of the Temple Institute and High on the Har. Temple Mount experts and co founders of High on the Har, Dr. Melissa Jane Kronfeld and Rabbi Yehuda Levi present each week fascinating facts and insights about the Temple Mount and the Holy Temple, its past, present and future! |
This Week: Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Entering The Holy Of Holies! Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, as we posted earlier, opens with the very involved instructions for the performance by Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, (High Priest) of the service on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. These instructions include Aharon's approaching and entering into the Holy of Holies with a fire pan containing ketoret incense to place before the Ark of the Covenant. |
Yom Atzma'ut: Flags Of Israel! A massive flag of Israel was unfurled last night in the Plaza of the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. And this morning a more modestly sized flag of Israel was unfurled on the Temple Mount, itself! Chag Sameach - Happy Israel Independence Day! |
Flag, Shema & Prostration On The Temple Mount! Independence sure brings out the best in people! These inspired young boys express their love of G-d and Israel by saying the Shema ("Hear O Israel, HaShem our G-d, HaShem is One"), holding up the flag of Israel, and throwing themselves down to the ground in prostration to Almighty G-d. Their beautiful gesture was rewarded with arrest by the police. |
Celebrating Independence With The Temple Menorah! In the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, people celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary, singing and dancing with the golden menorah. The menorah was created by the Temple Institute and will one day be kindled in the Holy Temple, on behalf of all Israel and the entire world! |
Yom Atma'ut -Israel's 75th Independence Day The Temple Institute joins all Israel and all who love and cherish the people of Israel, the land of Israel, the Torah of Israel and the G-d of Israel, in celebrating 75 years of Israel's independence! May Israel continue to go from strength to strength! Yom Atzma'ut Sameach - Happy Independence Day! |
This Week: Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim Following the Torah's description of the offering of the two he goats, one "for HaShem" and one "for Azazel," it proceeds to describe the bull offering of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest): "And Aharon shall bring his sin offering bull, and shall initiate atonement for himself and for his household, and he shall then slaughter his sin offering bull." (Leviticus 16:11) |
Honoring Israel's Fallen, On The Temple Mount This morning, as sirens sound for two minutes, Jewish worshipers on the Temple Mount, just like Israeli citizens throughout all of Israel, stand in contemplative silence, honoring Israel's soldiers who gave their lives that we may live free in our land. The shouting and laughter you hear is that of the Jordanian Muslim Waqf employees, who make it their business to disrespect all Jews, living or dead. |
Yom Hazikaron - Israel Memorial Day For Fallen Soldiers David's lament for Shaul and Yonatan, who fell in battle: "And David lamented with this lamentation over Shaul and over Yonatan his son. And he said to teach the sons of Yehudah the bow. Behold it is written in the book of the just. O beauty of Israel! On your high places shall lie the slain? How have the heroes fallen?..." |
Yom HaZikaron 5783 - Israel Memorial Day 2023 The Temple Institute originally posted this video in 2017. We repost it today, Israel Memorial Day 2023, with updated numbers appearing in subtitles. Israel remembers the 24,213 soldiers who have fallen in Israel's wars of independence and freedom, and 4,255 civilian victims of terror. The Temple Institute expresses its profound gratitude to the IDF soldiers who have given their lives that we may live free in our land. May their memories be for a blessing. |
Yom Hazikaron - Israel Memorial Day Yom HaZikaron is Israel's Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terror. The solemn day includes national and local ceremonies all across Israel. Once in the evening and once in the morning a two-minute siren sounds across Israel. All stop and stand in silence, acknowledging the debt we all owe to each precious soul who laid down his or her life so that we may live in freedom and independence. As of this Yom HaZikaron Israel has lost 24,213 soldiers and 4,255 civilian victims of terror. May their memory be for a blessing. |
More About Iyar We have already mentioned in a previous post that the name Iyar is a cognate of the Hebrew word ohr, which means light. In this way it corresponds to the month's earlier name, by which it is referred to in the Book of Kings, Ziv, which means brightness. This is a beautiful introduction to the month of Iyar, but there is more! The Hebrew spelling of Iyar - aleph-yod-resh - is an acronym for "Ani HaShem rof'echa - I am HaShem, your healer," first spoken by HaShem to Israel at Marah, after crossing the Sea of Reeds. (Exodus 15:26) |
Mikdash Monday - Shavuot (Part 2) “You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the first fruits of the wheat harvest; and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Hashem, the G-d of Israel.” (Shemot 34:22-23) |
This Week: Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim This week we again read a double parasha - Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, (Leviticus 16:1 - 20:27), which returns us back to our story in the immediate aftermath of the death of Nadav and Avihu, the two eldest sons of Aharon. Speaking through Moshe, haShem gives to Aharon precise instructions of how to approach HaShem within the Tabernacle. The precautions and offerings that haShem prescribes become the basis for the Yom HaKippur service whose purpose is to gain atonement for Israel. |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount! Jews have not been allowed on the Temple Mount for the past week due to the conclusion of the Muslim month of Ramadan. The good news is that the Temple Mount reopens to Jews tomorrow! No doubt many Jews will be on the Temple Mount on Yom HaZikaron, (Israel Memorial Day), which is Tuesday, and again on Yom HaAztma'ut, (Israel Independence Day), which is Wednesday. Shavua tov - have a good week! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel! On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
The five red heifer candidates that were greeted at Ben Gurion airport this past summer, we are happy to relate, are healthy and thriving. One of the five, unfortunately, has grown some non-red hairs and is therefore disqualified from becoming the red heifer which can provide the much longed for ashes. The remaining four, however, are still viable candidates. These recently taken photographs show that they are healthy, happy, and growing! |
Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem! Yitzchak Reuven The Temple Institute |
|