The other day I was having a conversation with a Jewish intellectual and the question came up, as it often does, as to the nature of Jewish identity. What are we? What makes us Jewish? This has been one of the persisting debates about Jewish life ever since the nineteenth century. Until then, people by and large knew who and…
…Priest to People, the Covenant & Conversation for Parshat Kedoshim), is the message of the Book of Vayikra and the Torah as a whole. We can be holy by acting in a manner similar to God. We achieve this by observing the mitzvot. In fact, the Torah tells us that all of humankind are created in the Image of God…
…the book of Devarim, places on each of us an immense dual responsibility, both individual and collective. I am responsible for what I do. But I am also responsible for what you do. That is one meaning of the command in Kedoshim: “You shall surely remonstrate with your neighbour and not bear sin because of them.” As Rambam wrote in…
…published 14 January 2014) Environmental Responsibility (Covenant & Conversation, Shoftim) Environmental Ethics: JNF Rabbinical Conference (1992) Lecture Ceremony & Celebration Family Edition: Tu BiShvat Made With Love (Covenant & Conversation Family Edition, Acharei Mot Kedoshim) The Ecological Imperative (Covenant & Conversation Family Edition, Shoftim) The Good Society: The St George’s Lecture, 5 June 2000 (transcript where the environmental aspects of…
…respect and support serves as a timeless example of how leaders should act. Ultimately, the most impactful leaders are those who make room for others to shine. Parsha Playoff Let’s play “Captain of the Ship!” Designate different corners of the room to be various items in the Mishkan. Corner 1 can be the Kodesh Kedoshim. Corner 2 is the Mizbeach,…
There is a fascinating sequence of commands in the great “holiness code” with which our parsha begins, that sheds light on the nature not just of leadership in Judaism but also of followership. Here is the command in context: Do not hate your brother in your heart. Reprove [or reason with] your neighbour frankly so you will not bear sin…
“On this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins”. Lev. 16: 30 On the holiest day of the year, the Day of Atonement, the holiest of people, the High Priest, entered the holiest of places, the Holy of Holies, and made atonement for all Israel….
At the centre of the mosaic books is Vayikra. At the centre of Vayikra is the “holiness code” (chapter 19) with its momentous call: “You shall be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” And at the centre of chapter 19 is a brief paragraph which, by its positioning, is the apex, the high point, of the Torah:…
…and strengthens the bond between you. ACHAREI MOT-KEDOSHIM: Clear rules and proper discipline help to establish, maintain and expand order for more fulfilled children, families, and society. Love is not enough. Relationships need rules. EMOR: Do not rely exclusively on To Do lists. Use a diary. And live by the Jewish calendar to experience the things that give life a…
…alternative explanation for all these things. As I explained in Covenant and Conversation Acharei Mot – Kedoshim, the ethic of character. The key text of the holiness ethic is Leviticus 19: “Be holy for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” It is this chapter that teaches the two great commands of interpersonal love, of the neighbour and the stranger. The…