A Jew once wanted to safeguard a $100 bill. He read in the Torah a verse in this week’s parsha of Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:11) “You must not steal.” Confidant that one would never violate this commandment seconds after reading it in the Torah, he placed the money on that page for safekeeping. The village thief happened to be perusing through the holy book and came across the bill and the dire warning. In a quandary he continued reading until he reached the verse (Leviticus 19:18) “Love your fellow as yourself.” Eager to help the anonymous owner with fulfilling the important mitzvah of sharing with another, he pocketed the $100 bill and placed a $50 bill on the page.
Last week, we hosted an event in honor of the Chabad Pillars of 2015. The community expressed appreciation to those individuals that have made a financial commitment, above a specific threshold, in supporting the work of Chabad.
The parsha opens with the statement “Kedoshim Tihyu” – Be holy because I (G-d) am holy. Not to be confused with spirituality, holiness denotes transcendence within reality. One striving to be spiritual would typically be isolated from society and desist from caring about normal human needs. Holiness, on the other hand, is achieved through elevating the mundane to fulfill a loftier purpose and role. Torah study and mitzvah observance empower us to accomplish this feat.
The Torah illuminates our path as we maneuver our way through life allowing us to elevate the food we eat, the clothing we wear, the hobbies we enjoy – just about everything! Setting aside 10% of our earnings to charity elevates our entire business. Reciting a blessing before and after we eat transforms a routine meal into a divine service. Living according to the will of G-d – the ultimate of holiness and transcendence – makes us holy as well.
Last week we celebrated the holiness accomplished by Tzedaka and Hakarat Hatov – expressing due appreciation – in order to introduce more holiness in our community and beyond. Let us keep the momentum going strong by increasing our Torah study and Mitzvah observance, thereby transforming our world to be a better and holier place for all.