Apr 23rd 2010, 00:00

         This week’s Torah portion comes literally in the middle of the Torah.  That must mean that its message and teachings are central to life in general and Jewish life in particular.  Included in the double portion, Acharei Mot/K’doshim is Leviticus, Chapter 19, which is known as the Holiness Code.  The word for “holy” in Hebrew is “kadosh,” and many words we use come from that root.  The notion of holiness in Judaism is simple: it means separation or distinction.  So what does it mean to be holy?  It means being different, acting different, thinking different, and going against the grain.  There is a well-known statement in our tradition: when you are in a place where no one is acting like a human being, act like a human being.

          The Holiness Code in Leviticus spells out the mitzvot that are central to Jewish life.  Among them are leaving the corners of one’s fields for the poor and not placing a stumbling block before the blind.  Of course, the Torah is concerned with the less fortunate and with those in society who are vulnerable.  The Torah wants us to go above and beyond normal human behavior, against sometimes what might be our natural inclination.

         I hear many people today say that they do not need any religion because they are good people.  Indeed one can be good without any religious system.  Some have even argued that religion has been the cause of some evil in the world, and there is no denying that historically and currently there are those who use their religious beliefs to oppress, terrorize, and to kill.  However, it is not the religious system that is to blame, but the adherents to that system who twist texts and beliefs to justify their actions.

         For Judaism, being a good person is not enough.  The Torah challenges us to go beyond simple goodness.  To be good is a passive act.  The Torah demands more: it requires us to be active, to pursue justice, and to be holy.  As a creation of the Creator who is ultimately Holy, we have to strive towards holiness.  The goal is not to get to any particular level or plateau, but to reach and strive.  Judaism is not about getting somewhere; its about the journey itself, it's about the going, the doing, the behaving.

         Our sages took the teachings from this week’s Parasha and developed an entire culture of behavior.  Leaving the corners of one’s field was not meant to be taken literally but was symbolic of our obligation to help others, especially those who have no fields themselves.  The mitzvah of not placing a stumbling block before the blind was extended and extrapolated into an entire series of commandments that deal with interpersonal relationships.  So, being good is good, but striving towards holiness is Jewish, and although we can never get to God’s level of holiness, our mission in life is to endow our lives with holy acts to reflect the holiness that has been implanted within us.

         Tonight at Temple, Shabbat services begin at 7:30 PM.  Tomorrow, Religious School and Torah Study as usual.  Tomorrow’s Shabbat service will begin at 10:00 AM at which time, Joshua Lapin will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.  Mazal tov to Josh and his entire family.  Both services will be carried live over the Internet at www.templebethtikvah.com (click on Live Services).  On Sunday, please join me on the Fullerton Plaza at 12:30 p.m. for the annual CROP Hunger Walk, a 2.5 mile walk to raise money and awareness of hunger in our world and in our local community.