Parshat Kedoshim

(by Yehuda HaKohen)

“You shall not be a gossip monger among your Nation, you shall not stand aside while your fellow’s blood is being shed – I am HaShem. You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall reprove your fellow and not bear a sin because of him. You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge against the Children of your Nation; you shall love your fellow as yourself – I am HaShem.” (VAYIKRA 19:16-18)

At first glance, it would appear that the Torah is teaching a series of precepts designed to improve character traits and help Israel to function better as a society. By listing these commandments in such detail, however, HaShem is obviously teaching something of great significance. In verse 18, each Israeli is commanded to love his fellow as he loves himself. While this may sound very pleasant in theory, many might argue the impossibility of such a decree. In today’s prevalent culture, where the individual’s wants and needs are given primary importance, it seems doubtful that modern man could really be expected to love another as he loves himself. Perhaps one could attempt to treat his fellow as if he loves him to that extent but to actually feel this love in one’s heart seems as though the Torah is demanding not only a behavioral adjustment but a revolution in human nature.

The commandment is followed by the statement “I am HaShem”, a declaration found throughout the Torah which often serves to emphasize the great importance of a particular mitzvah. In addition to reminding us that HaShem is all powerful and aware of a person’s true inner thoughts, the statement “I am HaShem” is like HaShem signing a contract. Mitzvot that carry a great reward or punishment usually include this Divine signature in order to guarantee that G-D will treat a person according to his behavior, especially involving the fulfillment of these precepts.

By utilizing the statement “I am HaShem” following these particular commandments, the Torah prompts the question of how such incredible weight can be placed on mitzvot that seem so alien to basic human nature. In truth, these commandments are a few of the many precepts intended to alter and enrich one’s overall perspective in viewing the world.

There is an interesting explanation concerning the prohibition against taking vengeance. The Jerusalem Talmud (ninth chapter of Nedarim) describes a man slicing meat with a knife. As he is cutting, the hand holding the knife slips and injures his other hand. The Talmud then asks if the wounded hand should rise up to take vengeance against the hand that cut it. This nonsensical question comes to teach that just as each hand is a piece of one whole body, so is each individual Jew one piece of Clal Yisrael. Therefore, one Hebrew taking revenge against his brother is no less absurd than a person’s left hand rising up against the right. The Israeli Nation is not the sum total of every Jew but rather one colossal spirit that manifests itself in this world through millions of bodies. While human beings each possess a personal soul, the Nation of Israel shares one massive national soul – like the bark of a tree that each Jew is a branch of.

Chief Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook teaches that the highest level of Ahavat Yisrael (love for Israel) a person can achieve results from obtaining the belief, faith, knowledge and understanding of the Divine light of Israel’s true inner essence. It involves more than merely loving individual Jews because they may be smarter, stronger or more pleasant than some gentiles. This might not always be true and is certainly not what makes Israel unique. The Segula of Israel is the national essence that precedes the individuals. It is the inner Divine content planted within the Israeli soul and revealed in human history through the Jewish Nation. Rather than attempt to love each and every individual Jew, one can learn to recognize and love the source of Israel’s essence – the Segula – which then allows this love to flow out to every individual piece of that national collective.

A man who loves his son does not simply love the sum total of each limb. He loves his son as a whole person and therefore loves every individual piece of that person. He can see each finger, leg and ear as an expression of that one soul that he knows to be his son. Like the son, the Nation of Israel has one giant spiritual essence revealed through individual Jews scattered in space and time. Therefore, the highest level of Ahavat Yisrael is a deep Torah wisdom that must be studied and not merely emotionally felt. The base of this wisdom stems from learning about, understanding and recognizing the Segula in order to comprehend Israel’s true unity.

The Torah, therefore, does not merely instruct a Jew to love each fellow Jew as much as he loves himself. Rather, Israel is being informed that each Jew is inseparably connected to one another because Israel is essentially one Divine entity. Once this unity is properly appreciated, it becomes impossible for a person not to fulfill this commandment. Despite the Hebrew soul appearing divided in this world, Israelis still have the ability to recognize the objective reality of their inner unity – a unity that transcends far beyond the confines of this world. Once a person obtains this lofty understanding, he becomes capable of feeling and expressing the required love to each individual. In addition, he automatically becomes incapable of spreading evil gossip about or holding grudges against his brothers. He becomes incapable of taking vengeance against a fellow Jew and becomes unable to passively stand by as Hebrew blood is shed.

When Israel is finally able to understand its inner unity, the Nation will become able to share true love and a sense of collective responsibility. A mature understanding of this lofty idea enables the highest levels of Ahavat Yisrael and renders the Nation of Israel unbreakable. With G-D’s help, Israel should soon recognize and activate the power of its inner Segula in order to reach the national goal of bringing G-D’s universe to perfection.

With Love of Israel,
-Yehuda HaKohen
Am Segula