A thought on Parshas Mishpatim
"...v'anshei kodesh ti'hyun li..."
"...and you shall be holy people for me..." (22:30)
The expectation that we serve as holy people is an inspiring one. While it is tempting to explore the meaning of that term "holy" or kodesh (which I have done in earlier writings), I want to draw attention to another element of this verse.
Grammatically, the verse should have said "anashim kedoshim" which would mean "holy people." People is plural, and requires a plural form of the adjective. Kodesh is singular.
Rabbeinu Bachya observes this as well, and tells us that kodesh here is not an adjective at all! The word can also serve as a noun. One can act in a way which is, adjectively, kodesh but Kodesh is also a reference to the Divine. The verse reminds us here that we are actually "the people of the Holy." We are meant to consider ourselves, and be viewed as anshei Kodesh. The verse means "you shall be a nation associated with Kodesh, which is Mine."
One dark morning a few weeks ago I woke up well before dawn. I dressed and walked out, moving down the deserted street, hoping to be one of the first at schul. There were few cars out and no buses yet, and other than some sounds in the distance which had me wondering about who else might be up at this G-dly hour, I was quite alone. I got more than I wished for since I was in fact the very first one at schul which meant that the doors were locked. I went to the back alley but the rear door was also sealed. Returning to the front, I waited.
Then I saw the source of the noise. A small gang of youth was coming my way. They were yelling, shouting, laughing aloud and appeared to be walking off some reverie from the night before. This was very early Sunday morning and who knows where they had been partying? I stayed snug in the recessed doorway but noticed that they had crossed the street and were coming on in my direction. There were quite a few of them. They were dark, agile and fit, with long hair and leather jackets, and quite clearly on the prowl. I tried to detect their words and speech so that I might have a better sense of who they were. I detected an accent in their talking but could not quite determine their ethnicity in the unlit cool of the morning.
They picked up their pace and, crowding the sidewalk, they walked within a few feet of me. So, watching my words and pronunciation, I smiled and wished them good morning in a way that they would most likely understand.
"Shavua tov!" one of them replied. "Shana tova!" said another. We all smiled as they moved on, for this was Jerusalem and I was on Rechov Yaffo outside Zaharei Chama - the Rays of the Sun schul, where I usually pray k'vasikin, and speak to Rav Levine (a great rosh kollel and mekubal, grandson of Rav Aryeh Levine zt'l.)
These young men were not from my crowd, but they were my people, and they also showed their connection with the Kodesh, echoing my greeting with a greater greeting (such is the custom, when someone wishes you, for example, a good week, you wish them a good year.)
So good to be among our people. Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...and you shall be holy people for me..." (22:30)
The expectation that we serve as holy people is an inspiring one. While it is tempting to explore the meaning of that term "holy" or kodesh (which I have done in earlier writings), I want to draw attention to another element of this verse.
Grammatically, the verse should have said "anashim kedoshim" which would mean "holy people." People is plural, and requires a plural form of the adjective. Kodesh is singular.
Rabbeinu Bachya observes this as well, and tells us that kodesh here is not an adjective at all! The word can also serve as a noun. One can act in a way which is, adjectively, kodesh but Kodesh is also a reference to the Divine. The verse reminds us here that we are actually "the people of the Holy." We are meant to consider ourselves, and be viewed as anshei Kodesh. The verse means "you shall be a nation associated with Kodesh, which is Mine."
One dark morning a few weeks ago I woke up well before dawn. I dressed and walked out, moving down the deserted street, hoping to be one of the first at schul. There were few cars out and no buses yet, and other than some sounds in the distance which had me wondering about who else might be up at this G-dly hour, I was quite alone. I got more than I wished for since I was in fact the very first one at schul which meant that the doors were locked. I went to the back alley but the rear door was also sealed. Returning to the front, I waited.
Then I saw the source of the noise. A small gang of youth was coming my way. They were yelling, shouting, laughing aloud and appeared to be walking off some reverie from the night before. This was very early Sunday morning and who knows where they had been partying? I stayed snug in the recessed doorway but noticed that they had crossed the street and were coming on in my direction. There were quite a few of them. They were dark, agile and fit, with long hair and leather jackets, and quite clearly on the prowl. I tried to detect their words and speech so that I might have a better sense of who they were. I detected an accent in their talking but could not quite determine their ethnicity in the unlit cool of the morning.
They picked up their pace and, crowding the sidewalk, they walked within a few feet of me. So, watching my words and pronunciation, I smiled and wished them good morning in a way that they would most likely understand.
"Shavua tov!" one of them replied. "Shana tova!" said another. We all smiled as they moved on, for this was Jerusalem and I was on Rechov Yaffo outside Zaharei Chama - the Rays of the Sun schul, where I usually pray k'vasikin, and speak to Rav Levine (a great rosh kollel and mekubal, grandson of Rav Aryeh Levine zt'l.)
These young men were not from my crowd, but they were my people, and they also showed their connection with the Kodesh, echoing my greeting with a greater greeting (such is the custom, when someone wishes you, for example, a good week, you wish them a good year.)
So good to be among our people. Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 11:15 PM
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