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שבת שלום - פרשת ראה
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch the video shiur by
Rabbi Scott Kahn about ברכת החמה |
Beyond Observance
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
In this week's parsha when stating the prohibition against eating food that is not properly slaughtered, the Torah gives the reason:
"For you are a holy nation to Hashem, your G-d." (Devarim 14:21)
Rashi quotes a Midrash (Sifri):
"Sanctify yourself with that which is permissible to you."
Rashi explains this Midrash by quoting the Talmud:
"If something is permissible and others prohibit it, do not permit it in front of them."
If something is prohibited by others, they must see it as wrong. If you do such an act in full view of them, even if it is permissible to you, they will obviously think poorly of you. "Sanctify yourself" by refraining from doing the act even though it is permissible to you.
I would like to offer another interpretation of the statement of the Midrash.
We commonly connect the idea of sanctity to two areas of activity. The first is adherence to negative commandments. By refraining from engaging in a particular activity such as stealing, lying, or sexual immorality, I achieve a level of sanctity. The second area is that of ritual observance. Besides restrictions, observance of rituals brings sanctity to one's life. For example by praying, observing the Shabbat, and studying Torah we achieve sanctity.
Outside of rituals and restrictions are all those activities that are permissible. It is very easy to simply view these as outside the bounds of the Torah. We may figure that as long as the Torah is not being violated and all of the appropriate rituals are performed we are living a life of maximum holiness. Some things in life, we may feel, are just not holy.
"Sanctify yourself with that which is permissible to you." The Midrash calls upon us to imbue those areas of life that are neither ritual nor restriction with holiness. Once I have determined that I will eat only kosher food
(restriction) and will recite a blessing over it (ritual), the question asked by this Midrash is, "How shall I eat?" There is a holy manner of eating and an unholy one. The same can be applied to virtually every area of life.
By observing ritual obligations and refraining from violations of restrictions we live a life of basic adherence to G-d's will. Holiness is about something greater. Holiness is not what we do, it's how we do it.
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