Watching Israel mourn and then celebrate this week was moving and emotional on so many levels.
It has been less than 80 years since the horrors of the Holocaust, and yet today Israel and the Jewish people are thank G-d flourishing and growing by leaps and bounds in Israel and around the world.
Yet watching the pain and sorrow of the thousands of grieving families, including multiple dear friends of ours, who have lost loved ones in this story of survival and growth, is painful and something that should cause us to stop and acknowledge their pain and the sacrifices that were made to help us be where we are today.
As I am grateful for Israel and for all that it represents, I am also reminded of its purpose and goal, which is not simply to be a haven for Jews to escape to, or a place for Jews to be like all the other nations of the world. Rather Israel, is considered to be the Holy Land and the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people, in which we were instructed to create a society and live a life that reflects the holiness, empathy, kindness and understanding that Judaism teaches us to live by.
As we do so, we become as the prophet Isaiah said, a "Light to the Nations", a beacon of inspiration and morality for humanity.
In this week's portion, some of those ideals and Mitzvot are described in detail, including commandments that describe how we are meant to care for the poor, like leaving a corner of your field for the poor and those struggling, or treating the workers fairly and paying them on time, or "not placing stumbling blocks before a "blind" person", or "loving your fellow as yourself", or "not holding a grudge", or "not standing by the blood of your fellow", and so many other similar commandments.
Some of these are easier than others to fulfill, yet all in all, they encompass so many areas of our lives, and bring home the meaning behind the name of the portion "Kedoshim", "Be Holy" in which we are instructed to be a Holy People and emulate G-d in how we live and act each and every day of our lives.
Holiness is not an abstract spiritual concept, rather it is one that we can express and live with, by choosing to life a life and make good choices even if they are difficult, that reflect the purpose of our existence, and lead to a better and kinder world.
May the Land of Israel continue to be blessed with abundant goodness, peace and blessings, and G-d willing by continually developing it's spiritual potential and actions, it will be an ever growing source of goodness and a beacon of hope for all of mankind.
For further discussion on these ideas and some meaninghful stories related to this, please join us for the services and Kiddush at our weekly Shabbat Services tomorrow.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos to all!
Yisroel
P.S Please join us for "Shabbat Israel" Community Shabbat Dinner, next Friday evening May 5th. More info is below.