Parashat Kedoshim: The Call to Holiness for Every Jew
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By Rabbi Avraham Gindi
Parashat Kedoshim: The Call to Holiness for Every Jew
Perashat Kedoshim- Leave The Dough Behind
"דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל, ואמרת להם קדושים תהיו"
"Speak to the entire Congregation of Bnei Yisrael, and say to them, Be Holy.” (Vayikra 19, Pasuk 2)
Why “Kedoshim Tehiyu” Was Said to the Entire Nation
Generally, the dissemination of the Torah’s laws followed a very specific process. As is outlined in the Siftei Hachamim on this Pasuk, Hashem commanded Moshe alone, who then conveyed the message to small groups at a time. In this fashion, the entire nation would hear the words of Hashem.
Therefore, the fact that Hashem is now specifically instructing Moshe to relay this message to the entire nation, should seem surprising. Why is there a need to detail, that the commandment of “Kedoshim Tehiyu,” of being holy, must to be conveyed to “The entire congregation”?
To answer this question, we must delve into the core method the Yetzer Hara uses to keep sanctity out of our reach. Recognizing his measures are essential, for the better we understand, the more that we can overcome.
Se’or Sheba’Isa: The Yetzer Hara’s Primary Strategy
All Blown Up
The Gemara in Mesechet Berachot say that the main stratagem of the Yetzer Hara, is “Se’or Sheba’isa,” the yeast in the dough. He works hard to blow things out of proportion.
To the untrained eye, it seems like Matza and regular dough are two completely different creations. One looks measly and thin, while the other is beautiful and large. But in reality, the ingredients creating these two recipes are extremely similar. The soft, airy bread that we bite into every Friday night has but one minor difference; the yeast placed within.
Bread only looks as impressive as it does, because it was given all that time and assistance to grow. All you need to do is smush a piece of challah together to discern how much is actual substance, and how much of your big, beautiful bread is overblown with air.
This illusionary aspect is a core agent of the Yetzer Hara, and he employs this method in various ways.
And although there are many explanations of this analogy, there is one in specific which I would like to focus on. Recognizing and understanding this is crucial, if we long to overcome the Satan’s power.
How Ego Inflation Blocks Spiritual Growth
The first place he puts his yeast, is straight onto our hearts. He loves to inflate our ego, until we feel it necessary to proclaim to ourselves, and the world at large, how perfect we are.
“You are flawless!” He tells you. “You are Hashem’s gift to the world!” He cunningly raises your pedestal, to prepare your great fall. Until the day comes, when the only thing you expect, and even demand, is absolute perfection.
The reason he loves this so much, is because on the path to perfection, we all become paralyzed. We expect this greatness, this instant success, but then we look down and realize that there are so many challenges lying outside the sphere of our control. There are many tests, trials, and tribulations, that dauntingly obstructs our path to achieve.
And when we always need to win, every time we don’t, we fail deeply.
The Psychology of Perfectionism and Failure
A good example of this, would be a person on a basketball court who proclaims, “Every shot I take, must go in.” Those simple words will spell out disaster. For he may have a wonderful game, and even crush his opponents. But according to the standards he set, even if he blunders slightly, he fails completely.
I remember a girl like that once. She came home with a 99 on her test, and she was crying, because her sights were set on get a 100. When you expect perfection, every minor flaw transforms into tremendous failure. Therefore, for her, a 99 is not enough.
Not because it's actual failure. Imperfections in our performance, characteristics, and behavior, is actually a regular standard of human nature. Those flaws are so beautiful, because it leaves us room where we can improve.
“That’s True… Just Not For Me”: The Inner Voice of the Yetzer Hara
But although we recognize and even appreciate the truth in these statements, that mound of dough keeps us standing tall. “Messing up is for other people.” We tell ourself. “But someone like me, needs to be the very best.” The Yetzer Hara keeps whispering these messages in our ears, as he silently snickers all along.
And then, the day comes when we are met with a terrible challenge. We feel overwhelmed. Yet we can’t possibly admit that we are about to choke. So we proclaim, “This is easy. Nothing could baffle me.”
At this moment, the Satan rubs his hands together, and lets us fall.
Falling from Inflated Expectations
Now, let’s imagine this for a moment. How is this person going to feel, falling off this mountain of dough? What is his experience going to be?
He didn’t just fall off of Matzah. He can’t just dust off the crumbs and keep going. Rather, his entire illusion is going to pop, leaving him crushed in a terrible way.
If the Yetzer Hara hadn’t blown us up, we would feel like a regular, imperfect human, experiencing the ebbs and flows of life. “Yes, I have potential for greatness,” We would say, “But the path up that mountain is filled with obstacles.” We would recognize that there are so many things which we don’t know, and so many skills and Middot still far out of our grasp. True Gadlut is possible, but it takes years of progress, and is very difficult to achieve.
But if I have Se'or Sheba’isah, if I have yeast in my dough, if the only thing I know how to magnify is my greatness, it’s going to be very hard to move on from such a crushing blow.
“Remove the Satan from Before Us and Behind Us”
Stop Pushing Me
This pitfall is so dangerous, that every night in Arbit, we ask Hashem to save us from its grasp. As we pray, “Vehaser Hasatan Melifaneinu Umi’acharienu.” “Remove the Satan from before us, and from behind us.”
Now, the tests before us are obviously the things he places to entice us, and veer us off from the path of Hashem. But what is the Yetzer Hara doing behind us?
A number of years ago, I heard this text being explained in a beautiful way, which is perfectly in line with what we are discussing. The Satan stands behind us, to push us ever more frantically towards perfection. He says, “Keep moving forward. Keep running and growing as fast as you can. Because you can be perfect!”
But there is just one small detail which he doesn’t share. And that is that “אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה טוב ולא יחטא.” (Kohelet 7:20). There is no such thing as a righteous person devoid of iniquity.
Why Hashem Never Demands Perfection
Perfect people do not exist. Therefore, Hashem never expects us to be perfect. He placed us in this world filled with shortcomings, so that we can stumble and fall on the path to change.
Because you can’t get up, if you never fell down. And you can never know what’s right, without learning from experience of what you did wrong.
Redefining Failure Through a Torah Lens
What Is Failure?
We live in a society that likes to glorify perfection. If anybody is caught putting in too much effort, that already takes away from their greatness. We demand flawless results, all of the time. We love people who are stars in their field. We love telling over, how certain people were always talented. “He was destined for greatness!” As if they are made from something else.
But as we see in Pirkei Avot (2:21) Failure in Judaism is not falling down. Rather, failure in Judaism is when you don’t even try. We are told, “Lo Alecha Hamelacha Ligmor.” It is not incumbent upon you to finish.
In a world obsessed with results, this very notion seems difficult to comprehend. But just take a moment to let these words sink in. “You don’t have to finish!”
Effort Over Outcome: How Hashem Measures Success
You can have a person trying to change his entire life, who never succeeds. You can have a person who has been trying for years to make that Siyum, and never succeeding. And all the while, Hashem is looking down and saying, “That guy is amazing! I am so proud!”
He never achieved anything! But in the lens of the Torah, failure is not the absence of results. Failure is the moment when we walk away, and never try.
But do you know how many of us, never even come to the table, because of that ever-expanding dough? We are so strongly holding on to that illusion of greatness, that we get stuck in our paths.
Breaking Free from the Illusion of Greatness
And then we can’t do anything! We can’t put ourselves out there, or take even the slightest risks, in any way.
And yes, we will blabber on for our entire life, about how we could achieve greatness, if only we tried. Because that’s infinitely easier, than putting in the grit to get it done.
“Everyone Can Try”: The Universal Call of Kedoshim Tehiyu
But Hashem doesn’t want us to spend the rest of our lives in this self-inflicted prison. Therefore, he calls to all of Am Yisrael. To tell every single person, no matter his background, who he is, or what he went through, that "קדושים תהיו", “He too, can become Kadosh.”
Each and every one of us, would do well incorporating this vital lesson into our lives. Fight back against the dough, and throw away your façade of perfection. Because not only is it okay to blunder and fall; that is the mark of true success.