By Rabbi Lana Zilberman Soloway

 

This week’s Torah portion is Kedoshim. The first verses open with God speaking to Moses, saying: Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: Kedoshim Tihiyu = You shall be holy, for I, your God יהוה, am holy.

What does it mean to be “holy”?

First of all, God tells us to be holy because God is holy. This is the ultimate affirmation that God recognizes the similarities between us. We, human beings, resemble God. We are created B’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. There is Divine spark in every single one of us. Being able to identify it and act accordingly is essential to being holy.  

The next verses in this Torah portion are understood to repeat and elaborate the Ten Commandments. This is a friendly reminder for us to follow the code of conduct our people accepted when we signed the covenant with God at Mount Sinai. Being holy means being ethical, choosing acts of love and kindness, and doing what is right. 

This portion continues with one of the most important lessons of the Torah: V’ahavta l’rei-acha kamocha = you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

We cannot live this life alone. Friends and neighbors are incredibly important to each and every one of us, especially kind, loyal, and compassionate ones.  While this world is filled with hate, cruelty, fear, ignorance, and violence, it is also filled with love, goodness, kindness, and humanity. The only way to bridge between the two sides is to meet one another openly and build friendships. 

There is nothing more powerful than meeting someone, looking into their eyes, recognizing that each of us was created in the image of the Holy One, and that all of us have the full right to be a part of this world equally. The meaning of to be holy is to treat others the way you want to be treated, love your neighbor as you want to be loved, embrace the differences between us with an open heart and a compassionate mind.  

In the next week, we at Or Ami have two beautiful opportunities to celebrate these special human interfaith connections and friendships:

Tonight (Friday, May 10th), we are having a special Shabbat Service hosting guests and religious leaders from different faiths. 

Next Sunday (May 19th), members of our community will participate in the Los Angeles Interfaith Solidarity Network’s Festival of music, dance, and poetry with the intention of building peace, inspiring hope, and spreading love.

Please join and help us celebrate these heartfelt human connections.