Holiness

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A Call to Holiness

TANAKH

The commandment for the entire Israelite community to be holy is a profound call to mirror the holiness of God. The book of Leviticus, the third book of the Torah, emphasizes the theme of holiness in people, time, and space, detailing various laws and ethical guidelines.

Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, your God יהוה, am holy.

Leviticus 19:2

Adam: Heavenly Being or Mortal?

MIDRASH

At his creation, Adam's remarkable holiness led the angels to mistake him for a divine being. The fifth-century midrash Bereshit Rabbah recounts how God corrected this error to highlight Adam's true human nature, emphasizing the extraordinary holiness associated with his creation.

Rabbi Hoshaya said: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, the ministering angels erred concerning him and sought to proclaim “holy” before him. This is analogous to a king and a governor who were in a chariot, and the residents of the province wanted to salute the king by proclaiming: Domine. But they did not know which one he was. What did the king do? He pushed him [the governor] out of the chariot, and then they all knew that he was the governor. So, when the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man…

Bereshit Rabbah 8:10

Sanctifying God's Name in the Depths of Despair

JEWISH THOUGHT

The concept of Kiddush haShem is profoundly illustrated by the actions of a Jewish Kapo in the Plaszow camp during the Holocaust. Eliezer Berkovits, in With God in Hell, examines the intense moral and spiritual challenges faced by Jews at that time. A poignant example of Kiddush haShem is captured in a moment when a Jewish Kapo, Israel Eisenberg, addressed his friends before his execution. He urged them to find joy in their imminent death, as they were dying for Kiddush haShem, the ultimate sanctification of God's name.

Perhaps the most striking example of Kiddush haShem as the ultimate act of life’s sanctification comes from the mouth of a Jewish Kapo in the Plaszow camp: “As the camp commander took a number of young Gerer ḥasidim to be put to death, one, Israel Eisenberg, asked for permission to say a few words of farewell to his friends. I stood opposite them and heard every word. He did not speak many words. He said to his friends that they should rejoice for they were going to die for Kiddush haShem… Kiddush haShem…

With God in Hell, 7 To Live or to Survive 42-43

The Path to Holiness Through Guarding Speech

MUSAR

Guarding one's tongue is a crucial step towards achieving holiness, with numerous spiritual benefits. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan's ethical work, 'Shemirat HaLashon,' emphasizes the importance of mindful and respectful communication to avoid lashon hara (evil speech).

In the guarding of the tongue there are also many holy qualities: 1) being rescued through it from all of the punishments attendant upon this sin [of lashon hara]. 2) being secure through this of what one has gained of the desired end, that he will not henceforward lose it. (For in not guarding his tongue, he is in danger of losing all, G-d forbid, as explained above in Chapters III and VI in the name of the Midrash.) 3) being called "a man," as it is written (Psalms 34:3): "Who is the man who desires life, etc…

Shemirat HaLashon, Book I, The Gate of Remembering 11:2

The Gatekeeper of Divine Secrets

KABBALAH

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is depicted as a central figure in accessing divine wisdom and achieving spiritual ascent. The Zohar, a foundational text of Jewish mysticism, emphasizes his unique role in unlocking the gates of hidden knowledge and preparing the path for holiness.

R. Simeon then ceased, and R. Hiya and R. Jose prostrated themselves before him and kissed his hand, saying, with tears in their eyes: ‘Surely not only earthly creatures, but also celestial beings, look out from their abode to catch a sight of thee! The Holy One, blessed be He, built Jerusalem below as a counterpart of the Jerusalem above. He made the walls of the city and the gates thereof holy. None may enter the city unless the gates be opened for him, nor ascend unless the steps of the walls are firm. Who is able to open the gates of the city, who can fix the steps of the walls but R…

Zohar, Bo 5:126

The Heavenly Hosts and Their Praises

JEWISH THOUGHT

Celestial beings are organized into distinct groups, each expressing holiness in their own way. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin’s Nefesh HaChayim explores how human actions impact these spiritual realms, noting that angels like the Seraphim proclaim "Holy," while the Ophanim say "Blessed," reflecting their unique roles in divine sanctification.

And for this reason, the multitude of hosts above, are divided into groups. One says “Holy,” and those are the seraphim, as is written in the Heikhalot of Bereshit and P’koodei, in the second Heikhal there (42a, and there in 247a, end), and as is written (Yeshayahu 6:2): “Seraphim stand above Him... ,” “And one calls to the other and says: ‘Holy’... .” And a second group, opposite, praise and say: ‘Blessed’, and they are the Ophanim and the Chayyot…

Nefesh HaChayim, Gate I 11:6

The Hidden Holiness

CHASIDUT

True holiness can sometimes be so overwhelming that it must remain hidden from the world. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, in his early 19th-century work Likutei Moharan, explores the concept of hidden tzaddikim (righteous individuals) who conceal their profound holiness and asceticism.

Know! there is a very great tzaddik whose holiness the world is unable to bear. Therefore, he keeps himself very hidden, so that people do not detect in his behavior any special holiness or asceticism. This is due to the great extent of his holiness.

Likutei Moharan 243:1:1

Determining Holiness

MISHNAH

The Mishnah, an early third-century codification of Jewish law, addresses debates over which texts are considered holy and require ritual handwashing. While all sacred texts are generally regarded as defiling the hands, there is debate over the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Yehuda holds that the Song of Songs is holy but disputes Kohelet, whereas Rabbi Yossi argues that Kohelet does not defile the hands at all.

A scroll on which the writing has become erased and eighty-five letters remain, as many as are in the section beginning, "And it came to pass when the ark set forward" (Numbers 10:35-36) defiles the hands. A single sheet on which there are written eighty-five letters, as many as are in the section beginning, "And it came to pass when the ark set forward", defiles the hands. All the Holy Scriptures defile the hands. The Song of Songs and Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) defile the hands. Rabbi Judah says: the Song of Songs defiles the hands, but there is a dispute about Kohelet…

Mishnah Yadayim 3:5

The Spiritual Significance of the Pilgrimage Festivals

HALAKHAH

The three pilgrimage festivals are not only historical and agricultural markers but also spiritual milestones that connect us to the source of holiness. Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, in his contemporary presentation of Jewish law, Peninei Halakhah, explores the deep connection between these festivals, their associated rituals, and the spiritual processes they represent.

In other words, each festival represents the conclusion of a stage that we experience in both the natural and spiritual worlds. Pesaḥ concludes spring’s arrival after the dormancy of the winter, and is also the time of Exodus from Egypt. Shavu’ot concludes the first stage of growth. It is the time of both harvesting and the giving of the Torah. Sukkot concludes all the stages: we gather in the physical fruit as well as the spiritual fruit which give expression to the close relationship between the Jews and God…

Peninei Halakhah, Festivals 1:2:5

A Time for Spiritual Renewal

CHASIDUT

Rosh Chodesh, or the new moon, provides a cyclical opportunity for spiritual renewal and atonement. Rabbi Nathan of Breslov’s Likutei Tefilot highlights the holiness of Rosh Chodesh, emphasizing its role in spiritual rejuvenation and repentance. He teaches that each new month brings a special time for deeper connection and renewal, allowing us to draw closer to God through genuine repentance.

Let me always celebrate Rosh Chodesh with great holiness. You have given Your people Israel twelve New Moons as a time for atonement in every generation. On each one, let me draw down the light of Teshuvah from its root, so that I will come back to You in true, perfect Teshuvah.

Likutei Tefilot, Volume I 10:39

Entering the Holy of Holies

GUIDES

The High Priest's entrance into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur during the Second Temple period required specific adaptations due to the absence of the Ark of the Covenant. Adin Steinsaltz details the unique procedures and structural differences of the Sanctuary in the Second Temple compared to the First Temple.

The entrance of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple was via the two dividing curtains. Several steps were taken to ensure that the rites of Yom Kippur were performed in the proper manner in the Second Temple, despite the lack of the Ark of the Covenant and the fact that the structure of the Sanctuary and the inner sanctum was different from that of the First Temple.

Introductions to the Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, Summary of Perek V 2

Sanctification and Prayer

TARGUM

Personal sanctification and bodily holiness are essential for the acceptance of prayers by God. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Torah, emphasizes the importance of holiness and purity in prayer.

But sanctify yourselves, and be holy in your bodies, that your prayers may be received with acceptance: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

Targum Jonathan on Leviticus 20:7

The Sanctity of the Inner Sanctuary

TANAKH

The Ark of the Covenant's placement in the innermost part of the Temple underscores the profound sanctity of this space and its connection to the divine presence. II Chronicles describes the ritual significance and physical location of the Ark within the inner Sanctuary, beneath the cherubim's wings.

The priests brought the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant to its place in the inner Sanctuary of the House, in the Holy of Holies, beneath the wings of the cherubim;

II Chronicles 5:7

The Order of Holiness in Prayer

TALMUD

The Amida prayer's blessings are not randomly ordered but are deeply interconnected, each justified by scriptural verses. The Talmud in Tractate Megillah explains the structured order of the Amida prayer, linking each blessing to specific verses from Psalms and Isaiah.

The Gemara proceeds to explain this order: The Sages taught in a baraita: From where is it derived that one says the blessing of the Patriarchs, the first blessing of the Amida? As it is stated: “Ascribe to the Lord, mighty ones” (Psalms 29:1), which means that one should mention before the Lord the mighty ones of the world, i.e., the Patriarchs. And from where is it derived that one then says the blessing of mighty deeds? As it is stated in the continuation of that verse: “Ascribe to the Lord glory and…

Megillah 17b:9-10

Reimagining Our Lives on Yom Kippur

COMMENTARY

Yom Kippur offers a unique opportunity to reset our behavior and realize our potential for holiness and spiritual excellence. Rabbi Chaim Jachter’s contemporary commentary on the Book of Jonah explores its themes of repentance and divine mercy, integral to the Yom Kippur service.

Yom Kippur is a day when we immerse ourselves in holiness and remove ourselves from our usual human urges. This allows us to reboot and reset our behavior so as to act in better ways after Yom Kippur is over. Sefer Yonah plays a critical role in our rebalancing, rebooting, and reimagining our lives. It leads us to realize our potential to achieve spiritual excellence.

Depths of Yonah 1:6:11

Torah Shield by August Ferdinand Gentzmer made in Berlin, Germany 1788-1802, Gift of the Danzig Jewish Community, The Jewish Museum, New York.

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