Kedoshim

A would-be convert asks Rabbi Hillel, one of the greatest rabbis of all times, “Can you tell me what the Torah is about while standing on one foot?” (A great trick to keep rabbis words to a minimum, I think!) Hillel replied, from this week’s Torah Portion, “Love your Neighbor as Yourself.” That is the whole Torah. All the rest is commentary; now go and study it.

I don’t think a day goes by when I don’t ask myself what the point is of a specific lesson, program, or event -- not in a dismissive way, but in a deep philosophical way. Why do we do anything we do hereat Tempel Sholom? Why do we exist? As a reader of educational and business literature, I’ve learned that the task is simple: be vision-centered and mission-driven. Know at all times what your purpose is and stick to it.

Our purpose is clear: to increase people’s connection to that which is holy and sacred. “Kedoshim Tihiu,” we read this week – “You shall be holy.” The “you” is the entire Jewish community. How do we go about being holy? By observing Shabbat and rituals, by giving to the poor and reaching out to the needy, and by studying and learning more about what is commanded of us. But why? What is the point? The point is that we can learn to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Why come to Shabbat services? To be inspired to do more, to be more, and to care for others. Why did we just observe Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron? To remember those who sacrificed their lives for us and encourage us to honor their memory.

“But can’t we just be a good person? Isn’t that enough?” you may ask. In an interview with Martina Navratilova. She spoke about how after a few years of falling second to Chris Evert someone finally said to her, “When are you really going to try to win? When are you going to change what you do every day, change your work out, change your preparation to be prepared to beat her on the court?” Could Martina Navratilova practice a few hours a day by herself and be very good? Yes. Could she be the best? No. She needed guidance, inspiration and a system of discipline, a set of rules.

“Kedoshim Tihiu - we shall be holy.” We have the capacity to bring the divine in us into the rest of the word. In order to do that, though, we must urge ourselves to take advantage of the numerous ways in which this community helps us learn how to really be holy, how to really love every single neighbor like we love ourselves. Each of us has chosen to belong to a community which can help inspire us to live a sacred life; all we have to do is participate.