parsha bit: Acharei Mot - K'doshim

[cellio]

This week's parsha commands us "be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy". What does it mean to be holy? Nachmanides says it is not just keeping the commandments. A man can fulfill the law but still not be a nice person. Because one can always find loopholes in the law, he says, people will do so. To "be holy", according to Nachmanides, is to not use those loopholes, nor to over-indulge in things permitted by the torah. (Commentary on Lev 19:2)

Comments

[grouchyoldcoot.livejournal.com]

But doesn't this lead to constantly expanding the space of actions to be avoided? And doesn't that in turn lead to disengagement from important and good actions that are outside the realm addressed by the torah?

another idea

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

I don't recall which commentary this came from, but it's stuck with me since grade school so perhaps it's worth something. "kadosh" can be translated as separate/special, i.e. god is different/special/separate, so is shabbat, so is the "holy land", and so we are to remember to be and act. This works well with the understanding of tahor vs tamei as not meaning clean vs unclean or pure vs unpure but as 2 distinct ritual states, one of which is more appropriate for things/places/actions which are separate in the sense of "kadosh".

Not to come across as a creepy stalker, but....

[skjaere.livejournal.com]

I was browsing around your SCA webpage and I have a question for you. I'm trying to design my wedding dress, and I was wondering if you have a larger version of the image you've posted for the viking apron dress. I can't read any of the text on the image, and I want to be sure and get the measurements right. Thank you!