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?

[cellio]

I think he's arguing for moderation -- yes, the torah permits you to enjoy life; do but don't overdo. But I'm not sure I understand your point, so please feel free to clarify.

Not taking advantage of loopholes says to me, basically, "don't be a rules lawyer at the expense of doing what's right". I read it as the opposite of "disengagement from important and good actions"; he's saying do them even if you don't have to. Or that's my read, anyway.

[grouchyoldcoot.livejournal.com]

Hm; maybe I read the quote too aggressively. I have a problem with "building a wall around the Torah", as Char calls it- the practice of repeatedly generalizing behavior rules until the body of behavior rules gets very very large. My concern was that some of those loopholes being avoided were loopholes in behavior rules, and that the avoidance amounts to expanding the rules.