This week's Torah reading is Parshat Kedoshim, chapters 19 and 20 of Sefer Vayikra, known in English as the Book of Leviticus. It contains many commandments regarding ethical behavior in business, proper treatment of workers and mandates for providing for the welfare of the poor, prohibited rituals that were likely common among idol worshipers at the time the Torah was given, and a list of severe penalties for sexual transactions that were prohibited elsewhere in the Torah -- many in Parshat Acharei Mot, which immediately precedes Kedoshim; the two are read together in non-leap years.
In this brief Dvar Torah I will discuss some language that recurs repeatedly in this parsha: אֲנִ, יְהוָה which is usually translated into English as "I am the LORD". Details below the fold.
אֲנִי יְהוָה
and
, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
respectively translated as "I am the LORD" and "I am the LORD your God", appear after almost every commandment in this parsha. But the very first occurrence in the parsha appears at the beginning, in the first two verses:
א וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
ב דַּבֵּר אֶל-כָּל-עֲדַת בְּנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם--קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ: כִּי קָדוֹשׁ, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
The 1917 Jewish Publication Society translation is
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy.
There is clearly something going on here that is more than a reminder of who is speaking, although that a commandment comes from God ought to be awe-inspiring in itself. Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, a.k.a. Nachmanides, 13th century Spain who at the end of his live made aliyah to the Land of Israel) discusses this in his commentary on this parsha, uses two examples to argue that these verses clue us into the fact that the Torah is not just about specific religious laws but about mandating higher levels of ethical, moral, and spiritual conduct: It would be technically acceptable to eat kosher food like a glutton, or to be constantly having sex with ones wife during the time that she is not menstruating. (Note: That is a great oversimplification of the halachah, but I'm trying to keep this short.) While we are supposed to enjoy kosher food and make blessings on it, and we are commanded to enjoy the physical intimacy with our partners, it is also possible to transgress by becoming a glutton or a sex addict! Ramban has a derogatory phrase to describe such an individual: נבל ברשות התורה which means someone who acts in a disgusting manner with the "permission" of the Torah. Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, a.k.a. Maimonides, 12th century Spain/Morocco/Egypt) actually brings down as binding halachah that we are commanded to follow the middle path in almost all matters of human conduct. (The major exception is arrogance; we are not supposed to be moderately arrogant!)
This can apply to every other commandment in this parsha. It is possible with creativity to figure out ways to cheat your employees, customers, or business partners that are technically legal under Jewish religious law or secular law, but are completely against the spirit of what how we are supposed to live as Jews. We can come up with religious rituals that feel good, but don't help to elevate us to the level to which we are called to act as Jews in the "image of God" as it is put in the Book of Genesis. Some have even managed to rationalize sexual abuse of close relatives by pointing out that the Torah's definition of prohibited sex as explained by the rabbinic tradition does not include all kinds of abuse. And we can even rationalize corrupt economic and social systems that fail to provide for the needs of those who cannot help themselves. This is not Godly behavior and the repeated "אֲנִי יְהוָה" should be a reminder that we are called to a much higher standard.
Shabat shalom!