קדשים יהיו לאלהיהם ולא יחללו שם אלהיהם כי את־אשי ה’ לחם אלהיהם הם מקריבם והיו קדש They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the Eternal’s offerings by fire, the food of their God, and so must be holy. (Vayikra 21:6)

קדשים יהיו לאלהיהם ולא יחללו שם אלהיהם כי את־אשי ה’ לחם אלהיהם הם מקריבם והיו קדש

They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the Eternal’s offerings by fire, the food of their God, and so must be holy. (Vayikra 21:6)

Is holiness innate? Is it something intrinsic to the people of Israel that makes all its members automatically holy—even when this holiness is not the result of holy deeds, thoughts, or the observance of the mitzvot?

Is a Jewish criminal holy?

Nowhere in the Torah does it say that the Jewish people are holy—only that they should be holy.[1]

In traditional Jewish thought, the Jews are considered holy in a covenantal sense. They are “set apart” or dedicated to a specific Divine purpose, rather than inherently morally perfect. This status stems from the covenant with God, which calls upon them to become a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”[2]

This means that they are only holy when they fulfill their mission as a kingdom of priests.

Separation and Engagement

Does this imply that Jews must withdraw from the societies in which they live? Must they avoid contact with people of other religions and nationalities because they need to be “set apart”?

Israel, in imitating God by being a holy nation, must become an example to humankind. Just as God does not withdraw from the world, so too Israel must radiate a positive influence through every aspect of Jewish living—while still maintaining a distinct identity.[3]

Universal ideas are impersonal. Only within a personal relationship can they become actualized. They must be embodied by a particular people who see in them their mission.

The Jewish mission is grounded in a personal encounter with the living God. This encounter is so powerful that it spills........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)