Parashat Emor: Why is the Spiritual experience of the Holidays only complete in Eretz Yisrael?

Printable Version

Parashat Emor
Why is the Spiritual experience of the Holidays only complete in Eretz Yisrael?

Why is it so challenging to celebrate Jewish Holidays Properly Outside the Land of Israel?

When we lived in Memphis, Tennessee, back in 1990-1991, celebrating the Jewish holidays properly was not only a challenge – it often felt like something vital was missing. The holidays lacked the deep spark of connection and excitement we had experienced in the Land of Israel. There was no blossoming almond tree to greet us on Tu B’Shevat, and the awakening of nature had yet to arrive on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, when it was time to bless Hashem for the flowering trees. Celebrating the birth of the State of Israel felt hollow in the Diaspora, and we longed for the charged energy and exhilarating dancing at the Kotel on Yom Yerushalayim. I remember trying to celebrate Sukkot in our plexiglass sukkah, with its green plastic siding, set up in the communal parking lot behind our condominium. It stood in stark contrast to our memories of Sukkot in Israel, where joyous singing and music flowed from every neighboring sukkah, and you could feel how the entire people were dwelling together in one vast, unified sukkah.

And then came the rains – heavy downpours that flooded our sukkah and soaked our sleeping bags, furniture, and food. We tried spreading out our drenched blankets on nearby parked cars, only to be met by a shouting neighbor: “What are you doing, you crazy Jews? Is this how you try to relive the Israelites’ desert experience? Do you really think they dwelt in plexiglass booths with green plastic walls?” We felt quite ridiculous and very much out of place. Ironically, there was one hidden blessing in that moment: this same non-Jewish neighbor, appalled by our dripping sleeping bags, decided to throw them in her washer and dryer. And needless to say – we didn’t protest.

 

How are the Mitzvot of Sukkot Synchronized with the Land of Israel?

It is not coincidental that our holiday experience in the Diaspora especially clashed with Sukkot, whose celebration is linked with entering and dwelling in the Land of Israel. As it is written, “…when you gather the produce of the land.”

 

ספר ויקרא פרק כג פסוק לט אַךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאָסְפְּכֶם אֶת תְּבוּאַת הָאָרֶץ תָּחֹגּוּ אֶת חַג יְהוָֹה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן שַׁבָּתוֹן וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי שַׁבָּתוֹן: (מ) וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים:

“But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of Hashem for seven days; the first day shall be a rest day, and the eighth day shall be a rest day. Then you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of the hadar tree, date palm fronds, a branch of a braided tree, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Hashem your G-d for seven days.” (Vayikra 23:39-40).

The mitzvah of rejoicing before Hashem with the Lulav and its bunch is a tangible expression of joy and gratitude for the good land to which Hashem has brought us, and for the ingathering of its produce. These four species are more than symbolic – they embody the transition from a barren wilderness, “a place without figs, grapes, pomegranates, and water” (Bamidbar 20:5), to a fertile land rich in fruits, fragrance, and flowing rivers. That’s why, in memory of this transition, we take the most beautiful fruits with the most delightful fragrance, and the most attractive leaves the Land has to offer – readily available in Eretz Yisrael during the harvest season (Rambam, Guide of the Perplexed III:43). Thus, the mitzvot of Sukkot are deeply attuned to the Land’s agricultural and spiritual rhythm.

Why Does Parashat Emor Write the Mitzvot of Sukkot in Two Separate Sections?

The unique character of Sukkot as celebrated in the Land of Israel – distinguished from the festivals celebrated in the desert – is reflected in its dual mention in our parasha. While all the festivals share a common mitzvah of bringing sacrifices, commanded even in the wilderness, Sukkot includes mitzvot that are tied directly to life in the Land. The mitzvah of waving the four species contrasts with the desert experience, devoid of plant life, while the mitzvah of leaving our comfortable homes, bursting with goodness, and dwelling in the sukkah is specifically to remind us of the contrast to the past wilderness wandering, when we didn’t have homes within which to settle in our own land.  

Parashat Emor mentions Sukkot twice – first in verses 34-36, and again in verses 39-43 – with a summary of all the festivals placed in between (Vayikra 23:37-38). This split reflects the dual character of Sukkot: The first part pertains to every part of the world, whereas the second part is uniquely rooted in the experience of Eretz Yisrael.

The connection between the holiday of Sukkot and Eretz Yisrael is furthermore reinforced again in emphasized in Parashat Ekev: “You shall make the festival of Sukkot...when you gather in from your threshing floor and winepress” (Devarim 16:13), echoing “when you gather the produce of the land” (Vayikra 23:39). As the Rashbam explains, when our homes are filled with goodness – grain, wine, and oil – we are commanded to step out of that comfort and remember how Hashem had us dwell in Sukkot during our forty years in the wilderness, without homes or inheritance. By leaving our solid homes for temporary huts, on Sukkot, we give thanks to the One who gave us Eretz Yisrael and homes full of blessing (Rashbam, Vayikra 23:43).

How does Sukkot Highlight the Connection between the Jewish People and Their Land?

The festival of Sukkot highlights the bond between the Jewish people and their land more than any other holiday. The mitzvah to dwell in the sukkah is especially synchronized with the climate of Eretz Yisrael. It falls during a season when it is just cool enough to make it clear that we are not simply ‘camping’ outdoors, but fulfilling a mitzvah. At the same time, it is usually not yet too cold or rainy to make the mitzvah burdensome – unlike our experience celebrating Sukkot in Memphis, Tennessee, where storms flooded our sukkah and dampened both our gear and spirits.

Chag HaAsif – the Festival of Ingathering – celebrates the harvest season in the Land of Israel. It teaches us how the physical can be elevated through joy and gratitude. Rav Kook emphasized that in Eretz Yisrael, the body meets the soul. The holiness of the land itself imbues the physical acts performed within it with spiritual meaning. The Four Species – the materials used for shaking the lulav – further amplify this bond. Each of them grows in the Land of Israel and reflects its beauty and bounty. As Rav Kook explains, the holiday of Sukkot is so deeply tied to the sanctity of the Land and to the joy of her fruits that Chazal required us to intercalate the year to ensure that Sukkot would always fall during “the time of the ingathering of the crops of the Land.”

What is the Connection between Living in the Land of Israel and Dwelling in the Sukkah?

The Vilna Gaon teaches (as cited in Kol HaTor 1:7) that there is a profound connection between the mitzvah of living in the Land of Israel and the mitzvah of dwelling in the sukkah. In both cases, we enter the space completely, with our whole body. This concept is hinted at in the verse: וַיְהִי בְשָׁלֵם סֻכּוֹ וּמְעוֹנָתוֹ בְצִיּוֹן – “His sukkah was in Shalem, and His dwelling place in Tzion” (Tehillim 76:3)

The Vilna Gaon further explains: “The sukkah must be ta’aseh – built intentionally and not from something already made. So too with Tzion – it must be actively built through our deeds.” This echoes the Midrash on the verse: וּבָא לְצִיּוֹן גּוֹאֵל “A redeemer shall come to Tzion” (Yeshayahu 59:20) – which teaches that as long as Tzion is not built, the redeemer does not come. As our Sages say: “Once Jerusalem is rebuilt, the son of David will come.” In the Midrash: “The son of David does not come until Jerusalem is rebuilt” (Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 17b).

Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Peshischa similarly taught: “There is no mitzvah as beloved as the sukkah, for we enter it with all our limbs, his clothing – even our shoes and boots.” He added: “So too with the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel. We enter it entirely, and it encompasses every part of us. One who dwells in the Land fulfills this mitzvah constantly – day and night, whether awake or asleep – without interruption. That is why it is considered equal to all other mitzvot.”

May we all merit returning to the Land of Israel and celebrating Sukkot in the highest way – experiencing the joy of all of Am Yisrael dwelling together in one vast, unified sukkah. In the merit of returning to the Holy Land, may we soon witness the rebuilding of the fallen Sukkah of David – the Beit HaMikdash.

Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: What are the Conditions for Remaining in the Holy Land and Enjoying Its Blessings?

Printable Version

Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim
What are the Conditions for Remaining in the Holy Land and Enjoying Its Blessings?

How does Secular Life Contrast with Living Holy Lives in the Holy Land?

In secular Denmark, where I grew up, the expression “to be holy” was often used derogatorily, implying someone arrogant, aloof, or antisocial. In truth, the Hebrew word קָדוֹשׁ/kadosh – holy – does indeed mean “to be separate.” It is first used in the Torah in connection with Shabbat: “Then G-d blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation that He had accomplished” (Bereishit 2:3). Shabbat was singled out and set apart from the six days of work. That’s why, during the Havdalah ceremony at the close of Shabbat, we declare how Hashem “separates the sacred from the secular, light from darkness, Israel from the nations, and the seventh day from the six days of creation.” Life is created through separation. Cells divide and differentiate to create and sustain life. Likewise, the Creator in His creating the world separated light from darkness, land from sea, woman from man, and Israel from the nations.

In contrast, the primeval state before creation was one of chaos and formlessness: “In the beginning, the earth was unformed and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep” (Bereishit 1:2). This was precisely the state I experienced during my teenage years among my hippy-dippy circle of friends – men and women, Jews and non-Jews, all blended together in one blurry mishmash. There were no boundaries. Everything was “allowed.” Even the language we used, like the all-inclusive word “guys,” erased distinctions. Although trendy, that confusing culture of blurring differences reflected a pagan yearning to return to chaos – to the formless void of pre-creation.

Parashat Kedoshim instructs us: “You shall be holy for Me, for I Hashem am holy; and I have separated you from the peoples to be Mine” (Vayikra 20:26). But what does it mean to be holy? How can we integrate holiness into our lives, and how does the mitzvah to be holy take on unique meaning in the Land of Israel?

Why Would a Person Refraining from Abhorrence be Considered Holy?

Maharal explains that holiness is essentially transcendent (Tiferet Yisrael 37). This is reflected in Parashat Acharei Mot which opens with the warning to the Israelites to separate from the pervert practices of the surrounding nations: “Like the practice of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelled, you shall not do, and like the practice of the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you, you shall not do, and you shall not follow their statutes” (Vayikra 18:3). The continuation of chapter 18, enumerating all the sexual prohibitions, teaches that holiness entails separating ourselves from the immoral sexuality in which these nations engaged: “You shall not defile yourselves by any of these things, for the nations, whom I am sending away from before you, have defiled themselves with all these things” (Vayikra 18:24).

In Parashat Acharei Mot, the sinner is portrayed as an offensive pervert, whereas in Parashat Kedoshim the person who refrains from sinning is considered holy. It describes someone who keeps seemingly simple mitzvot – honoring parents, refraining from stealing, lying, or cheating – the kinds of basic moral expectations that even secular society upholds.

Yet the Torah considers the person who fulfills these basic commandments, which seem far from transcendent, as holy. The very same behaviors that Parashat Acharei Mot condemns as abhorrent are reframed in Parashat Kedoshim: not only must we avoid them, but doing so is itself a spiritual achievement, worthy of sanctity. In contrast, in Parashat Acharei Mot, engaging in these acts is viewed as utterly impure and repugnant – the very behaviors that the Land cannot tolerate, and it vomits out anyone who commits them.

Between the Earthly Exile Perspective and the Heavenly Land-of-Israel Perspective

Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) explains that the repetition of the section on forbidden sexual relationships in our double parasha conveys two different vantage points, respectively, regarding refraining from sin. Parshot Acharei Mot presents the heavenly view, which asks how it is possible to sink so low, whereas Parashat Kedoshim present the earthly view, which says that although corporal punishment and other severe penalties still apply here, still, one who guards himself against all these abominations is considered “Keep yourselves holy, and you will be holy.” (Vayikra 20:7). Parshat Acharei Mot speaks to us when we are on a truly high level, in that state there are things so unthinkable that we would never even consider committing them. But if we fall to a low level, withstanding the temptation to sin renders us holy (Saintly or Simple? An Essay on Parshat Kedoshim).

Thinking back on my teenage years, when it was unheard of to honor parents, stand up for a venerable person, or even desist from sexual immorality, anyone who would refrain from perversity can be considered a saint. Yet after I settled in the Holy Land as a Ba’alat Teshuva (returnee to Judaism), it was a completely different story. Here in the Holy Land, so much more is expected of us to be worthy of her holiness. The Land of Israel will not tolerate those who deviate even in the slightest way from living in a monogamous husband and wife relationship, as it states:

ספר ויקרא פרק יח פסוק כה וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ וָאֶפְקֹד עֲוֹנָהּ עָלֶיהָ וַתָּקִא הָאָרֶץ אֶת ישְׁבֶיהָ:

(כו) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אַתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ מִכֹּל הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵלֶּה הָאֶזְרָח וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכֲכֶם:
(כז) כִּי אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹעֵבֹת הָאֵל עָשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵיכֶם וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ:
(כח) וְלֹא תָקִיא הָאָרֶץ אֶתְכֶם בְּטַמַּאֲכֶם אֹתָהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר קָאָה אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵיכֶם:

“Then the land became defiled, and I visited its sin upon it, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But as for you, you shall observe My statutes and My ordinances, and you shall not do like any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the stranger who sojourns among you. For the people of the land who preceded you, did all of these abominations, and the land became defiled. And let the land not vomit you out for having defiled it, as it vomited out the nation that preceded you” (Vayikra 18:25-28).

Is the Land a Person that can Vomit Out Unfit People?

In our double parasha, the Land of Israel is strikingly personified. Just as a person may experience stomach upset after consuming something unfit and find relief by vomiting it out, so too does the land react to being defiled by “spitting out” those who defile it. But this defilement has little to do with human interaction with the soil itself and everything to do with moral corruption. The land becomes impure when its inhabitants behave immorally, and it responds by expelling them. The Israelites’ ability to enjoy “a land flowing with milk and honey” as they inherit it from the Canaanites is conditional upon upholding the laws of the Torah. If they fall into the same depraved practices – idolatry and sexual immorality – they too will be driven out, just like those who came before them.

Why are Higher Moral Standards Required in the Land of Israel?

As the Ramban famously explains, the mitzvot were primarily given to be fulfilled in Eretz Yisrael, where Hashem’s presence dwells more fully. Here, the Shechinah is not distant or hidden but present and active, making the land especially sensitive to impurity and responsive to holiness.

Eretz Yisrael is imbued with intrinsic sanctity due to its direct Divine supervision. While all lands are ultimately under Hashem’s providence, outside of Israel, this supervision is carried out through His divine messengers – angels. In contrast, the Land of Israel is under Hashem’s direct providence. Connecting with Hashem through keeping the laws of the Torah is best fulfilled in the land that is most attuned to that relationship, as the potential for experiencing G-d’s presence is heightened in the land. Consequently, moral failures are less tolerated here in Israel than elsewhere. Although the immorality of nations throughout the rest of the world does not necessarily lead to their exile from their land, this is not so in the Land of Israel. Here, the nation that fails to live up to the Torah’s higher demands for ethical and holy living is driven out (Ramban, Vayikra 18:25).

The inherent holiness of Eretz Yisrael is precisely what demands our heightened moral sensitivity. Its sanctity is a dynamic property that responds to our ethical choices. It offers the opportunity to experience G-d in a way that is more immediate and real than anywhere else – but that opportunity is not a guaranteed privilege. It is the sacred responsibility of those who dwell in the land (Inspired by Rav Michael Hattin, Acharei-Mot - Kedoshim | The Sanctity of the Land). 

What are the Parameters for the Dedication to the Land Required in Eretz Yisrael?

The root of the word kadosh (ק-ד-ש) also implies readiness and designation. Just as a bride becomes mekudeshet – consecrated – through marriage commitment, so too do we become holy by designating our time, space, and energy for Hashem.  In this light, holiness is not only about separating from impurity, but also about dedicating ourselves to clarity, intention, and sacred purpose.  Nowhere is this designation more relevant than in the Land of Israel, where both the land and its people are set apart – not merely to be different, but to be devoted. In Eretz Yisrael, the call to holiness is not theoretical; it is carved into the stones and soil, calling us to align our lives with Hashem’s presence.
In the Holy Land, even ordinary actions take on extraordinary meaning. In the Holy Land, even the most ordinary actions take on extraordinary significance. Planting a tree, harvesting a field, or eating its produce all involve mitzvot that fuse the physical with the spiritual. Living in Eretz Yisrael is a continuous encounter with the Divine. The laws of the Torah are not confined to behavior alone – they are engraved into the landscape of the environment surrounding us. The more we sanctify our lives, the more the land responds with blessing.
To be holy, then, is to live in covenantal awareness – to recognize that every moment and detail of life is an invitation to draw closer to Hashem. In Eretz Yisrael, this awareness is not optional. It is the very condition for remaining here, as the Torah reminds us: “You shall keep all My statutes and ordinances, so that the Land does not vomit you out…” (Vayikra 20:22).

Parashat Tazria-Metzora: How Does Spiritual Disease Allude to the amplified Divine Intimacy in the Land of Israel?

Printable Version

Parashat Tazria-Metzora

How Does Spiritual Disease Allude to the amplified Divine Intimacy in the Land of Israel? 

What are the Spiritual Messages of the Predicaments that Hashem Sends Us?

Living in the Holy Land means living with Hashem – and being sensitively attuned to His Divine messages. How often has it happened that the phone disconnected in the middle of a meaningful conversation? In that quiet pause before we reconnected, I would reflect: perhaps Hashem was whispering, urging me to consider that what I was about to say might be better left unsaid. I try to attentively listen to these subtle Divine messages and use them as opportunities for self-introspection that lead me to mend my ways. Yet, one message seems to repeat itself year after year – as if we somehow keep missing its lesson.

For decades, our rental apartment, located just below our home, has leaked during the rainy season. There’s nothing we haven’t tried to locate and fix the leaks. Last summer, we went as far as dismantling the entire patio, which also serves as the apartment’s roof, and resealing it with high-grade roofing tar. We even hired an expert to remove the patio’s glass doors to apply sealants beneath them. Despite pouring all our savings into fixing the problem, this winter’s heavy rains still managed to find their way in. Occasional raindrops still dripped into our downstairs apartment, bringing with them the inevitable mold, making our home’s predicament feel eerily similar to the biblical tzara’at described in Parashat Metzora.

Tzara’at is a spiritual affliction that can appear on skin, garments, and even house walls. So I asked myself and my husband: Why are we continuously afflicted with leaks? Why does this keep happening to us? What is the spiritual message Hashem is sending us through this recurring household plague?

Why does the Biblical Tzara’at only Affect Homes and People in the Holy Land?

The Torah specifies that the phenomenon of tzara’at affecting homes occurs only upon entering the Land of Canaan:​

ספר ויקרא פרק יד  פסוק לד כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם:

“When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place an eruptive plague (tzara'at) upon a house in the land of your possession” (Vayikra 14:34).

When reading about the mysterious affliction of tzara’at – the spiritual skin condition that can appear on people, clothing, and even the walls of one’s home – we may wonder: why do these laws seem so distant from us today? And why, according to Chazal, did they apply only in the Land of Israel?

The answer reveals something profound about the unique relationship between Eretz Yisrael and spiritual sensitivity. The afflictions described are not merely physical ailments – they are spiritual indicators. They serve as divine communications, urging us to reflect and realign our lives toward holiness. The Land of Israel, in its unique sanctity, acts as a mirror, reflecting the inner spiritual state of its people. When the inhabitants maintain purity and righteousness, the land flourishes; when they falter, the land responds accordingly.

The Shelah HaKadosh teaches that tzara’at is not merely a natural phenomenon, nor even a punishment in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a direct message from Hashem – a holy signal that something is misaligned in a person’s inner life. He explains that our Torah verse is intentionally specific. Tzara’at on homes does not occur in the Diaspora. Why? Because this affliction only appears in “the land of your inheritance” – the Land of Israel. Not because the law is bound to the land in a halachic sense, but because the Shechinah dwelling in Eretz Yisrael reveals spiritual impurity in visible, tangible ways. The very presence of Hashem in His chosen land makes such spiritual signals possible.

Only in the Holy Land are Our Homes, Garments, and Skin Messengers of Truth

Based on Torat Kohani on Vayikra 13:47, the Shelah adds that tzara’at on houses only appeared after the land was conquered and divided. Only then does the land itself become a mirror of our inner life. The moment we recognize our portion – and truly internalize that our home is our own, the Divine presence settles more fully among the Jewish people. Only then, when our minds become settled and prepared to know Hashem, can the Shechinah dwell among us.

This notion reshapes our understanding of what it means to live in Eretz Yisrael. The Land is not neutral. It is spiritually alive. Just as the Mishkan revealed Hashem’s presence through the Pillar of Fire and the Clouds of Glory, the Land reveals His presence through the blessings and the consequences that arise when our lives become misaligned.

Tzara’at, in this sense, is not a curse but a form of spiritual intimacy. The Land itself speaks to us. It helps us realign. It awakens us when we’ve gone astray. This is why Chazal state that tzara’at is not possible outside the Land. As the Shelah HaKadosh puts it: “Outside the Land... such events will never happen.” Because in other lands, the Divine light is hidden. The soul’s misalignment does not find expression in visible signs. But in Eretz Yisrael – the land where Hashem dwells among us – the very walls of our homes, the fabric of our garments, and even the appearance of our skin can become messengers of truth (Rabbi Yesha’yahu Horowitz, The Shelah HaKodesh on Tractate Pesachim, Matzah Ashira).

How do We Discover the Hidden Goodness Behind the Walls?

The concept that tzara’at could appear on the walls of a house in the Land of Israel may seem frightening – yet the Torah states:  וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת, “And I will give a plague of tzara’at…” (Vayikra 14:34). The use of the word וְנָתַתִּי/ve’natati – “I will give” – is unusual for something seemingly negative. Rashi explains that this is actually “good news for them,” because the Amorites had hidden treasures of gold within the walls of their homes during the forty years that Israel wandered in the wilderness. Through the appearance of the plague and the ensuing demolition of the walls, these treasures would be revealed (Rashi, Vayikra 14:34).

The Aish Kodesh draws on this Rashi to impart a profound concept: It was specifically through a plague that the house would be broken open and the hidden treasures discovered. This teaches us that even what appears at first to be a spiritual downfall – impurity, quarantine, and destruction – may, in truth, be a hidden opportunity for elevation.

Yet why was it necessary to undergo seven days of quarantine before discovering the gold? Since the plagues on houses and garments were supernatural events – clearly sent for the benefit of Israel to reveal hidden treasures – why delay by first declaring the house impure?

The Aish Kodesh explains that this process strengthens our emunah – our faith that everything Hashem does for us is ultimately for our good, even when He strikes us with suffering, Heaven forbid. It is especially challenging to maintain our emunah when we experience suffering in ways that seem, Heaven forbid, to distance us from Hashem Himself. Therefore, the Torah teaches us: first, seven days of impurity – and only afterward, the hidden treasure is revealed. Although the tzara’at of the house rendered it impure and appeared at first to be a punishment distancing us from G-d, in truth, it served Hashem’s purpose for the ultimate good (Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, The Aish Kodesh, Parashat Metzora).

Perhaps the humbling suffering of tzara’at opened the hearts of those afflicted to truly seek Hashem – just as tzara’at only occurred in the Holy Land, after it had been conquered, divided, and settled enough for the people to begin seeking Hashem.

Sometimes, the plague revealed gold hidden in the walls. And sometimes, as Aish Kodesh points out, the gold is hidden within the person’s own journey. First, there are seven days of waiting and self-introspection. Then, with faith and humility, the treasure is revealed.

The homeowner must say only: “Something like a plague appears to me in the house” (Vayikra 14:35). Even if he is a learned Torah scholar who knows with certainty that it is tzara’at, he must still phrase it cautiously – “something like a plague” – because no person can truly know whether it is entirely a negative sign or, in truth, a hidden good that Hashem is preparing. Ultimately, all is for the good of Israel – Hashem’s hidden kindness, waiting to reveal itself.

How Can We Experience Spiritual Awareness Through the Physical?

Parashat Tazria – Metzora teaches us to see the physical world not as separate from the spiritual, but as its very gateway. Through our skin, our garments, and even our homes, Hashem sends us messages – not to punish, but to awaken. When blemishes appear, they call us not to despair, but to look deeper. Often, they even conceal hidden treasures. Always, they invite us to refine, realign, and return.

As the Bat Ayin beautifully explains, the true path of da’at – of integrated consciousness – is to connect earth and heaven (Rav Avraham Dov Ber Auerbach, the Bat Ayin, Parashat Tazria). When we sanctify the physical through mitzvot, we are not escaping the world; we are elevating it. The Torah is teaching us how to live with spiritual awareness in a physical world, and nowhere is this more true than in the Land of Israel, where every field, garment, and home can become a dwelling for the Shechinah.

May we truly live with integrated consciousness uniting physicality with spirituality – and in doing so, draw the Divine presence ever closer. May we merit living with such awareness: to recognize the Land’s messages not with fear, but with reverence. And may we transform our daily lives – our eating, our speech, our clothing, and our homes – into vessels of holiness, so that our homes in Eretz Yisrael be filled with light, love, and purity, inviting the Shechinah to dwell among us!

Parashat Shemini: Why Does Eating Kosher Food Mindfully Help Us Merit Living in The Holy Land?

Printable Version

Parashat Shemini

Why Does Eating Kosher Food Mindfully Help Us Merit Living in The Holy Land? 

Why Were Many Newcomers to Torah Vegetarian Before Embracing the Torah Path?
My husband and I were both vegetarians for a period before joining a yeshiva and returning to the Torah path. We soon discovered that many other ba’alei teshuvah shared a similar experience – instinctively cutting out meat a while before embracing the Torah path. Looking back, it’s clear this wasn’t a coincidence. For many of us, abstaining from meat was an unconscious preparation for spiritual sensitivity – a distancing from the unrefined in pursuit of the pure. 

Returning to meat wasn’t easy. It was even more challenging for us environmentalists who cared deeply about animal life and found the concept of animal sacrifice especially difficult to accept. It took heartfelt guidance from our beloved teacher, Rabbi Goldstein zt”l, who explained that sacrifices are not merely ritual slaughter but acts of elevation. The animals, he said, willingly stretched their necks – not as victims, but as offerings ascending to a higher spiritual state. “When a Jew eats meat mindfully,” he taught us, “the animal becomes part of something far greater – not just a human being, but a holy Jew.” 

This is especially true at a Shabbat table where the food’s energy is directed toward singing holy tunes, sharing words of Torah, and mitzvot. Rabbi Goldstein encouraged us to print menu cards for our Shabbat meals that proclaimed: “Our table is a mizbeach (altar), and our food is a korban (sacrifice).” We would joyfully recite this sentence each time we broke bread, transforming our meals into a form of avodah (spiritual service). I believe our temporary abstinence from meat helped purify our hearts and made us more receptive to the truth of Torah. Our yearning for holiness led us to intuitively reject impure, non-kosher meat, which is a spiritually numbing food that dulls the soul and clouds inner perception. After learning the laws of kashrut, most of us gradually returned to eating meat, this time with reverence and discernment, understanding that kosher meat – consumed with mindful intention – is not a descent into the physical but a pathway for spiritual elevation.

How is the Responsibility of Holiness Distinguished in the Land of Israel?
Parashat Shemini centers on the sanctity of the Mishkan and the strict requirements for Divine service. For many of us who returned to Torah observance, the process of spiritual growth began with refining what we ate and how we lived here in the Holy Land. It is no coincidence that the Torah places great emphasis on holiness in physical acts, especially in eating. The sanctity of the Mishkan – the dwelling place of the Shechinah – required preparation, purity, and boundaries. Likewise, the sanctity of the Land of Israel depends on how we live within it and sanctify the physical, Eretz Yisrael, even the physical becomes spiritual. Being careful to eat only kosher food – from which the blood of the animal has been removed – is one way to merit living in the holy land.

ספר ויקרא פרק יא פסוק מג אַל תְּשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם בְּכָל הַשֶּׁרֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵץ וְלֹא תִטַּמְּאוּ בָּהֶם וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם:

“You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping creature that creeps, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, that you should become impure through them” (Vayikra 11:43).

The Ramban explains that the holiness of the land is bound to our actions. The mitzvot were primarily given to be fulfilled in the Land of Israel, and it is only here that the Shechinah can truly dwell. Since the Land of Israel, the center of the inhabited world, is the inheritance of Hashem, and specially designated for His Name, when dwelling in His Land we must be sanctified in our conduct, to be worthy of His presence. This is especially so in matters of forbidden relationships and other mitzvot tied to the purity of body and soul.  That is why the Torah warns: “Keep all My statutes and ordinances… so that the Land does not vomit you out” (Vayikra 20:22). Eretz Yisrael does not tolerate impurity. Outside the Land – even though all belongs to Hashem – purity is never complete due to the ruling spiritual forces, and nations assigned their own celestial guardians. But in the Land of Yisrael, Hashem alone is our G-d, and we are uniquely bound to Him. The fullness of Divine service is meant to take place specifically in the Land of Israel (Ramban, Vayikra 18:25).

What is the Connection Between the Holiness of the Mishkan and the Land of Israel?

Eretz Yisrael is not just a backdrop for holiness – it is a living participant in the spiritual destiny of the Jewish people. The Torah teaches that the land will “vomit out” those who defile it (Vayikra 18:28), emphasizing that Eretz Yisrael cannot tolerate sin. The Sifra elaborates that the land itself becomes defiled through immoral behavior and, as a consequence, expels its inhabitants (Sifra Acharei Mot 13). 

This spiritual sensitivity distinguishes the Holy Land from all other lands. Entering Egypt was optional, but entering the Land of Israel is a Divine obligation. In Egypt, whether or not Bnei Yisrael followed Hashem’s will, they were allowed to remain. But Eretz Yisrael is different. If you fulfill the will of the Creator, then the land of Canaan is given to you. But if not, you are exiled from it. As it states: “Let not the land vomit you out for defiling it” (Vayikra 18:28); (Sifre Parashat Ekev Piska 2). This makes living in the Land of Israel not just a privilege, but a responsibility. 

Holiness is not an automatic consequence of being in a holy place – it must be cultivated through Torah, mitzvot, and inner refinement. The connection between the Mishkan and the Land is rooted in this shared sanctity. Just as the Shechinah only rested in the Mishkan when Israel was purified, so too does it rest in the Land only when its inhabitants live with spiritual integrity. As Rav Moshe Cordovero teaches, the desert generation experienced the spiritual reality of Eretz Yisrael even before entering its borders – for the air, atmosphere, and angels of the Land accompanied the Shechinah wherever it rested. “…the air of the Land of Israel went with the generation of the desert… with the Shechinah, which traveled with them… until the entry into the Land of Israel, to its appropriate place. There is the resting place of sanctity, for there is the gateway to heaven” (Pardes Rimonim 25:2). 

Thus, the Land of Israel is not just the destination of our national journey – it is the vessel for Divine presence. Its holiness responds to our behavior. When we live with purity and intention, the Shechinah dwells among us. But when we defile the Land, it recoils. Just as the Shechinah departed the Mishkan when sanctity was breached, so too does the Land expel those who abandon the path of holiness.

Why is Eating in Holiness the Kosher Pathway to Divine Awareness?

Parashat Shemini includes the foundational laws of kashrut, distinguishing between pure and impure animals. “For I am Hashem who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your G-d – you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Vayikra 11:45). Rashi notes that this verse implies the very act of keeping kosher elevates us to holiness (Rashi, Vayikra 11:45). Eating is one of the most physical and earthly acts – yet the Torah teaches that it can become an act of holiness. The food we ingest becomes part of our bodies – and thus, part of the vessels through which we serve Hashem. 

The Zohar notes that וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם “You shall become impure through them” (Vayikra 11:43) is written defectively, without an alef, to imply a state of sealed impurity from which there is no easy purification. Whoever defiles himself with unkosher foods is considered as if he worships idols. One who serves idolatry departs from the realm of holiness and enters the realm of impurity. So too, one who eats forbidden foods is drawn into spiritual defilement – in this world and the next. Therefore, it is written: “Do not make yourselves abominable through the animal and the bird and all that creeps on the ground, which I have set apart from you to regard as impure” (Vayikra 20:25); (Zohar III, 42a). 

Non-kosher food cannot be elevated; it dulls the soul and causes spiritual insensitivity that prevents us from fully experiencing closeness with Hashem. On the other hand, eating kosher food in sanctity with the right intention can be spiritually transformative. It allows us to elevate the physical world and turn it into a vehicle for Divine service. When we bless with kavanah, eat mindfully, and use that energy to serve Hashem, we elevate the physical and transform it into an experience of spiritual connection (Tanya, Likutei Amarim, Chapter 7). This has particular resonance in the Land of Israel. Only kosher food – ideally grown or prepared with mitzvah-consciousness – resonates with the spiritual frequency of the Land. Eating in holiness becomes a pathway for aligning with Eretz Yisrael’s inherent sanctity.

Which Efforts Can Help Us Live in True Shalom in the Holy Land?

Parashat Shemini reminds us that holiness is not about otherworldliness – it is about elevating the world we live in. Whether it is fire brought to the altar or food brought to our lips, the way we live and what we consume matter deeply. The Land of Israel magnifies this truth. It is a land that responds to the spiritual level of its inhabitants – and demands their moral and spiritual refinement. In the place where the Shechinah resides, we are invited to uplift the physical through mindful mitzvah performance. Here, eating kosher food in holiness is not only a mitzvah but a key that unlocks deeper alignment with the land’s essence. The mitzvot hateluyot ba’aretz – agricultural commandments unique to the Land – illustrate this unity between body and soul, sustenance and sanctity. Tithes, Terumot, Ma’aserot, and the Shemitah year remind us that even our eating must be done in covenant with Hashem. 

May we merit to eat in holiness, dwell in holiness, and uplift every corner of our physical lives, especially in the holy atmosphere of Eretz Yisrael. May our endeavors to live holy lives in the holy land bring about lasting shalom to the Land of Israel and the world! May our efforts to sanctify the mundane empower our holy soldiers to liberate the Land in its entirety. May our sincere service return the Shechinah in her full glory to her sacred resting place.

How Do the Curses Herald Eternal Hope for Redemption?

Printable Version

Parashat Bechukotai

How Do the Curses Herald Eternal Hope for Redemption?  

Elevating Ourselves to Becoming Immune to Curses 

This morning, I got up on the wrong side of the bed. I had been lying awake during the night with gloomy thoughts about various matters that weren’t going well in my personal and professional life. Being in shalom with others is of ultimate importance to me. Yet despite my best efforts to solve a dispute peacefully in a way, where both sides yield to the other for the sake of shalom, I hadn’t been successful. What is worse, sadly ☹ there seems to be no prospect that this will ever happen. In response to my suggestion to work out an agreement that would make us both feel good about each other so that we would be able to greet each other with shalom while looking each other in the eye, I received a message, saying, “I am deliberating whether to find a way to force you to give me what I want or to let G-d demand your debt. I am personally not forgiving you.” Being an energetically sensitive person, I’m concerned that this toxic message includes a curse. Although I’ve done spiritual healing for undoing the curse, I’m still apprehensive and my concern keeps me up at night. Every night I have this person in mind when reciting the prayer of forgiveness before going to sleep. How I wish this were mutual! When I woke up late groggy and irritated with little desire and focus to write my blog, I decided to pull myself up. It is known that when King David initiated his Tehillim with Mizmor L’David, (as opposed to when his Tehillim begins with L’David Mizmor), he elevated himself from depression through his melody. We can all be inspired and learn from King David to rise from whatever low we may find ourselves. Trying to unpack the hidden message in uncomfortable situations, and searching for the good points in ourselves and others is the key to personal elevation. I reminded myself, that although Parashat Bechukotai is known for its curses it actually opens with blessings if only we “follow Hashem’s statutes and observe His commandments and perform them” (Vayikra 26:3). If we are clear that we are doing the right thing in Hashem’s eyes nothing, and no one can harm us.

 

Why Does Parashat Bechukotai Mention Many More Curses than Blessings?

Parashat Bechukotai opens with ten verses of blessings followed by twenty-eight verses of curses. They include illness, famine, plague, desolation, and exile. We may wonder why the descriptions of the blessings are so lacking compared to the rich descriptions of the curses. Yet when we look deeper into the wording of the blessings and the cures respectively, we’ll notice that the “blessing verses” come all at once, like an overflowing, boundless blessing of abundance. “If we follow Hashem faithfully” His endless blessings will immediately envelope us. This is because by walking with Hashem we remove the blocks that prevent us from receiving Hashem’s infinite light and goodness which He constantly showers upon us. In contrast, the root of all curses is when we impede Hashem’s blessings from entering our entire being, by entertaining negative emotions such as fear and anger and straying from the Torah path. Therefore, every curse is paraphrased with a precondition expressing various levels of blocks we cause upon ourselves by diverging from the way of G-d. Through His compassion, Hashem doesn’t expend all the curses in one go. He starts with the less severe punishments to give us a chance to repent. If that doesn’t help, He is compelled to administrate a stronger and more bitter medicine, each subsequent curse according to the level of the block our wrongdoing creates. Thus, if you count the verses that describe the curses themselves, and not the actions that brought about the curses (variations of “if you do not listen to Me”), it turns out that there are no more curses than blessings. Furthermore, the numerous verses about the curses are actually blessings in disguise. They don’t come all at once but in stages, starting with the mildest curses to teach us the gradual, involving process of constant assessment and hope that we mend our ways and open ourselves to receive Hashem’s infinite light. Thus, in truth, the blessings far outweigh the curses. They permeate everything, infusing the world with their goodness. “I will surely open the floodgates of the heaven for you and pour down endless blessings upon you” (Malachi 3:10). 

 

How do We Tap Into Eternal Hope Even Within Horrific Curses?

The curses culminate with Hashem’s promise that He will never reject us no matter how far we have gone. His Presence follows us perpetually to whatever exile we must undergo:

 

ספר ויקרא פרק כו פסוק מד

וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְלֹא גְעַלְתִּים לְכַלֹּתָם לְהָפֵר בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם כִּי אֲנִי הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם: (מה) וְזָכַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית רִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵי הַגּוֹיִם לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי הָשֵׁם:

“Yet, despite all this, while they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them… I will remember for them the covenant of their ancestors, whom I took out from Egypt in the eyes of the nations, to be their G-d. I am the Hashem” (Vayikra 26:44-45).

 

Rabbeinu Bachaya explains the unusual expression וְאַף גַּם זֹאת /v’af gam zot – “But despite all this” in depth. According to the simple meaning (peshat), it refers to G-d’s promise to keep His Covenant with the Jewish people no matter what. From the kabbalistic perspective approach, the word זֹאת/zot refers to the Jewish people as understood from Tehillim 118:23 that we recite during Hallel: מֵאֵת הָשֵׁם הָיְתָה זֹּאת – “This was from Hashem” which according to its inner meaning means: “The Jewish people emanated from Hashem.” Since we emanate from Hashem, we eternally carry an element of the Shechinah with us. Therefore, the Shechinah follows the Jewish people wherever they may be exiled. The preceding words אַף/af and גַּם/gam refer to Gevurah and Chesed respectively. Interestingly גַּם/gam consists of the first two letters of גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים/gemilut chassadim – bestowal of loving/kindness (Based on Rabbeinu Bachaya, Vayikra 26:44). Perhaps our verse alludes to Hashem’s eternal promise that even when (G-d forbid) a Jew rejects G-d, (“despite all this”) Hashem will always remain our G-d. He will remember the covenant through judgment (אַף/af), because we deserve it due to the merit of our Fathers, and He will never reject us – even if we don’t deserve it – due to His loving/kindness (גַּם/gam). Thus, even the curses herald eternal hope for redemption. As Martin Luther King put it. “God is just. He may punish. He may hide His face. But He will not break His word. He will fulfill His promise. He will redeem His children. He will bring them home” (Quoted by Rav Jonathan Sacs, The Birth of Hope, Bechukotai 5779). Within G-d’s justice resides His loving kindness even if we have betrayed the covenant Hashem never gives up on us. Eventually, we must all return home to the Torah and to the Promised Land.

         Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat BeChukotai –

Some Tips for How to Revert Negative Energy and Curses into Blessings 

Although negative energy and curses exist, being too preoccupied with these matters makes us more susceptible to becoming victims. We can strengthen our immunity to negative energy by aligning ourselves with Hashem, and elevating our own energy through Emunah that whatever happens is from Hashem and for a reason. “The evil eye does not have power except over a person whose eyes are blemished to look at a place unsuitable for him” (Rav Tzaddok of Lublin, Yisrael Kedoshim 6). When we do not look at what belongs to others and avoid sending out negative energy, negative energy will also have no power over us. Let us be particular never to send out negative energy to anyone! Note that negative energy has no power over the person who doesnot want to take nourishment from what does not belong to him (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 20a).  

 

• Simply Look Into the Energy That You are – Let your energy bes an energy of love, empowerment, and wisdom. It’s the most powerful energy in the universe and it works to empower your energy. This powerful energy works immediately and will restore you and your life.

 

• Strengthen Your Emunah and Ensure You are Acting According to Hashem’s Will – The Evil Eye has no power over those whose robust sense of self-esteem does not let others dictate what is important and worthwhile. Being a person of great emunah and self-confidence, Yosef was not susceptible to negative energy. He was immune to what others thought about him, because of his strong connection to Hashem.

 

• Recite Birkat Kohanim (the Kohanim Blessing) Twice – to bless the person who sends out hateful energy or is really angry at you whether s/he expresses the anger or not.

 

• Take three coins” (even as small as a dime (ten agurot) to give to charity – to dissipate negativity from a particular person. Make a verbal intention as you drop each coin in the Tzedakka box: “This is for the nefesh of so-and-so (full name) daughter of so-and-so. This is for the Ruach, and the last one is on behalf of the Neshamah of the one sending the negative energy. 

 

• Keep a Kosher Mezuza on Your Doorpost – with the Name ש-ד-י/Shada-I written on its reverse side. The end letters of the word ציר/tzir – ‘adversary’ spells out שַׁדַּי/Shada-i.  ,צדי, יוד, ריש. This shows that Shada-i is in your tzir (adversary or in the hinge of your home), in the place of the mezuzah. This explains why we write שַׁדַּי/Shada-i on the mezuzah on the backside of the word “and it shall be…” It is as if the Torah writes that Shada-i (G-d) shall be against your adversaries or in the hinge of your home to protect you (Chayim Vital, Sha’ar Hahakdamot 42b).