by Rabbi Tony Eaton
Simchat Yisrael, West Haven, Connecticut

Parashat Mishpatim, Exodus 21–24

What does it mean to be holy? What does holiness have to do with how you deal with slaves, or whether you return your enemy’s lost animal, or even how you cook your goat? This term holiness can be elusive at times. Does it mean simply following God's commands, and that by doing so we become holy? Or, rather does it mean being sinless?—as if such a state were possible. Solomon Schechter, in his classic work,Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, describes it this way: “Holiness is the highest achievement of the Law and the deepest experience as well as the realization of righteousness. . . . In its broad features holiness is but another word for ‘Imitatio Dei’, a duty intimately associated with Israel's close contact with God.”

We discover in this portion that holiness involves every aspect of the human experience, from his dealings with God, to the very food he eats, everything is related to being holy. When God chose us at Sinai He commissioned us as a people to sanctify every act that we perform. No doubt this is why in our tradition there is abaruchafor just about everything we do, for we must be holy even as He is holy.

This portion includes line after line calling for holiness in dealing with servants, worship, agriculture, interpersonal relations, business, the treatment of the disabled and the elderly, court procedure, and sexuality. Stated another way, the way of holiness is the way of love. Solomon Schechter quoting the ancient rabbinic sage Abba Shaul, agrees with this assessment. “This imitation receives practical shape in the following passage: 'The members of the House of Israel are in duty bound to deal with one another mercifully, to do charity (mizwah), and to practice kindness. For the Holy One blessed be He, has only created this world with loving-kindness and mercy, and it rests with us to learn from the ways of God.” So it is that in order for each of us to truly be holy we must learn what it means to love.

It begins with loving God Himself. How can we best demonstrate our love for God? This we can do by honoring God and putting Him first in our lives; “you shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3, NAS). This is the most primary of all relationships. If we are unwilling to put God first in everything we cannot hope to have our other priorities in right order. Adam and Eve quickly discovered that by disrupting their relationship with God, every other relationship was disrupted too.

If we are to truly love God we must also be obedient to His commands. How can we call Him Lord if we are unwilling to obey Him? This may at times mean doing things that we may not understand. Yet we do them nonetheless because we trust in Him to do what is best for us despite our misgivings. God has promised us that His commandments are for our blessing. If we love and trust Him we will do what He says.

Most of all loving God means thinking as God thinks, considering as important and sacred, the things God believes are important and sacred.

“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you… And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD. (Ex.23:14-17)

Not only does this demonstrate love for God, but it elevates our own consciousness to a new and higher level. To think with the heart and mind of God is to achieve holiness. This thought is reflected in these words of Rav Shaul of Tarsus:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Messiah. (1 Cor 2:12-16, NAS)

If we are to be holy we must also demonstrate love for one another. This we do first by showing care and concern for one another's needs, particularly the needs of the poor and the weak. God gives abundance to some, that they might share with those who have little. Real holiness, real love is reflected in sharing what God has blessed us with, with others.

Holiness will also be reflected in our way of speaking with and about each other. Our words have the power to wound or to heal. Too often our words are used to gain advantage and power over another, usually resulting in suffering and pain. If we would truly be holy people our words should be used instead to restore one another to life and blessing.

And, love will also always deal justly with others. Holiness demands fairness and equity. To treat all people with the same kindness and consideration, this is the mark of holiness.

This love of others must extend to the stranger and even to our enemies, to the one who is not us. If we love only ourselves and those who are like us, what are we really, as Yeshua says:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matt 5:43-47, NAS)

All people are made in the image of God and for that reason, if for no other, they are worthy of our love. So it is that God's commands prescribe that we treat all with the same love and consideration.

When asked which commandment was the greatest of all our Messiah Yeshua responded,

“The most important one, is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31, NIV).

When we learn how to love, first God, then our fellows, and then all peoples, we will truly bear the stamp of holiness.