[Par-lite] for Parshat Kedoshim - shiur #2

Wed Apr 27 09:31:12 EDT 2011

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     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag

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          PARSHAT KEDOSHIM  -shiur #2

          THE HEADER / KOL ADAT YISRAEL

     Does the name 'EDAH' imply something 'good' or
something

'bad'?  Even though EDAH carries a negative connotation in
the

story of the spies in Parshat Shlach, in the opening pasuk
of

Parshat Kedoshim it seems to imply something very
positive.

     In the following shiur we suggest a thematic
connection

between the word EDAH and the first half of Parshat
Kedoshim

(i.e. chapter 19).

INTRODUCTION

     In contrast to most parshiot in Chumash which begin
with

the standard header:

     "And God spoke to Moshe saying, speak to BNEI
YISRAEL..."

Parshat Kedoshim adds a short but important phrase:

  "And God spoke to Moshe saying, speak to KOL ADAT Bnei

  Yisrael... - to the entire congregation of Israel"
(19:1-2).

     This special header indicates that there must be some

specific reason why this parshia was given to KOL ADAT
YISRAEL

-i.e. to the entire EDAH - congregation of Israel.  [Note
that

ADAT is simply the 'smichut' form of EDAH.]

     Rashi, quoting the Midrash in Torat Kohanim, explains

that specifically this parshia was given to the 'entire

congregation' because it includes most of the basic
principles

of the Torah ['rov gufei Torah tluyin bah'].  [See also

Chizkuni (19:2) who quotes a similar Midrash Tanchuma.]

     Even though Rashi explains why it was necessary for
Moshe

to relay these mitzvot in a special gathering, he does not

explain why specifically the word EDAH is used!  In other

words, the Torah could have simply said: speak to KOL Bnei

Yisrael (ALL of Bnei Yisrael / see Devarim 1:1), or could
have

used the Hebrew word KAHAL instead of EDAH, which would
have

been a more precise way to describe a gathering.

     Therefore, the Torah's choice of the word EDAH
suggests a

connection between the mitzvot of Parshat Kedoshim and the

word EDAH.  To find that connection, we must consider its

etymology.

     The Hebrew word EDAH stems from one of two possible

roots:

1) ayin.daled - which implies to AFFIRM or TESTIFY

      [e.g. the word EID= a witness; EDAH= a female
witness]

2) yod.ayin.daled - which implies to APPOINT or to
DESIGNATE

     The first root would imply that Am Yisrael, when
called

an EDAH, serve as sort of a WITNESS, while the second root

would imply that they have been APPOINTED for a certain

purpose.  How would either or both explanations tie into

Parshat Kedoshim?

     From the opening commandment of Parshat Kedoshim, one

could suggest an interesting interpretation:

  "KEDOSHIM TIHIYU - You shall be holy, for I, the Lord
your

  God, am holy..." (19:2).

  By acting as a holy nation, Am Yisrael 'testifies' (to

itself and to other nations) that God exists, for He is
holy.

[See Sforno 19:2.]

     Why is this testimony necessary?

     Testimony is usually needed order to prove a fact.

Considering that God is transcendent, it is difficult for
man

to perceive His existence.  Therefore, God commands ADAT
BNEI

YISRAEL to keep special mitzvot which help create a
society

which 'testifies' to God's existence.  One could actually

combine both meanings and suggest that it is for this
reason

that God DESIGNATED Bnei Yisrael to become a nation.

KEDUSHA - FOR A PURPOSE

    Even though this interpretation may not be 'simple

pshat', it blends nicely with Sefer Vayikra's theme of
KEDUSHA

in the three realms of MAKOM, ZMAN, & ADAM, which we
developed

in our shiur on Acharei Mot.

a)  KEDUSHAT HA-MISHKAN ['kedushat makom'], we explained,

implies that God separates a special place and infuse it
with

an intense level of holiness IN ORDER that it affect and
thus

elevate the level of the area which surrounds it.

b)  In a similar manner, God separated SHABBAT ['kedushat

zman'], infusing it with a intense level of holiness, IN
ORDER

to elevate the spiritual level of the entire week.

c)  So too - KEDUSHAT AM YISRAEL  ['kedushat adam']. God

separates a special nation, infusing it with an intense
level

of holiness, IN ORDER to elevate the spiritual level of
all

nations.  God 'designates' Am Yisrael to follow the
mitzvot of

KEDOSHIM TIHIYU to fulfill this purpose, and in this
manner we

'testify' before all nations that God exists.

     This concept, which may only be alluded to here in

Parshat Kedoshim, is stated more directly in Sefer Devarim
as

Bnei Yisrael prepare to enter the Promised Land:

  "See, I have taught you CHUKIM & MISHPATIM [compare
Vayikra

  18:3-5!] for you to keep in the land which you are about
to

  conquer.  Observe them faithfully, for that will be
PROOF of

  you wisdom IN THE EYES OF THE NATIONS who upon hearing
all

  these laws will say:

  Surely, that great nation is a wise people, for what
great

  nation is there that is so CLOSE TO GOD... or what great

  nation has such perfect CHUKIM & MISHPATIM as the TORAH
that

  I set before you on this day..."  (Devarim 4:5-8).

TWO OTHER PARSHIOT

     In addition to Parshat Kedoshim, there are two
earlier

parshiot of mitzvot which are directed specifically to
ADAT

BNEI YISRAEL.

  1)   Parshat Ha-Chodesh - Shmot 12:1-20 (see 12:3) which

     discusses MAKKAT BECHOROT & KORBAN PESACH.

  2)  Parshat Vayakhel - the commandment to build the
MISHKAN.

     One could explain the Torah's use of the phrase ADAT
BNEI

YISRAEL in these two parshiot in a similar manner.

(1)  Parshat Ha-Chodesh (as we all know) is God's very
FIRST

commandment to Bnei Yisrael (see Rashi Breishit 1:1).  The

laws of Korban Pesach that are detailed in that parshia
serve

a double purpose.  For Am Yisrael to:

  a) recognize God's hand in their salvation from MAKKAT

  BECHOROT [which caused the Egyptians to finally
recognize

  God.  [See Shmot 11:1-10.]

  b) AFFIRM their covenantal commitment to BRIT BEIN
H-'BTARIM

  (i.e. Brit Avot).  [See shiur on Parshat Va'era].

(2)  Parshat Vayakhel describes the commandment to build
the

MISHKAN which itself serves as a symbol and testimony of
God's

presence.  [Recall that at the focal point of the Mishkan
lie

the LUCHOT ha-EIDUT / see Shmot 25:16,21-22.]

     One could even suggest that these three parshiot
which

are given to ADAT Bnei Yisrael reflect once again the
three

realms of KEDUSHA:

               Parshat ha-Chodesh - kedushat ZMAN

               Parshat Vayakhel - kedushat MAKOM

               Parshat Kedoshim - kedushat ADAM

==========

FOR FURTHER IYUN

1.  Note in the first Rashi on "daber el kol ADAT Bnei

Yisrael" that Rashi states: "melamed she-ne'emar
be-HAKHEL".

How does the parallel to Shmot 35:1 help us better
understand

this Rashi?

2.  In Sefer Bamidbar (see 14:26-27 and its context), Bnei

Yisrael sin at chet ha-meraglim. Those sinners are
referred to

as an EDAH RA'A - a wicked (or bad)  EDAH?

     Can our explanation of 'witness' still apply in this

case?

3.  Note that Korach's splinter group is also called an
EDAH,

and in Korach's original complaint we find the same word -
"ki KOL ha-

EDAH kulam KDOSHIM u-vetocham HASHEM..." (see Bamidbar
16:3).

Can you relate this complaint of Korach to this week's
shiur

and the Torah's use of the word EDAH?

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