[Par-reg] KEDOSHIM - shiur #2

Wed Apr 30 16:35:55 EDT 2008

********************************************************
*****
     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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