Shabbos Parashas Kedoshim - 5779

Shabbos Parashas Kedoshim - 5779

Rabbi Hal Miller

Speak to the entire assembly of the children of Israel and say to them, you shall be

holy for holy am I, Hashem, your God. [Vayikra 19:2]

Many commentators note that the wording of the first part of our verse is not at all common

in the Torah, appearing similarly in Shemos 12:3 and 35:1. Nearly all other times when God

directs Moshe to speak to someone, it specifies who, rather than "the entire assembly".

Eruvin [54b] tell us that in the usual case, God taught Moshe the lesson. Then Moshe called

in Aharon and recited it. Then Moshe called in Aharon's sons, and repeated it. Then Moshe

called in the elders and repeated it. Then Moshe went before the people and repeated it

again, thus Aharon heard it four times, his sons heard it three times, the elders twice, and

the people once. The obvious question is, why is our verse different?

The basis for most responses is Sifra, Toras Kohanim 1:1, "Speak to the congregation of

the children of Israel and say to them. This teaches that this chapter was delivered in full

assembly. And why? Because most of the fundamental rulings of the Torah are derived

therefrom."

What, then, is in this set of fundamental rulings? Rashi lists honoring parents, observing

Shabbos, avoiding robbery, avoiding revenge or bearing a grudge, love your fellow as

yourself. R'Levi says the portion parallels the Ten Commandments, which apply to all.

Ramban adds the thanksgiving offering and the punishments for the illicit relations acts.

Why then did Moshe need to gather all the congregation at once? Why could the "other"

method not work here?

Rav Hirsch says that it is because "the highest of moral human perfection" is involved,

the actual purpose that each person is here in this world to accomplish. Since it is our

purpose, we need to hear it directly.

Malbim has a similar, but more practical approach. He explains that these mitzvos

are ones that all of us must know and fulfill daily as part of life. They are not esoteric,

so do not require levels of training specific to levels of understanding.

Nechama Leibowitz quotes R'Eliyahu Mizrachi that unless Moshe gave the laws to

everyone at the same time, there was bound to be instances where someone would

claim that the law as told him was not the same as what others claimed, sort of an

ancient form of the "telephone game". For these laws in particular, the Torah needed

all of us to agree on a common understanding. This could only be achieved if nobody

could make the claim that there were inconsistencies.