Parashat Acharei Mot Kedoshim

This week’s double parsha, Achrei Mot- Kedoshim, moves away from the issues of ritual purity that the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus) has been covering to discuss how we can insert holiness into our everyday life.

It is remarkable to note that many activities that we would describe as ethical practices, including honesty in business, refraining from gossiping, protecting the weak in society and providing for the needy, are included as ‘holy’ activities.

Prior to describing the requisites for ‘Holiness’, the Torah reiterates the prohibition against eating blood. Perhaps because the sacrificial ritual required the spilling of animal blood, the Torah feels the need to reinforce its abhorrence of the consumption of blood. Not only that, any person who kills an animal outside the prescribed arena of sacrifice, or anyone who slaughters an animal for eating but not in the prescribed way, is to be cut off from his people. Blood is the life-force. Life is the highest value. Holiness is achieved through efforts during one life.

It is not about avoiding the physical demands of life; holiness is achieved through recognizing the deficiencies and embracing the challenges that our human existence and physical being presents to us.