Achdut: A Prerequisite for Kedusha

When the Nation of Israel stood at Har Sinai in preparation to receive the Torah, HaShem expressed what He wanted His nation to be, a Goy Kadosh-a holy nation.  The quality of holiness that HaShem demanded set the bar for Am Yisroel to be unique from the rest of mankind by emulating Him, as the Torah states, “You shall be Holy because I an Holy”.  The Ramban in his commentary on the Torah defines the bar for Am Yisroel as Devekut in HaShem. That means, emulating HaShem is to become as an appendage of Him, and all of HaShem is Holy. The Ramban further specifies what a nation that is holy and davuk looks like in its daily lives. He speaks of not only adhering to Torah prohibitions that clearly demarcate Israel from the rest of mankind, but also within the realm of being distinct there is a call to be holy. Even those things that are permissible, the members of the Goy Kadosh need to indulge in moderation in order to keep human desires and tendencies in check. Otherwise, how can human beings truly emulate Him and be davuk to HaShem, He who represents the total absence of the physical.

 When we contemplate the lofty goal of Kedoshim Tiheu, it’s essential that we approach it within the context of Goy Kadosh, a nation of people who are to be Holy.  Not only is the Torah charging all members of Israel  “Goy” to strive toward this goal, but also the Torah is associating the concept of being a nation of people not just individuals. In fact, towering Torah commentaries explain it that way. Both the Chatam Sofer and the Sefat Emet reacted to Chazal’s statement that Moshe Rabeinu was commanded to impart the Mitzvah of Kedoshim Tiheu to the entire nation at the same time, unlike the more standard process of Chinuch where Moshe Rabeinu taught to groups. In part, because of the deviation from the normal process of disseminating Torah they understood that there is a direct correlation between being nation-like and becoming endowed with holiness. In fact, they explain that being a nation or community is a prerequisite to achieving the status of Kadosh even as individuals. The Sefat Emet explained that achdut stimulates zechut which leads to kedusha as a whole and in its parts. The Chatam Sofer stated that when people make the effort to be social and caring, the positive feelings that are generated foster kedusha in the community.

 We see testimony to these ideas at Har Sinai.  HaShem said, “you will be to me… a Holy Nation…” after the Torah relates that the nation camped at the mountain “like one man with one heart”. Rashi goes on to explain that prior to Har Sinai, the people were living in significant discord and divided.  Only after the people became unified and social among themselves did they receive the title of Goy Kadosh.

 With this understanding, the importance of performing interpersonal mitzvot with the same level of care and fervor as mitzvot between HaShem and us makes great sense. As well, it makes sense why Chazal say “Derech Eretz Kadma L’Torah” it’s a prerequisite for the acquisition of Torah. Similarly, Chazal say, “Torah Im Derech Eretz”. The Tiferet Yisrael explains that the Mishnah is defining Derech Eretz as proper behavior and that the structure of the sentence indicates that Derech Eretz is the main idea and Torah is secondary to it.  The message is consistent. Kedoshim Tiheu relies on our relationships with each other and our relationship with HaShem is greatly enhanced by the strength of community.

 In a school that promotes Torah values, great emphasis should be placed not only on Derech Eretz, interpersonal relationships between students and students and their teachers and other adults, but also on the concept of community. One of the key roles of a Rebbe and Morah is to educate children on community by creating a community in the clasrooms and promoting community values. Strong community values actually enhance Derech Eretz and it promotes the idea that we are all responsible for each other. The successes of everyone in the class will support everyone else in their effort to be successful. Therefore, as we train our talmidim towards kedusha regarding their commitment to Mitzvot and learning to be moderate in their indulgence with physicality, we must be as committed to growing Kedusha through Derech Eretz and community.