Holy Perfection (2)

k’doshim tihiyu ki kadosh ani YHWH eloheychem  Wayyiqra 19:2  Tanakh

I am holy – The verse is Leviticus 19:2 in transliterated Hebrew.  You might recognize the word kadosh (it occurs twice).  tihiyu is the verb hayah (you shall be).  When Yeshua refers to this verse in His pronouncement in Matthew 5:48, He has Torah observance in mind.  But the sages teach us that Torah observance includes another crucial distinction; the distinction between “clean” and “unclean.”  By the way, this distinction is not only about food, as we shall see.

“The starting point of holiness is separateness,” says Neusner.[1]  “So ‘holy’ means not only ‘like God’ but designated for the service and use of God.  And ‘profane’ means available for humanity’s ordinary use. . . . What is ‘unclean’ is not to be permitted to contaminate what is ‘holy.’  In this context Scripture and the Mishnah define matters clearly.  The corpse is the most virulent source of uncleanness, so in this sense, ‘unclean’ stands for death; and ‘holy’ for life.  . .  uncleanness affects the conduct of three activities: eating, procreation, and attendance at the Temple.”[2]

Consider the implications of Neusner’s insight.  What is unclean is associated with death.  That means a lot more than food.  Disease, ritual impurity, sexual activity outside the boundary of Torah, anything that contributes to death is unclean.  What you do with your body and to your body can be either clean or unclean.  Eating shellfish has the same association as visiting a prostitute.  One defiles digestion.  The other defiles procreation.

To be holy, kadosh, is to be separated from those actions and elements that are connected not only with profane use in ordinary human living but also to be connected to what smells of death.  And what does that mean?  To die is ultimately to be separated from the Creator.  So the distinction between clean and unclean is a choice between what kind of separation will govern your life.  Moses summed it up.  “So choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

What you eat is either clean or unclean.  It leads to either life or death.  What you do sexually is either clean or unclean.  It leads to either life or death.  How you worship is either clean or unclean.  It leads to either life or death.

But, of course, that isn’t the end of the matter, is it?  When we do not separate ourselves from the possible profane use of life, we move toward death.  Our stewardship of God’s gracious gifts (“our” assets), our relationships and community (our hesed obligations), our engagement in life’s trajectory (our purpose); all of these can be clean or unclean.  Life or death hangs in the balance.  It’s far more than a simple confession of faith, isn’t it?

Topical Index:  clean, unclean, holy, Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 30:19