Parashat Kedoshim

(Leviticus 19:1–20:27)

This Parasha presents one of the most foundational calls in the entire Torah: “You shall be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). This portion outlines what it means for Israel to live as a holy nation, set apart for God, through ethical behavior, social justice, reverence for sacred things, and purity in personal conduct.

1. The Call to Holiness and Ethical Living

Leviticus 19:1–18

The parashah begins with God speaking to Moses, commanding him to tell the entire assembly of Israel to strive for holiness by following God’s statutes. The focus shifts from the ritual laws of the earlier chapters to practical expressions of holiness in everyday life.

Included are commandments that mirror the Ten Commandments and expand upon them:

• Respect for parents and the Sabbath (Leviticus 19:3),

• Prohibition of idolatry (Leviticus 19:4),

• Instructions for proper sacrifice (Leviticus 19:5–8),

• Laws of agricultural generosity, such as leaving the corners of one’s field for the poor and the stranger (Leviticus 19:9–10),

• Commands against stealing, lying, and deception (Leviticus 19:11–13),

• Prohibition against cursing the deaf or placing a stumbling block before the blind—a call to compassion and integrity (Leviticus 19:14),

• A call for justice: “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great” (Leviticus 19:15).

The section culminates in one of the most famous commands in Scripture:

This verse, quoted by both Yeshua (Jesus) and Rabbi Akiva as a central tenet of Torah, emphasizes that love is the foundation of holiness.

2. Statutes of Separation and Reverence

Leviticus 19:19–37

The chapter continues with a variety of laws that further emphasize separation and distinction:

• Prohibitions against mixing species in agriculture, interbreeding animals, or wearing garments of mixed materials (Leviticus 19:19),

• Laws regarding the treatment of fruit trees and produce from the land (Leviticus 19:23–25),

• Prohibitions against divination, sorcery, and cutting the body or beard in pagan mourning practices (Leviticus 19:26–28),

• A command to rise before the aged and show deference to the elderly (Leviticus 19:32),

• A repeated call to treat the stranger (ger) with love, “for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33–34),

• Just and honest business practices (Leviticus 19:35–36).

These laws emphasize ethical behavior, compassion, purity, and respect as necessary expressions of holiness.

3. Consequences for Sin and Maintaining National Sanctity

Leviticus 20:1–27

Chapter 20 outlines the consequences for severe transgressions, particularly in relation to idolatry, sexual immorality, and occult practices. These commandments reinforce many of the prohibitions listed in the previous parashot (Acharei Mot and Kedoshim):

• Severe punishment, including death, is prescribed for:

  • Child sacrifice to Molech (Leviticus 20:2–5),

  • Consulting mediums or necromancers (Leviticus 20:6, 27),

  • Sexual sins such as incest, adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality (Leviticus 20:10–21).

God warns that if the people imitate the abominable practices of the nations, they too will be vomited out of the land, just as the previous inhabitants were (Leviticus 20:22–23). Israel is reminded that they are to be a holy people, distinct from the nations, and that the land of Israel is sacred.

God concludes by reaffirming the identity of Israel as a people chosen and separated for holiness:

Parashat Kedoshim offers a blueprint for a life of covenant holiness. From the sanctity of worship and ethical behavior to justice in relationships and moral boundaries, the Torah calls Israel to embody the holiness of God in every area of life. The repeated phrase “I am the LORD your God” serves as a constant reminder that Israel’s identity and conduct must be shaped by their unique relationship with the God who is holy, just, and merciful.