Kedoshim
Leviticus · 14 articles
Parashat Kedoshim - Seventh Aliyah
In this aliyah the Torah concludes Parashat Kedoshim with a decisive call for a distinct and separated Jewish identity. No more blind imitation of other cultures, but a clear message: 'Velo telkhu bechukot hagoy' (You shall not walk in the customs of the nations).
Parashat Kedoshim - Sixth Aliyah
In this aliyah we encounter a difficult, sharp, and precise list of severe transgressions concerning the holiness of the family, the marital bond, the honor of parents, and basic moral definitions that constitute the foundations of the existence of the people of Israel as a holy people.
Parashat Kedoshim - Fifth Aliyah
The fifth aliyah of Parashat Kedoshim opens with a topic that is at once shocking and profound: child sacrifice to Molekh, and turning to ovot and yid'onim (mediums and necromancers). Two forms of 'spiritual harlotry' that the Torah forbids with a severe prohibition.
Parashat Kedoshim - Fourth Aliyah
In this aliyah the Torah continues to walk on the paths of justice and humanity, and establishes one of the great pillars of Jewish morality: the treatment of the stranger and the different one, and justice in weight and measure.
Parashat Kedoshim - Third Aliyah
After detailed instruction on the laws of sacrifices, purity, and holiness, the Torah takes us to a wide field of everyday life: the laws of orlah, the prohibitions of divination and sorcery, bodily injuries, and respect for the elderly.
Parashat Kedoshim - Second Aliyah
The second aliyah continues the sequence of mitzvot between a person and his fellow: just judgment, the prohibition of lashon hara, the prohibition of hatred and revenge, and loving your neighbor. Alongside them: the laws of kilayim and the case of the betrothed maidservant.
Parashat Kedoshim - First Aliyah
Parashat Kedoshim opens with the great call: 'Kedoshim tihyu ki kadosh Ani Adonai eloheikhem' (You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your God, am holy). Immediately afterward comes a sequence of social mitzvot from which everyday holiness is built.
Do the two goats represent two forces within a person, one offered to holiness and one that must be sent to the wilderness?
The two goats of Yom Kippur as a mirror to the human soul: the same inner force can become holiness when directed, or wilderness when released without limits.
Parshat Kedoshim - Insights and Questions
Parshat Kedoshim reveals that holiness is not an escape from the world, but a deeper entry into the field, the marketplace, speech, family and the heart.
Why does the Torah prohibit kilayim (mixed kinds)?
Behind this prohibition lies an entire world of symbolism, separation, boundaries, and holiness. Why does the Torah forbid mixing species in animals, seeds, and garments? Five deep explanations.
What is the meaning of the prohibition "Do not curse the deaf"?
A short verse, but with immense power. Here is the verse in full: "You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God, I am Hashem" (Lev...
Why does the Torah command "You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor"?
The verse "You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor, I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:16) sounds like a simple command. But behind these few words lies a world of morality, halacha, responsibility, and kindness.
Why do the mitzvot of honoring parents and keeping Shabbat appear together?
Ish imo ve'aviv tira'u ve'et shabtotai tishmoru, ani Hashem Elokeichem (Leviticus 19:3). And what makes it especially interesting: this is not the first time the Torah links honoring parents with Shabbat...
Why does "Love your neighbor as yourself" appear specifically in Parashat Kedoshim, and not in the Ten Commandments?
After all, "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ" (Leviticus 19:18) is the verse that Rabbi Akiva called: "This is a great principle in the Torah" (Sifra Kedoshim 4:12). So why is such a fundamental commandment, almost the essence of Judaism...
Join learners who start their morning with Torah + AI
127 learn every morning
Weekly digest: Q&A roundup + weekly parsha
Or join us on Telegram Telegram →
Daily aliyot are sent only on Telegram