Reach for the Stars with Your Feet on the Ground
Motivated by our selfish spiritual interests, spirituality and materiality are irreconcilable opposites. Motivated by G-d’s interests they are not only compatible; they complement each other. ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM
REACH FOR THE STARS WITH YOUR FEET ON
THE GROUND
Follows Passover
This week’s parsha, Acharei, is the Torah reading that follows the Festival of Passover. And in light of the principle established by the Shaloh (R. Yeshayahu Halevi Hurvitz, of sixteenth century fame) that there is an organic connection between a Festival and the Torah readings of that time, we must try to understand what is the connection between this week’s parsha and the end of Passover.
Acharei deals with the aftermath of the untimely passing of Aaron’s two sons. They were killed by a Divinely sent fire because they brought an unauthorized offering. Their zeal and passion, as noble as it was, took them beyond the bounds of propriety.
This parsha instructs Aaron to follow the proper
ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM procedures when he enters the Temple, particularly the Holiest chamber of the Temple known as the Kodesh Hakadoshim and not be lured by his soul’s passion.
The Danger and Remedy for Entering the Holy of Holies
Every one of us possesses a part of our personality that is holy and an even more essential part of our being that has been characterized as the “Holy of Holies” of our soul. This sacred precinct is rarely accessed and its effects hardly ever experienced. However, when it does happen, and a person is in a state of intense inspiration emanating from one’s souls’ essence, it is crucial that we know that even entering the Holy of Holies has its rules and protocol.
This premise, however, needs to be better clarified. When we are in touch with our Holy of Holies we are obviously so spiritually charged that our passion and devotion cannot be contained and limited. Why would we want to stifle the creative and spontaneous nature of our Holy of Holies? Isn’t it a contradiction in terms to regulate the spirit within us that is beyond limitation? Doesn’t Judaism, ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM particular, the mystical approach, demand of us to go out of our self-imposed limits?
The History of Paradox and the Paradox of Jewish History
In the answer to this question lies the uniqueness of Judaism. Judaism is about reaching for the heavens while keeping our feet planted firmly on the ground. Judaism digs deep into the innermost recesses of our soul without compromising one iota of the needs and demands of our outermost aspects of existence.
To master the paradox of Judaism, It takes not one lifetime but the continuum of lifetimes of all Jews from the moment of the inception of the Jewish nation when they departed from Egypt and received the Torah at Mount Sinai. From that time onward, the Jewish people have been attempting to create that cosmic balance between selflessness and self, transcendence and immanence, chaos and order, the supernatural and nature, spirituality and material pursuits, passion and discipline.
At times we were more inclined to the romantic and sublime aspects of Judaism and occasionally we tilted towards its more down-to-earth elements. But as time progresses, the world inexorably becomes ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM more and more attuned to the synthesis of the two extremes.
Moshiach: Mastery of the Paradox
For thousands of years we have been awaiting the coming of Moshiach. For many, this hope was motivated by the suffering and misery that Jews have endured through their long and arduous stay in exile. One can easily correlate the intensity of yearning for Messianic redemption with the misery quotient of the Jewish people.
However, underlying this painful reality and its role in inspiring Messianic fervor is a deeper more spiritual and positive motif for Jewish anticipation for the Messianic Era. This blessed age will enable us to finally master the paradox and experience the synthesis of Judaism. The Messianic Age will remove the dichotomies and conflicts in our lives and replace them with Divine harmony.
The Rebbe’s Message
The Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke—on the 28th of Nissan of the year 5752 (1992)—of how we are on the threshold of Redemption. The Rebbe exhorted us ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM to do everything in our power to bring Moshiach. The Rebbe then characterized this mission in Kabalistic terms: “To introduce the light of Tohu, ‘the world of chaos,’’ into the orderly world of perfection, Tikkun.”
Translated in simple English, the Rebbe’s message to us was to do unconventional positive things, but to make them “fit” into the conventions of life. In short, our challenge today is to create the synthesis between the extremes of Judaism.
Acharei, the Answer
This explains the connection between the “Last Day of Passover” and the Torah reading of Acharei. Of all the days of Passover, the eighth and last day is associated with the future Redemption. Indeed, the explicit theme of the Haftara (Prophetic reading) taken from the Biblical book of Isaiah, Chapter eleven) is Moshiach, his qualifications and his impact on the world.
But how do we realize this goal? What is the spiritual dynamic of Moshiach? The Torah portion of Acharei furnishes us with the answer. Moshiach is about reaching for the stars, while never losing sight of the deceptively simple aspects of life.
ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM
Moreover, the lesson of Acharei is that not only does our need to scale the heights of spirituality not conflict with our sensitivity to the simple aspects of life, it increases our sensitivity.
Thus, the parsha concludes with the discussion of the prohibition against some of the most immoral forms of behavior. Precisely when we are reaching for the stars, we maintain our connection with the real world and guarantee that it remains pure and holy.
ACHAREI-KEDOSHIM
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
