WELCOMING SHABBAT

SHABBAT IS MORE THAN A DAY OF REFRAINING FROM WORDLY ACTIVITY 
WHEN EXPERIENCED IN ITS SPIRITUAL FULLEST, ITS HOLINESS ENGLIGHTENS ALL OTHER DAYS OF THE WEEK
WE INVITE YOU TO ENHANCE YOUR SHABBAT WITH THESE WORDS OF TORAH 

A Short Thought on Parshas Emor

by Weiss, Rabbi Asher

“[The Ohr HaChaim writes that] there is kedusha [holiness] in every part of creation: in the rocks, trees, and animals…. Kedusha is everywhere. It’s just a question of concentration, the level of kedusha.

 

Sefer Yetzira [explains that at the revelation of Hashem at Har Sinai, the mount was all in ashan (smoke). The word ashan is composed of] three letters [Ayin, Shin, Nun, standing for]: Olam, Shana, Nefesh. These three encompass the entirety of creation. Olam is the physical world… Shana is time, [which is] described as a creation… And Nefesh is humankind.

 

In each of these three realms, there is a nekudat kedusha, a point of utmost holiness, and from there, it is reflected and emanates outward until the lowest level of creation.

What is kedusha? It is yichud, [meaning] dedication, devotion… dedication to HKBH… Everyone, in his own way, …is supposed to live for HKBH and devote all energies, powers, thoughts, deeds, [acting according to the Will of Hashem as expressed through His Torah. This makes us holy].”

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