This week’s Parsha, Parashat Emor, begins by discussing the special Halachot that apply to the Kohanim, the priests who serve in the Beit HaMikdash. They are commanded to maintain a higher level of purity and kedusha (holiness), being more careful than the rest of Am Yisrael in who they marry, how they mourn, and how they conduct themselves in everyday life.
Why is this the case? Because the Kohanim are meant to be role models - their job is to represent the nation before HaShem, and HaShem before the nation. Since they serve in the holiest places and are involved in the holiest tasks, they must live with more awareness of their actions and their surroundings.
Later in the Parsha, we are given a list of the Moadim, which includes Shabbat, Pesach, Shavuot, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Each one is described in detail, with its specific Korbanot and Halachot. One might ask, why are these holidays mentioned in the same Parsha as the laws of the Kohanim? What's the connection between the two?
One idea we can learn is that just like the Kohanim are expected to live with extra kedusha every day, we are all given moments in time, like Shabbat and the Chagim, where we too can live on a higher level. These days are opportunities to reconnect, to slow down, and to remember what really matters. On these holy days, we become like Kohanim in our own homes, bringing the Shechinah into our lives.
From this we can take a powerful message: Kedusha is not just for Kohanim. It’s for all of us. Through our actions, our words, and how we treat one another we can live lives filled with meaning, holiness, and connection to HaShem.
Shabbat Shalom
