It's All In The Approach

The first half of our double parsha this week is Acharei Mot which literally means "after the death".
and opens with a reminder about the deaths of Aharon's two eldest sons. On the surface the parsha seems to be all about death, but in reality it is all about life. It is about approaching HaShem His way, not our way. Twice each day we say the Shema, which is usually interpreted as listen or hear. In a great teaching William Billock says that it is so much more, it is to listen, pay full attention, as if your very life depended on it; and once you have paid attention and heard what is said, begin to incorporate what has been said into your life. Adapt every aspect of your thought life, speech, and conduct to what you have heard. Begin to meditate on it and memorize it. Teach it to your children, walk it out and make it manifest in your life until not only you but the world around you is transformed into the image of the words you are hearing. The Shema lifestyle is a life spent carefully listening for and walking only in accordance with HaShem's instructions. This parsha is about atonement or at-one-ment with HaShem. It is the dance of life.

Our second parsha gets its name from the second verse, K'doshim tiheyu ki k'dosh Ani HaShem Elokim. Meaning Holy ones you Will be...for holy am I. I am HaShem your G*D (leviticus 19:2). K'doshim is found halfway through the study of Torah, at the very center or heart of the Torah. It is the essence of the Torah. In this parsha HaShem is calling His people to be holy. But what exactly does that mean? Is it a command? Is it found in the physical realm or in the spiritual realm outside of time and space? It is HaShem's word beloved. And it is those words that He speaks over us that empower us to be holy. As with the Shabbat, we don't make it holy, HaShem made it holy. We are to "remember" it and "keep" it holy. We are to guard it and cherish it and protect the holiness of the day. Holiness is not something achieved, it is found. Found in living out the Torah and blessing HaShem everyday in the midst of our daily lives. It is found in the choices we make. If you want to learn the ways of HaShem and learn how we can reflect His holiness in the world, read K'doshim, if you want to know how to love your neighbor as yourself, read K'doshim.
Shalom, Emunah, Ahavah.
Elizabeth
Chabad offers an insightful teaching on the Omer it can be accessed at
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/42915/jewish/The-Morrow-of=the-Shabbat.htm