CANTOR’S CORNER

Cantor Eyal Bitton shares a few thoughts on prayer and the parasha of the week.

2023-04-29 Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim

My favorite musical has long been “Les Misérables”. There’s a moment, right before the finale, when our protagonist, Jean Valjean, is on his deathbed and he utters his very last sentence before taking his last breath: “To love another person is to see the face of God.” The search for God is an eternal human endeavor and this answer is among the very best I’ve come across. Indeed, the idea that godliness is found right here on earth, that it is very much right in front of us, that it is found in our very actions and relations is an idea we come across in this week’s parasha, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim.

As we read through this parasha, we encounter a wide range of commandments and prohibitions that emphasize the importance of purity and sanctity in our daily living, particularly in relation to sexual behavior and interpersonal relationships. These commandments may seem outdated or irrelevant in our modern world, but I believe they still hold valuable lessons for us today.

In our fast-paced and often overwhelming society, it’s easy to get caught up in the distractions and temptations of popular culture, social media, and other forms of entertainment. It’s easy to lose sight of our values and our sense of purpose.

But cultivating holiness means sanctifying our everyday lives, finding ways to infuse our actions and our relationships with a sense of meaning and purpose. It means striving to live up to our highest ideals, even in the face of adversity or temptation.

The Shacharit Kedushah reminds us that we should hallow God’s name in this world as it is hallowed in the high heavens. Nekadesh et shimcha ba’olam. “We hallow Your name in this world as it is hallowed in the high heavens.” This text suggests that we should not seek to escape this world, but instead inhabit it fully and completely. It challenges us to cultivate holiness in the midst of our everyday lives, rather than trying to escape or transcend them.

This doesn’t mean that we need to lead an ascetic or isolated lifestyle. Rather, it means finding ways to integrate our values and our spirituality into our daily routines and interactions. It means being mindful of the impact our actions have on others, and striving to treat others with kindness and compassion.

We also need to be mindful of the impact that popular culture and social media have on our values and behaviors. These influences can be powerful and pervasive, and we need to be vigilant in discerning what is truly beneficial and what is potentially harmful.

Ultimately, the Torah doesn’t idealize asceticism or seek holiness through any form of escapism. Rather, it sanctifies the human condition and challenges us to cultivate holiness in the midst of our everyday lives.

So, as we reflect on this week’s parasha and the Shacharit Kedushah, let us strive to cultivate holiness in our own lives. Let us seek to infuse our daily actions and interactions with a sense of purpose and meaning, and let us be mindful of the impact we have on others and the world around us. May we all be blessed with the strength and wisdom to live our lives with holiness and integrity – for if we wish to engage with the divine, let us recall the words of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables”: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”