Thursday, April 30, 2015

What is holy? - D'var Torah for Temple Beth-El Las Cruces Board Meeting on April 30, 2015 - based on Leviticus Chapter 19

What is holy?
We may only think of God as holy,
But there is holiness in our practices and relationships.
Honoring our parents, being grateful for the life they have given us, is holy.
Observing Shabbat in some way,
 enough that we can refresh ourselves, “catch our breath” and spend time with our community is holy.

Providing donations to food pantries, soup kitchens and clothing banks to help people in need is holy.
Teaching others not to spread rumors or gossip is holy.
Preventing someone’s reputation from being needlessly ruined through slander or libel is holy.
Not taking advantage of people in any way is holy.
Treating people with objectivity and fairness, as much as possible, is holy.
Speaking to others in private to help them grow or to heal our relationship with them is holy.
Letting go of pent-up hatred and grudges is holy. 
Loving ourselves is holy…
And loving others – people we know, and people we don’t know – is holy because it leads us to see the divine image in them, which makes us all like God – holy.

May we find holiness in ourselves every day, and may we, and all humankind, discover what it means to be holy.

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