“My kedushah (holiness) is greater than yours.”
– The Maggid of Mezrich

It’s not just an LA thing;), we’re all affected by vibes & energy. That’s why it’s so important to be mindful of the company we keep. I often place myself in what I call sacred spaces, cuz when people are there to reach higher levels of being, it means the base level of what’s expected is elevated.

Life can be so precious if you’re truly present, & Torah is the present that presents the tools of how to sanctify time, space, & oneself. When we have full faith, we can tap more into our purpose & our spirit & worry less about the temporal “realities” of this material world. Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: religion begins with a consciousness that something is asked of us. It is in that tense, eternal asking in which the soul is caught & in which man’s answer is elicited.

After Acharei Mot, Kedoshim opens commanding us to be holy, קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ (“Be Holy [because, I, God your Lord am holy]”), implying that we should always seek greater levels of kedusha. We can also interpret the Hebrew words קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ as a Divine assurance that we will attain kedusha, if we sanctify Hashem’s name. As we read further in the parsha, “Observe My Shabbats & fear My Sanctuary; I am God.”

Reb Natan of Breslov teaches the main tool a person can use to subdue materialism & elevate their spirituality is awe/fear of Hashem, & that “Fear My Sanctuary” means that if one has fear, they can experience “My Temple [for they have ascended above materialism].

When the Maggid says, “My kedusha is greater than yours,” he’s not saying “I’m holier than you are,” rather, “My kedusha stems from your kedusha.” This connects to the concept, מצווה גוררת מצווה - that one good deed always pulls another one in its wake. The Maggid takes this to the realm of kedusha: if someone else does a holy act, it inspires you to be holier for yourself & for others, & so your holiness increases beyond the initial act. So, the Maggid is saying that your kedusha makes his kedusha greater, because each of us has the power to make others holier. & as Heschel reminds us, ‘Every Moment Is an Opportunity for Greatness.’

Thanks for listening/reading!
Much love & Shabbat Shalom!🤍🕊
- Erez // @erezsafar

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