The Parsha of Kedoshim contains an array of Mitzvot. It begins with the exhortation to the Jewish people to “be holy”. Notably Moshe is told to convey this message to “the entire congregation of the Jewish people”.

ויקרא י”ט (ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־כׇּל־עֲדַ֧ת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵהֶ֖ם קְדֹשִׁ֣ים תִּהְי֑וּ כִּ֣י קָד֔וֹשׁ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

Vayikra 19 (2) Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.

רש"י ויקרא י"ט:ב'

דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל – מלמד שנאמרה פרשה זו בהקהל, מפני שרוב גופי תורה תלויין בה.

Rashi - Vayikra 19:2

[This] teaches us that this passage was stated in the assembly [of the entire congregation of Israel] because most of the fundamental teachings of the Torah are dependent on it [i.e., they are encapsulated in this passage]. — [Torath Kohanim 19:1; Vayikra Rabbah 24:5]

Rashi (based on the Sifra) explains that this section was taught to the entire assembly at once, including men, women, and children. This contrasts with the ordinary method of instruction. The typical situation is outlined in Tractate Eruvin:

תלמוד בבלי ערובין נ"ד:

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן כֵּיצַד סֵדֶר מִשְׁנָה מֹשֶׁה לָמַד מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה נִכְנַס אַהֲרֹן וְשָׁנָה לוֹ מֹשֶׁה פִּירְקוֹ נִסְתַּלֵּק אַהֲרֹן וְיָשַׁב לִשְׂמֹאל מֹשֶׁה נִכְנְסוּ בָּנָיו וְשָׁנָה לָהֶן מֹשֶׁה פִּירְקָן נִסְתַּלְּקוּ בָּנָיו אֶלְעָזָר יָשַׁב לִימִין מֹשֶׁה וְאִיתְּמַר לִשְׂמֹאל אַהֲרֹן רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לְעוֹלָם אַהֲרֹן לִימִין מֹשֶׁה חוֹזֵר נִכְנְסוּ זְקֵנִים וְשָׁנָה לָהֶן מֹשֶׁה פִּירְקָן נִסְתַּלְּקוּ זְקֵנִים נִכְנְסוּ כׇּל הָעָם וְשָׁנָה לָהֶן מֹשֶׁה פִּירְקָן נִמְצְאוּ בְּיַד אַהֲרֹן אַרְבָּעָה בְּיַד בָּנָיו שְׁלֹשָׁה וּבְיַד הַזְּקֵנִים שְׁנַיִם וּבְיַד כׇּל הָעָם אֶחָד. נִסְתַּלֵּק מֹשֶׁה וְשָׁנָה לָהֶן אַהֲרֹן פִּירְקוֹ נִסְתַּלֵּק אַהֲרֹן שָׁנוּ לָהֶן בָּנָיו פִּירְקָן נִסְתַּלְּקוּ בָּנָיו שָׁנוּ לָהֶן זְקֵנִים פִּירְקָן נִמְצָא בְּיַד הַכֹּל אַרְבָּעָה.

Talmud Bavli – Eruvin 54b

The Gemara continues to discuss methods of Torah study. The Sages taught the following baraita: What was the order of teaching the Oral Law? How was the Oral Law first taught? Moses learned directly from the mouth of the Almighty. Aaron entered and sat before him, and Moses taught him his lesson as he had learned it from God. Aaron moved aside and sat to the left of Moses. Aaron’s sons entered, and Moses taught them their lesson while Aaron listened. Aaron’s sons moved aside; Elazar sat to the right of Moses and Itamar sat to the left of Aaron. Rabbi Yehuda disagreed with the first tanna with regard to the seating arrangements and said: Actually, Aaron would return to sit to the right of Moses. The elders entered and Moses taught them their lesson. The elders moved aside, and the entire nation entered and Moses taught them their lesson. Therefore, Aaron had heard the lesson four times, his sons heard it three times, the elders heard it twice, and the entire nation heard it once. Moses then departed to his tent, and Aaron taught the others his lesson as he had learned it from Moses. Aaron then departed and his sons taught the others their lesson. His sons then departed and the elders taught the rest of the people their lesson. Hence everyone, Aaron, his sons, the elders and all the people, heard the lesson taught by God four times.

Normally Moshe would receive a communication from God. Then he would teach it multiple times, starting with Aharon, followed by his sons, then the elders, and then the entire community. The instruction for the content in this section of Kedoshim was not communicated in the typical manner. It received special treatment and was communicated to the entire congregation at once. Why did this section merit special treatment? What does it mean that “the majority of foundational aspects of the Torah are dependent on it”?

One possibility is that this section includes the charge to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Vayikra 19:18). Rebbe Akiva makes the famous statement, “this is a great principle in the Torah” (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4). If one observes this charge properly, he will not murder, steal, or harm his fellow. He will be kind, caring, and just.

A related possibility is that this section addresses itself to the spirit of the Torah. As the Ramban explains, it is possible to observe all the technical aspects of the Torah while missing the overarching objective (Rambam on Vayikra 19:2). This is what the Torah means by “you shall be holy” (19:2), you should not only aim to keep the technical aspects of Torah but to appreciate the Torah’s overall objective for the human being.

Perhaps it was essential that Moshe communicate the spirit of the Torah directly to the people. One might be able to get clarity about how a technical Mitzvah should be executed from someone else. For example how to shake the Lulav or whether a specific action is permitted or prohibited on Shabbat. But hearing about the philosophy of the Torah, its ideals and objectives, was taught directly by Moshe. This is the opinion of Rebbe Hiya (Vaikra Rabbah 25:4) quoted by Rashi.

ויקרא רבה כד:ה

תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּא פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ נֶאֶמְרָה בְּהַקְהֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרֹב גּוּפֵי תוֹרָה תְּלוּיִן בָּהּ, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת כְּלוּלִין בְּתוֹכָהּ

Vayikra Rabbah 24:5

Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: This portion was stated in an assembly because most of the essential principles of the Torah are dependent upon it. Rabbi Levi said: Because the Ten Commandments are included in it.

Rebbe Levi states that this section was taught to the entire community all together “because it encompasses the decalogue” (Vayikra Rabbah 25:4) colloquially referred to as the Ten Commandments. He then proceeds to show the parallels between the decalogue recorded in Shemot and Chapters 19 and 20 in Vayikra. This is consistent with Avraham ben HaRambam’s comments “from these 10 items one can see the foundation of the entire Torah” (Commentary on Shemot 20:13). The items listed in the decalogue are prototypical, representative of the entire system of Torah (see A Disciplined Inner World). Gathering the entire people together demonstrated these items as a continuation of the Divine covenant forged at Sinai.

According to both opinions, this section of the Torah was deserving of special attention. Either because it includes the underlying ideals of the Torah, addresses the spirit of the law, or because its Mitzvot are categorically representative of the entire Torah, this section was taught by Moshe during a convocation of the entire people. It was essential that they personally participate in the Mesorah, receiving the tradition directly from Moshe.

References

Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/

Steinsaltz, A., In Weinreb, T. H., In Schreier, J., & Hotsaat Koren (Jerusalem),. (2017). Koren Talmud Bavli, the Noe edition: Talmud Bavli. Retrieved from: https://shas.alhatorah.org/

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