What Is Holiness?

Question

Dear Rabbi,

In Judaism, what is holiness?

Thanks so much!

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    First, a story: A group of tourists once met with Rabbi Noah Wienberg in Jerusalem, and complained that they came to visit the Holy Land, but didn’t see holiness. Rabbi Wienberg was unperturbed.

    “Holiness doesn’t really matter. Did you enjoy the Bopts?”

    “What are Bopts?” the tourists were surprised.

    “It doesn’t matter what they are, just tell me: Did you enjoy them?”

    “If we don’t know what they are, how can we know if we enjoyed them or not?” asked the confused tourists.

    This puzzling conversation went on for a few more minutes, until Rabbi Weinberg asked the final question, “And holiness – do you know what that is?”

    Now, let us address the question: So, what is holiness?

    Holiness is the degree of our connection to God, and our careful distancing from the physical, immodest and profane. As Jews, we are all connected to one degree or another to God. Whichever part of ourselves that we use to connect to God – becomes holy.

    Our level of holiness varies over life, moving forward and backward based on our life choices and behavior. Every time we turn away from the lures of the physical world, refuse to bow to the gods of materialism, we have taken one step forward towards holiness. Every time a Jew closes his eyes to refrain from seeing an improper sight, every time he lifts his head and says “No” to his human instinct, he has become Godly, and that part of him has become holy.

    Are you “Holier than thou”? If you closed your eyes, held back from following your base human instincts and desires, and actively pursued mitzvahs, you most probably can say, “Yes”.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team