Speak
THE BIG IDEA
Do you know how special you are?
This week’s Torah energy distinguishes Aaron and his descendants from the rest of the holy nation by assigning them additional layers of spiritual restrictions—- making this a favorable time for everyone to re-examine and affirm a commitment to holiness in your own life.
Pay close attention to the ways your sense of time is marked and elevated by divinity; Shabbat, Passover, the counting of the 50 days from exodus (seder night) until revelation at Sinai (Shavuot), Sukkot, and the high holidays.
We are coming out of the fourth week in our spiritual process of counting (the days since we have left our personal Egypt), moving us from the eternal into the splendor, from leadership into consensus, from assertion into peace making.
Take time to soften, to learn to receive, to take the second step, and come together.
Take time to affirm the presence of the divine in it all.
HOLINESS AFFIRMATION EXERCISE
What makes you “holy”?
It can be hard to see yourself as special or different, when most of your life and personhood seems no different than others. Try to remember, ‘holiness’ as both a spiritual designation and a practice.
While you might be blessed with a holy birthright, it is not a guaranteed status.
In order to gain perspective on the way laws of separation distinguish people, look at the laws on Aaron and his family - the limits on their movements, and their marriages.
From the additional laws that are assigned to the Priests, Aaron and his descendants, we can see how easily one can disqualify oneself from their spiritual designation. For example; the spiritual designation of this family prevents them from going into a cemetery, and burying the dead. It is more important to keep oneself ‘holy’ than bury a friend or distant relative. Another area where holiness the heart is with one’s personal romantic desires. While Aaron’s descendants are allowed to marry, there are clear limitations on who they can partner with.
Violating any of these additional boundaries disqualifies the person from their holy designation.
Take some time this weekend to contemplate the laws that separate you and your people from a ‘regular’ flow of life, and take special note of how the bounds of holy living make you feel.