In this week we enter a new section of Vayikra dealing with the laws of man. The previous parshiot dealt with the laws pertaining to animals. This follows the order of creation; man was created last. It’s simpler to understand the sanctification of the animal world. It’s natural for us to make important distinctions between the clean and unclean, purity and impurity, in the animal world. Man’s struggle with himself, however, and the work we have to do to sanctify ourselves, is far more complex. The Zohar compares man to animals in the regards of the korban (sacrifice), deducing from the verse “and the eighth day the skin of the orlah should be circumcised” being amidst the verses that deal with purity and impurity of the woman giving birth. What we see in these readings in their proximity and importance is the sanctification of time (Shabbat) of man (brit milah) and of place (korban). Hashem is kadosh (holy) as it says, “for I am Kadosh.”

We, on the other hand, have the constant struggle to attain kedushah. All of this comes to teach us how to free ourselves from our slavery to that which is not holy and to take actions towards holiness, freedom, spirituality and oneness.

Reaching exalted levels of the soul is not enough when we are tasked to use the body here on earth elevating it, this is how we bring about the future redemption.

Kabbalah teaches that the world was created as a broken vessel; Hashem constricted himself and hid His good in the brokenness of the world. Reb Natan says that our highest task is to choose to see His Light, to choose to let in and partner with Hashem, even when he is hidden. Our laws and customs, in ways so mysterious and in ways very obvious– literally turning our physical bodies into ritual spiritual objects– are the most powerful reminders we have to keep making that choice to strive for something higher. To not let ourselves believe that we are only creatures, that we are only animals, driven only by physical instincts.

Man is but dust of the earth, Adamah, but through the struggle and fight to spiritualize reality we become Adameh la-Elyon, a semblance of God.

** THIS IS JUST A SNIPPET OF THE DVAR, READ IT IN FULL - > @ www.lightofinfinite.com/becoming-a-semblance-of-god/



---------------------- 

Thanks for listening/reading.
Much love, Erez // @ErezSafar

** Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lightofinfinite
*** Follow on instagram: @lightofinfinite