To Be Holy Is To Show Up

As delivered at Beit Luria Kabbalat Shabbat service on 13 May 2022 with Rabbi Julia Margolis.

The video may be viewed here: LinkedIn

A woman I’ve known for some time recently told me she is Jewish. I actually had no idea. She then went on to tell me she is proudly a “bad Jew.” She shunned her traditional upbringing and proudly embraces a fully secular lifestyle. So, why a “bad Jew,” I asked her. She said because every Shabbat morning, I sleep late, I make breakfast and savour it while I catch up on the news or scroll through social media and WhatsApp my friends to see how their weeks were. It’s my favourite day of the week.

I thought about this for a moment and said to her “I hate to break it to you, but you keep Shabbos!”

We read that “on 6 days, work may be done, but on the seventh day, there will be a Sabbath of complete rest – a sacred occasion.”

When this particular lady sets aside her special time every Saturday, to take time for herself and to connect with those around her, whether she realises it or not, she’s keeping the commandment of Shabbat.

In various portions that we gain insight into the true meaning of holiness. The Hebrew word for holiness is Kedushah, which means to set aside or designate as different. It’s the obligation to sanctify space and time by putting aside our daily grind and designate Shabbat as holy.

So, when my friend has a lie-in, catches up on the news and enjoys her breakfast, she’s taking steps towards fulfilling this portion’s vision. She’s making a sacred space.

But what if we bind the values of Torah together – our sanctified time of Shabbat and holy days and all other joyous occasions with setting aside time for those around us, by taking concrete actions to meet other people’s needs?

We’re all stuck in this crazy, busy “trap” called life. When last did you call a friend instead of a text? And how often, when someone asks “how are you?” do you respond with “I’m busy, Crazy busy.” I’m guilty of this.

But what if busyness is really self-imposed? Yes, we may have to work, we may have obligations, voluntary activities and chosen activities to participate in. Maybe we’re anxious that if we’re not busy, we’re failing.

And you know what, we are. We’re failing to sanctify time for others. We’re failing to be holy.

If we consider busy-ness as a status symbol, if busy has become the standard answer to any question – now, more than ever, we need to study Leviticus 23 where G-d speaks to Moses and says “speak to the Israelite people and say to them: these are my fixed times, the fixed times of Adonai, which you shall proclaim as sacred occasions.”

While this is one of the first times we encounter descriptions of the Jewish holiday calendar and various holidays and festivals, every single one of our texts mentions a day of complete rest for each festival. There are relationships and obligations that transcend the every day; they are more important than your Google calendar reminders.

Yes, our time is precious. It is ours. But we do not live in a bubble, no matter what the last few years have been. We live in society amongst our community, and to be holy, I feel, is to contribute time to those around us.

G-d doesn’t introduce the calendar of festivals in a language of time, but rather as relationships – the holiness of setting aside space in your life to connect with what matters, and also who matters. No ghosting. No excuses. To be holy is to show up. To be holy is to be respectful of others’ feelings, time and space. To be holy is to keep Shabbat – even if it means a Saturday morning lie-in and a scroll through Twitter.

According to the Torah, our very existence depends on the actions of G-d. But the Torah teaches us that G-d’s holiness, his/her very presence in this world, depends on us.

There’s a mutual relationship between bearing witness to Hashem’s holiness, and being accountable for our actions. So, what’s the point of a holy G-d if we’re not mirroring that holiness in our lives? Judaism isn’t a religion for the sake of a seat in heaven. If our prayers don’t inspire us to speak up, to support, to unite, to set aside time for things that matter to yourself and your community, then what’s the point?

This week, I challenge you to be even a little more holy for yourself and for others. Just as we sanctify time for Shabbat, sanctify time for someone else.

Shabbat Shalom.