The Two Sides Of Kedushah: Our Language And Our Land

The Ben Ish Chai on Parshas VaYaitzei comments on the unusual nature of the covenant that is made between Lavan and Yaakov at the end of the Parsha, when Lavan catches up to Yaakov and his family:

Laban then said, "Here is the mound and here is the pillar that I have set up between us. The mound shall be a witness, and the pillar shall be a witness. I am not to go beyond the mound with bad intentions and you are not to go beyond the mound and pillar. (Bereshit 31:51-52)

The Ben Ish Chai notes that this covenant is unlike any other. Normally, a covenant brings the two parties together in friendship, whereas this one keeps the two separate and apart. The explanation he says is that Yaakov is rooted in Kedusha, in holiness, and therefore must be kept separate from Lavan.

There is nothing particularly novel in such an explanation of Kedusha--the idea that holiness requires separation. But then again, the Ben Ish Chai does discuss each Parsha twice.

The second time he discusses VaYaitzei in his sefer, the Ben Ish Chai discusses the covenant between Yaakov and Lavan again, but this time focuses on Yaakov and his sons and how they created the mound of stones, piled one on top of another, that is used for the covenant.

The Ben Ish Chai quotes a pasuk to illustrate how Israel is compared to a stone which on the one hand is walked upon in the dirt and disregarded, yet is also used in a building and can end up towering over the head of a king. Similarly, he explains, Bnei Yisrael are sent out into Galus despised--yet the purpose for being in Galus is to convert the nations: Israel is holy and it is the nature of holiness to draw others to it and make them holy as well.

For years this has been a favorite vort of mine, how holiness is not only something that is attained through separation, but also requires bringing together and adding.

It occurred to me that the first understanding of holiness, the idea that holiness requires separation is an idea that is pervasive in Judaism and Israel. Hebrew is our language, but it is also a holy language. As a result, unlike other minorities who tend to speak their own language among themselves, Jews for generations have tended to speak Yiddish rather than Hebrew because Hebrew is a holy language that is separate and used for davening and learning only. Our knowledge of Hebrew and the growth of Hebrew suffered as a result.

Similarly, in 1967 Israel unified all of Yerushalayim. This included the Kotel and The Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is holy and care must be taken not to walk in certain areas. Because of our wariness and the need to stay separate from the holy areas of the Temple Mount, we have allowed control of that area has become entrenched in the hands of the Wakf--to the extent that Jews who do tour the area of The Temple Mount are not allowed to daven there.

On the other hand, Moslems take an enourmous pride in Arabic and in their holy places--and especially in Islam to the extent that historically they have conquered nations and occupied countries in the process of spreading their religion.

I have often wondered at the courage of the Ben Ish Chai at putting in writing the idea that the holiness of Israel should require Jews convert others to Judaism--while living in Iraq during the 19th century.

At the same time, I've begun to wonder if he saw around him the attitude of holiness that the Moslems around him had, and decided to emphasize those themes in Judaism that also shared the idea of obligation to increase and spread holiness, and not just to hold it as something to be held separate.

Perhaps if we took a greater pride in our language, our holy places, and our land--perhaps then we would not be in the predicament we find ourselves now with leaders who see the land as collateral to be bargained away in the search for an ephemeral peace with terrorists whose stated desire is to destroy us.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Ben Ish Chai and Holiness and Judaism.