14.12.2018 Views

Acquiesce to Righteousness

Acquiesce to Righteousness

Acquiesce to Righteousness

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

for "holiness," kedushah (Hebrew: ‏,(קדושה from the adjective kodesh, "holy," has the<br />

connotation of "separateness".<br />

However, holiness is not a single state, but contains a broad spectrum. The Mishnah<br />

lists concentric circles of holiness surrounding the Temple in Jerusalem: Holy of Holies,<br />

Temple Sanctuary, Temple Vestibule, Court of Priests, Court of Israelites, Court of<br />

Women, Temple Mount, the walled city of Jerusalem, all the walled cities of Israel, and<br />

the borders of the Land of Israel. Distinctions are made as <strong>to</strong> who and what are<br />

permitted in each area.<br />

Likewise, the Jewish holidays and the Shabbat are considered <strong>to</strong> be holy in time; the<br />

Torah calls them "holy [days of] gathering". Work is not allowed on those days, and<br />

rabbinic tradition lists 39 categories of activity that are specifically prohibited.<br />

Beyond the intrinsically holy, objects can become sacred through consecration. Any<br />

personal possession may be dedicated <strong>to</strong> the Temple of God, after which its<br />

misappropriation is considered among the gravest of sins. The various sacrifices are<br />

holy. Those that may be eaten have very specific rules concerning who may eat which<br />

of their parts, and time limits on when the consumption must be completed. Most<br />

sacrifices contain a part <strong>to</strong> be consumed by the priests – a portion of the holy <strong>to</strong> be<br />

consumed by God's holy devotees.<br />

Page 67 of 127

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!