This week’s perashah is titled Emor—“Speak.” This portion includes laws regarding the kehunah (priesthood) and the mo‘adim (appointed times). Our perashah is a continuation of Perashath Qedoshim, where Aḏonay—praised be He—defines forbidden unions. Just as the people of Yisrael are meant to be an example for the nations, the Kohen serves as an example for Yisrael. From this, we can infer that qedushah (holiness) is connected to sexual conduct, since the Blessed God forbids a Kohen from marrying three types of women: a zonah, a ḥalalah, and a gerushah.
This does not mean that sexual relations are disapproved of by Heaven, but rather that boundaries exist to sanctify them:
a) A Yisra’eli man may marry a born Yisraelit or a convert, but not a mamzeret (daughter of a forbidden union).
b) A Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, a zonah (a woman who had relations with a gentile), or a ḥalalah (a woman with a genealogical blemish).
c) A Kohen haGadhol must marry a virgin born into Yisrael, not a convert.
Here we see a hierarchy of holiness: the greater the spiritual responsibility, the more restrictions apply. If we continue this pattern, we find that our teacher Moshe was on a higher level than Aharon, and he separated from his wife Ṣipporah. This is why Miryam spoke critically of him.
From this we can understand: as one elevates their soul toward Heaven, the physical takes on less importance. The Talmud teaches that on Yom haKippurim, the people of Yisrael resemble the mal’akhim—angels—who neither eat, drink, nor engage in marital intimacy. Indeed, before receiving the Torah at Sinai, our ancestors were commanded to abstain for three days. And Moshe Rabbenu ate and drank nothing for the forty days of his encounter with the Most High—blessed be He.
In Mesilat Yesharim, by Rabbi Moshe Ḥayyim Luzzatto—of blessed memory—we find the principle that as one ascends the spiritual ladder, it becomes necessary to increase one’s personal “fences” around the Torah. These fences help maintain spiritual discipline and prevent backsliding. One Sage had a personal philosophy: “Be strict with yourself, and lenient with everyone else.” We must be careful never to impose our personal stringencies on others.
The Eternal—praised be He—commands us to count 49 days, seven complete weeks, between Pesaḥ and Shabu‘oth. Each day of the sefira allows us to reflect on yesterday and strive to improve tomorrow.
May Aḏonay grant us the merit to ascend to the level of our teacher Moshe this coming Shabu‘oth, and to experience the delight of His restful presence.