G-d endowed certain people with special responsibilities. The kohain (priest) was given the task of serving in the Temple. The importance of his service and his position required him to live by a higher standard. Things that were permitted to the rest of the nation were prohibited for him. For example, the kohain could not defile himself by coming in contact with a corpse of any person outside of his close family members. The Kohain Gadol, High Priest, was held to an even stricter standard and could not even contaminate himself for family members. An exception was made only for a corpse where there was no family to care for it. An explanation offered for this prohibition is because the kohain must live a holy life. Holiness involves spiritual growth, and after death no further growth is possible. Coming in contact with a lifeless body represents the antithesis of holiness.
The kohain was also limited (and still is) as to whom he could marry. He may not marry a woman who was the product of a prohibited relationship, or who had been involved in a prohibited relationship. He may also not marry a divorcee. The Kohain Gadol was restricted even further in his choice and could only marry a virgin.
Certain days of the year were also endowed with holiness— the Shabbos and other holidays. These days are sanctified through nicer dress, better food, and in general, through a more spiritual behavior than the rest of the year.
Each of the holidays was endowed with its own mitzvah, as a tool for receiving the unique spiritual influence associated with that day. The shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah; we fast on Yom Kippur; the lulav and esrog are taken on Sukkos, etc.
Every Jew is also instructed to sanctify G-d’s name, both in life and death. In life, we must live in a way that earns the admiration of the world. Profaning G-d’s Name by acting immorally or improperly is a grave sin. In death, the Jew must be ready to sacrifice his life rather than denounce G-d or his belief in Judaism.
The Torah relates an incident where a person mocked the Torah and blasphemed G-d. The Torah considers blasphemy to be on par with assault and even murder. The understanding is that a person who disregards G-d, can easily be led to total disregard for his fellow man, too, leading to assault and the such. Accordingly, the Torah reserves the most severe forms of punishment for this offense.
“I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel…” (Lev. 22:32)
Any Jew who has been murdered for no other reason than the fact that he is a Jew is considered to have died sanctifying G-d’s Name.
After the recent massacre of eight students at Yeshiva Mercaz HaRav, a city bus stopped on his route outside the yeshiva. The driver announced that one of the murdered students was his nephew, and asked if passengers would mind if he said a few words. The entire bus agreed, and the driver spoke a few minutes about how special his nephew had been.
A woman then stood up and announced that one of the victims had been her neighbor, and asked to speak for a few minutes too. Again all the passengers agreed. The woman spoke a bit about her young neighbor.
The bus then proceeded on its route with the passengers reflecting what it means to be part of such a special nation in such a special country.Did You Know...
There is a mitzvah to show special respect for a kohain. The kohain is thus given the first aliyah to the Torah, even if there is a greater non-kohain scholar present. Although a kohain may forgo this honor, and indeed in some places the kohain is requested to step out for the first aliyah in order to give it to somebody else, it is nonetheless preferable that this not be done, in order to avoid strife among the congregants.Similarly one should not ask a kohain to perform any form of denigrating labor. If the kohain receives benefit, such as compensation for performing the job, it may be permissible.
