There are times when people are called upon to be “kedoshim,” to have the courage to stand out, to do something unpopular, to voice an unpopular position, or to act differently than the rest. The Netziv here cautions that this must be done with sincere and genuine motives.
Parashat Emor begins by presenting several laws relevant to the kohanim, and the Torah commands in this context, “Kedoshim yiheu l-Elokeihem ve-lo yechalelu Shem Elokeihem” – “They shall be sacred to their God, and shall not desecrate the Name of their God” (21:6).
The Netziv, in his Ha’ameik Davar, explains the word “kedoshim” in this context to mean separate and distinct. In his view, the Torah here commands the kohanim to be “kedoshim” – to conduct themselves as men of special stature – “to their God,” meaning, sincerely for the sake of bringing honor to the Almighty. The Netziv writes, “They shall stand out through their fine character traits, humility and the like, as opposed to being separate from people in a manner that does not bring glory to God, and is rather arrogance and condescension.” The critical word in this command, according to the Netziv, is “l-Elokeihem,” which requires the kohanim to approach their stature of distinction with sincerity, viewing it as a means of glorifying the Name of God as opposed to glorifying themselves. The verse therefore continues, “they shall not desecrate the Name of their God.” If the kohanim act different for the purpose of self-aggrandizement and prestige, then they defame God, rather than honor Him.
There are times when people are called upon to be “kedoshim,” to have the courage to stand out, to do something unpopular, to voice an unpopular position, or to act differently than the rest. The Netziv here cautions that this must be done with sincere and genuine motives. Too often, people act controversially so they could stand out, make a name for themselves, attract a following, and achieve fame and notoriety. When people pursue an outwardly idealistic, religious cause for self-serving purposes, it causes a chilul Hashem and defames our faith.
The command “kedoshim yiheyu l-Elokeihem” is a call for authenticity and sincerity in the pursuit of “kedusha.” We are all given opportunities to distinguish ourselves and make our unique contribution to the Jewish nation and to the world. We must ensure that this is done “to their God,” out of a sincere desire to bring honor and glory to the Almighty, and not to ourselves.