Acharei Mot/Kedoshim: Zemer of The Week - The Ramaz School my Acharei Mot/Kedoshim: Zemer of The Week Parshat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim “V’ahavta L’reacha Kamocha” Yeshiva Boys Choir remix: וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ You shall love your fellow as yourself. (from Vayikra 19:18) Showing that love is not just a feeling, this mitzvah appears within a series of everyday laws – about speech, judgment, and behavior. Love is something we build through what we do. Holiness is expressed in how we treat others, one action at a time. “Kol HaOlam Kulo” Avraham Fried: כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ גֶּשֶׁר צַר מְאֹד. וְהָעִקָּר לֹא לְפַחֵד כְּלָל The whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the main thing is not to be afraid. Acharei Mot teaches that Aharon enters the holiest place only בְּזֹאת : through a precise, structured path. Like a narrow bridge, growth happens within limits. The path may be narrow – but it is the path forward. If you want a more-traditional zemer: The zemer for this week: שבתון יום This zemer was written by R’ Yehuda Halevi (1075-1140 C.E.), the author of the Kuzari .  (His name is formed by the acrostic across the zemer’s five stanzas.)  Originally from Spain, at the end of his life he achieved his lifelong dream of living in Eretz Yisrael.  The zemer describes the love of Bnai Yisrael for the Shabbos, the way in which Shabbos helps us rest from the challenges of the week, and how the honor given to Shabbos by Hashem on Har Sinai still echoes down to our generations. According to Rashi at the beginning of Parshat Kedoshim (Vayikra 19:2, based on R’ Levi’s opinion in Vayikra Rabbah ), the mitzvot in this parsha mirror the Aseret Hadibrot. Some of the connections to this theme: ·   3 rd line of 2 nd stanza: חקוק בשני לוחות אבנים ” (“Engraved in the two Tablets of stone”) – The Aseret Hadibrot were engraved on the Two Tablets. ·   2 nd line of 3 rd stanza: נעשה ונשמע אמרו כאחד ” (“ ‘We will do and we will listen’ they said as one”) – After Moshe read the Aseret Hadibrot to Bnei Yisroel, they declared “Naaseh V’nishma” (in Shemot 24:7). ·   1 st line of 4 th stanza: דבר בקדשו בהר המור ” (“He declared in His holiness at the mountain of teaching”) – Hashem gave the Aseret Hadibrot on Har Hamoriah. ·   1 st line of 1 st stanza, 2 nd line of 4 th stanza: … יום שבתון אין לשכח” יום השביעי זכור ושמור (“Do not forget the day of rest … The seventh day you shall remember and safeguard”) – The mitzvah to keep Shabbat is reiterated multiple times in this parsha – e.g., twinned with the mitzvah to honor parents (Vayikra 19:3) and twinned with revering Hashem’s Sanctuary (Vayikra 19:30).