קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ:
Our yearning to find whole-ness as holiness, and at-one-ment as atonement, fills a need ancient and essential as air. Because English vocabulary offers few ways to describe religious events, except in churchly terms, I often resort to such words as sacred, grace, reverence, worship, holy, sanctity, and benediction, which I cherish as powerful feelings, moods, and ideas. I’m an Earth ecstatic, and my creed is simple: All life is sacred, life loves life, and we are capable of improving our behavior toward one another.
- Diane Ackerman, The Alchemy of the Mind
Holiness, it transpires,
is not living hermit-like
in the rarefied air
of a mountain peak,
filling up days
in meditation and prayer,
spending nights seeking God
in the star-sprinkled sky.
It’s transcending the messiness,
the turmoil of our lives;
quelling impatience
with the people we love;
opening hearts
to the needy, the other;
sowing sparks of light
in every mundane hour.
Elizabeth Topper
https://parashapoems.wordpress.com/2014/04/24/kedoshim-holiness/
(ב) קדשים תהיו. הֱווּ פְרוּשִׁים מִן הָעֲרָיוֹת וּמִן הָעֲבֵרָה...
(2) קדשים תהיו YE SHALL BE HOLY — This means make sure you have proper relationships and refine your thinking to keep away from sinful thoughts...
Martin Buber, Bechirat Yisrael
"The root meaning of the concept of the holy in the holy language is separation: it implies the apartness and remoteness of something. The holy is that which is out of bounds, untouchable, and altogether beyond grasp: it cannot be understood or even defined, being so totally unlike anything else. To be holy is, in essence, to be distinctly other." Adin Steinsaltz, p. 69 Thirteen Petaled Rose (1980).
(א) דבר אל כל עדת. קדושים תהיו. אחר שהשרה שכינתו בישראל לקדשם לחיי עולם כמו שהיתה הכונה באמרו ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש ובאמרו כי אני ה' המעלה אתכם מארץ מצרים להיות לכם לאלהים והייתם קדושים והבדילם מטומאת המאכלות והזרע בטומאת הנדה והנגעים הנמשכים ממנה ומטומאת הזבה וטומאת החטאים כאמרו מכל חטאתיכם לפני ה' תטהרו ומחברת השדים ורוח הטומאה ומטומאת העריות כאמרו אל תטמאו בכל אלה אמר עתה שהכונה בכל אלה האזהרות היא שיהיו קדושים וזה כדי שידמו ליוצרם כפי האפשר כמו שהיתה הכונה בבריאת האדם כאמרו נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו וזה ביאר עתה באמרו (ב) כי קדוש אני ה' אלהיכם. וראוי שתדמו אלי כפי האפשר בעיון ובמעשה ולהשיג זה ההדמות באר שנצטרך לשמור את המצות הכתובות בלוח הראשון שכל הכונה בהם היא לחיי עולם בלבד כמו שבאר בסופם באמרו למען יאריכון ימיך כאשר התבאר במקומו. והתחיל לבאר ענין כיבוד אב ואם. ואמר:
(1) דבר אל כל עדת...קדושים תהיו; after the presence of G’d had manifested itself among the Jewish people, sanctifying them for eternal life, as had been the meaning of the verse in Exodus 19,6 “you shall become for Me a nation of priests a holy nation,” and taking into consideration G’d’s statement in Leviticus 11,45 “I have led you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your G’d and your becoming holy,” G’d separated the Jewish people from defilement and giving them Torah and a unique culture...The objective of all these parts of Torah legislation was to establish a nation that could be described as “holy,” meaning emulating the Creator’s holiness in the maximum manner possible for earthly creatures
(ו) והפרישות במנהגים הוא התבודדות וההבדל מן החברה המדינית לפנות לבו אל העבודה וההתבוננות בה כראוי, ובתנאי שלא יטה גם בזה אל הקצה האחר, שכבר אמרו ז"ל (כתובות י"ז א): לעולם תהא דעתו של אדם מעורבת עם הבריות, וכן אמרו (מכות י ב): "חרב אל הבדים ונואלו", חרב על שונאיהם של תלמידי חכמים שיושבים בד בבד ועוסקים בתורה, אלא יתחבר האדם עם הטובים זמן מה שמצטרך לו ללמודו או לפרנסתו, ויתבודד אחר כך להדבק באלהיו ולהשיג דרכי היושר והעבודה האמיתית.
(6) Separation in conduct and behavior consists of secluding and separating oneself from societal company and custom in order to turn one's heart to the divine service and to proper reflection in it. This is on condition that one does not turn in this to the opposite extreme. For our sages, of blessed memory, already said: "a person's mind should always associate with others" (Ketuvot 17a). ...Rather, one should associate with good people and engage in good activities [like prayer services with a community of righteous people] for whatever time is necessary, balancing Torah study, religious practice and pursuing a livelihood. A practice of secluding onself to cling to his G-d, and to attain the ways of the just and the true service is necessary.
(יד) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם עוֹטֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתִפְאָרָה:
(14) Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who crowns Israel with glory.
Upon opening his eyes, one should recite: Blessed…Who gives sight to the blind.
Upon sitting up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who sets captives free.
Upon dressing, one should recite: Blessed…Who clothes the naked, as they would sleep unclothed.
Upon standing up straight, one should recite: Blessed…Who raises those bowed down.
Upon descending from one’s bed to the ground, one should recite: Blessed…Who spreads the earth above the waters, in thanksgiving for the creation of solid ground upon which to walk.
Upon walking, one should recite: Blessed…Who makes firm the steps of man.
Upon putting on his shoes, one should recite: Blessed…Who has provided me with all I need, as shoes are a basic necessity.
Upon putting on his belt, one should recite: Blessed…Who girds Israel with strength.
Upon spreading a shawl upon his head, one should recite: Blessed…Who crowns Israel with glory.
(א) שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמוֹר שְׁאֵרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַל יֹאבַד יִשְׂרָאֵל הָאֹמְ֒רִים שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(ב) שׁוֹמֵר גּוֹי אֶחָד שְׁמוֹר שְׁאֵרִית עַם אֶחָד וְאַל יֹאבַד גּוֹי אֶחָד הַמְיַחֲדִים שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ יְהֹוָה אֶחָד:
(ג) שׁוֹמֵר גּוֹי קָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹר שְׁאֵרִית עַם קָדוֹשׁ וְאַל יֹאבַד גּוֹי קָדוֹשׁ הַמְשַׁלְּ֒שִׁים בְּשָׁלשׁ קְדֻשּׁוֹת לְקָדוֹשׁ:
(ד) מִתְרַצֶּה בְּרַחֲמִים וּמִתְפַּיֵּס בְּתַחֲנוּנִים הִתְרַצֶּה וְהִתְפַּיֵּס לְדוֹר עָנִי כִּי אֵין עוֹזֵר: אָבִֽינוּ מַלְכֵּֽנוּ חָנֵּֽנוּ וַעֲנֵֽנוּ כִּי אֵין בָּֽנוּ מַעֲשִׂים עֲשֵׂה עִמָּֽנוּ צְדָקָה וָחֶֽסֶד וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ:
(ה) וַאֲנַֽחְנוּ לֺא נֵדַע מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה כִּי עָלֶֽיךָ עֵינֵֽינוּ: זְכֹר רַחֲמֶֽיךָ יְהֹוָה וַחֲסָדֶֽיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵֽמָּה: יְהִי חַסְדְּךָ יְהֹוָה עָלֵֽינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִחַֽלְנוּ לָךְ: אַל תִּזְכָּר לָֽנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְּמֽוּנוּ רַחֲמֶֽיךָ כִּי דַלּֽוֹנוּ מְאֹד: חָנֵּֽנוּ יְהֹוָה חָנֵּֽנוּ כִּי־רַב שָׂבַֽעְנוּ בוּז: בְּרֺֽגֶז רַחֵם תִּזְכּוֹר: כִּי הוּא יָדַע יִצְרֵֽנוּ זָכוּר כִּי עָפָר אֲנָֽחְנוּ: עָזְרֵֽנוּ אֱלֺהֵי יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ עַל־דְּבַר כְּבוֹד־שְׁמֶֽךָ וְהַצִּילֵֽנוּ וְכַפֵּר עַל־חַטֹּאתֵֽינוּ לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ:
(1) Guardian of Israel, guard the remnant of Israel, and let not Israel perish, who say, “Hear Israel.”
(2) Guardian of the unique nation, guard the remnant of the unique people, and let not the unique nation perish, who proclaim the Oneness of Your Name, [saying:] Adonoy is our God, Adonoy is One.
(3) Guardian of the holy nation, guard the remnant of the holy people and let not the holy nation perish who repeat the threefold sanctification to the Holy One.
(4) You Who are appeased by pleas for mercy, and conciliated by supplications, be appeased and conciliated to an afflicted generation, for there is none else to help. Our Father, our King! be gracious to us and answer us for we have no [good] deeds, deal with us charitably and kindly and deliver us.
(5) As for us, we know not what to do; but our eyes are upon You. Remember Your mercies, Adonoy, and kindnesses for they are from the beginning of the world. Adonoy! may Your kindness be upon us, as we have waited for You. Remember not the sins of our ancestors; let Your mercy come swiftly toward us, for we have been brought very low. Be gracious to us, Adonoy, be gracious to us for we are saturated with humiliation. [Even] in anger remember to have compassion. For He knows of what we are made; He is mindful that we are but dust. Help us, God of our deliverance, for the sake of the glory of Your Name; save us and atone our sins, for the sake of Your Name.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath (1951)
...The mythical [spiritually inclined] mind would expect that, after heaven and earth have been established, God would create a holy place -- a holy mountain or a holy spring -- whereupon a sanctuary is to be established. Yet it seems as if to the Bible it is holiness in time, the Sabbath, which comes first. [God says "I am the Lord, there is no other, do not take my name in vain..." and then the Sabbath is commanded.]
When history began there was only one holiness in the world, holiness in time. When at Sinai the word of God was about to be voiced, a call for holiness in man was proclaimed: "Thou shalt be unto me a holy people." It was only after the people had succumbed to the temptation of worshipping a thing, a golden calf, that the erection of a Tabernacle, of holiness is space, was commanded. The sanctity of time came first, the sanctity of man came second, and the sanctity of space last. Time was hallowed by God; space, the Tabernacle, was consecrated by Moses.
(ב) הוספה:[ב] "והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים" – זו קדושת פרישת עכו"ם. אתה אומר קדושת פרישת עכו"ם או אינה אלא קדושת כל המצוות... כשהוא אומר "קדושים תהיו" (ויקרא יט, ב) הרי כל המצות אמורות, ומה תלמוד לומר "והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים"? – זו קדושת פרישת עכו"ם. "כי אני ה' אלקיכם" – אני דיין ליפרע ונאמר לשלם שכר.
(2) 2) (Vayikra 20:7) "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy": This is the holiness of separation from idolatry. You say that it is the holiness of separation from idolatry, but perhaps it is the holiness of (performing) all of the mitzvoth! — "Holy shall you be" (Vayikra 19:2) already speaks of the holiness of all the mitzvoth. "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy," then, must refer to the holiness of separation from idolatry. (Vayikra 19:7) "For I am the L–rd your G d": I am the Judge, exacting (punishment) and trusted to reward.
ארוסין
הרי את מקודשת לי כדת משה וישראל
Jewish Wedding Vows
You are made holy to me, with this ring, according to the law of Moses and Israel
(14) “O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks,
Hidden by the cliff,
Let me see your face,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet
And your face is tranquility.”
compare - Ancient-Egyptian Love poetry. Here's an example, which might be as old 1.5 thousand years!!!:
To hear your voice is pomegranate wine to me:
I draw life from hearing it.
Could I see you with every glance,
It would be better for me
Than to eat or to drink.