Haftorah Commentary – Parshas Acharei Mos- Kedoshim
ACHAREI MOS — KEDOSHIM
Amos 9:7–15
Distinguished Ethical Standards
This week’s Haftarah presents the Jewish nation in a unique context. Amos Hanavi began his final message of prophecy by describing the Jewish people in a most peculiar way. He proclaimed in Hashem’s name, “Aren’t you, Jewish people, likened to Kushites [thereby designated] to be Mine…” (9:7) Who are Kushites, and why did Hashem compare His chosen people to another nationality?
Inability to Mingle with Others
Chazal interpret this analogy to refer to the Ethiopian community whose skin pigment is distinctly different from all nations. This physical distinction renders it impossible for a Kushite to effectively integrate with other nationalities. Even if he buried himself in a crowd of thousands of people, his distinct skin color would easily identify him. Chazal continue that the Jewish people distinguish themselves in this manner. Their supreme moral and ethical conduct preclude them from effectively mingling with world nations. The drastic ethical contrast between the Jewish people and other nations is analogous to the Kushite’s drastic skin contrast. Irrespective of their small numbers, the Jewish people distinguish themselves amongst the nations in every era and every setting. (Yalkut Shimoni 157)
Amos continued and reminded the Jewish people that their superior conduct initially established them to be Hashem’s chosen people. Before Hashem offered His precious Torah to His people, He introduced His offer with the following proposal: “Now, if you listen to My voice and guard My covenant, you will be My treasure above all nations… You will be [exclusively] Mine [to serve as a] kingdom of priests and a sacred people.” (Shemos 19:5-6) Hashem declared with these words His ultimate objective for giving the Jewish people His Torah: to become priestly and sanctified. Hashem realized the unlimited potential of the Jewish people and afforded them the opportunity to rise to their ultimate height. Amos therefore proclaimed in Hashem’s name “You are likened to Kushites to be exclusively Mine.” Hashem informed His people that their Kushite-like nature earned them the privilege of Hashem identifying them with His sacred name.
Moral Standards in All Environs
Amos then explained that this supreme nature expressed itself in the Jewish people’s earliest origins. He proclaimed in Hashem’s name, “Have I not liberated you from Egypt?” (9:7) Malbim explains these words to allude to the distinguished qualities of the Jewish people in whose merit Hashem liberated them from Egypt. (Malbim ad loc) Although the Jewish people lived for hundreds of years amongst corrupt and immoral Egyptians, they remained a distinct, distinguished entity even under those circumstances. The Jewish peoples’ supreme moral and ethical code precluded them from integrating with the Egyptians. Their Jewish sensitivities and careful adherence to their modest lifestyle reflected a purity that made intermingling with the Egyptians a virtual impossibility. In general, their Jewish values remained intact and rendered them distinguished and elevated far above their hosts.
We focus on this aspect during the Seder night and expound upon the Torah’s words, “And they became a nation there.” Chazal interpret these words and say, “This teaches that they were distinguished there.” (Haggada Shel Pesach) Shibalei Haleket quotes his brother, Rav Binyomin, who explains this in the following manner: Although the Jewish people were a small number, they did not become absorbed in the multitudes of Egyptians. The Jewish people were so distinct and outstanding in their moral and ethical conduct that as a fledging family of seventy people they were recognized as a total people unto themselves. (Shibalei Haleket on the Haggada)
Hashem Guarantees Jewish Sanctity
This distinguished conduct projected the Jewish people’s potential. If they successfully maintained superb ethical standards in completely immoral surroundings, one could only imagine what heights they could attain if they would be in Hashem’s Divine Presence! Hashem therefore proposed to the Jewish people, “If you listen to My voice… you shall be exclusively Mine as a kingdom of priests and a sacred nation.” In different words, Hashem liberated us from Egyptian bondage to elevate us to supreme levels of sanctity, to become identified as His.
Malbim explains with this a new understanding of Amos’ words here. The Jewish people are so distinguished by their conduct that they always remain identified as Hashem’s people. Their distinct, pure mannerisms constantly reflect their unique identity as Hashem’s sacred ones. The same way that a Kushite always reflects his parental lineage, the Jewish people always reflect their true father, Hashem. Irrespective of their surroundings and minute numbers, observant Jewish people forever display themselves as Hashem’s precious, holy nation. Amos therefore exclaimed in Hashem’s name, “You are likened to the Kushites” — distinguished by your exemplary moral conduct — “to be Mine.” Although the Jewish people find themselves in foreign surroundings, they always distinguish themselves as being “His.” (Malbim on Amos 9:7)
Amos concluded his words and promised the Jewish people ultimate redemption from their extended exile. He says in Hashem’s name, “On that day I will establish the protective covering [kingdom] of Dovid that has fallen, and I will repair their [the Jewish people’s] breaches and I will restore them to their earlier [illustrious] years… so that they, upon whom My name is declared, will inherit Edom and all nations.” (9:11-12, see Mahari Kra ibid) The Jewish people will eventually inherit their archenemy because they have always displayed, by example, Hashem’s name. They miraculously maintained their elevated standards throughout thousands of years of persecution and hostility, never to become engulfed (beyond return) in foreign practice or culture. (Metzudos Dovid ibid) In the merit of this devotion Hashem will liberate them from all foreign influences and environs and He will permanently settle them in His land. As Amos concluded in Hashem’s name, “I will plant them on their land, never to be uprooted from their land again…” (Amos 9:15)
The Uniqueness of Jewish Sanctity
This lesson reflects the essence of this week’s Parshas Kedoshim that embodies Hashem’s call to us for spiritual elevation. The Torah begins and states, “Act with sanctity for I, Hashem am sanctified” (Vayikra 19:2) Ramban interprets this mitzvah in his classic manner. Act with sanctity, says Ramban, refers to applying sanctity and spirituality to every dimension of one’s life. A Jewish person should direct his physical and mundane drives towards Hashem’s service, rather than self-indulgence and enjoyment. Rabbeinu Yonah explains that when one indulges in physical pleasures solely to satisfy his bodily urges, he is in effect training his body to take charge over his intellect. This process draws one away from Hashem and one’s purpose in this world. It eventually leads to sinful acts that one justifies committing because his temptation overpowered him. The Torah therefore restricts one from excessive involvement in physical pleasures and encourages one to channel pleasurable experiences to those that include a degree of productive, spiritual objective. (Ramban ad loc, Shaarei Avodah 29)
The Torah’s philosophy on pleasure and physical drives diametrically opposes that of world nations. To them, physical pleasure and enjoyment never leads to spirituality and their moral code does not include constraints over one’s bodily interests. Accordingly, their moral code leaves them vulnerable to all forms of sinful acts when done in privacy. Understandably, the Jewish standards of physical morality are unique and distinguish the Jewish people far above every world nation.
The collective message of this week’s Parsha and Haftarah reading is the Jewish people’s supreme moral conduct. As we desperately struggle to maintain every parcel of our precious homeland, let us remember the terms of its inhabitance. Hashem eagerly awaits to redeem His people from their foreign immoral surroundings, but to merit this we must remain devoted to Hashem’s elevated standards. Let us pray to Hashem that He end all our suffering and grant us the privilege of attaining spiritual perfection in His homeland, soon in His Divine Presence.
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Date: May 8, 2025
