Maimonides explains "be holy (Kedoshim) with what is Mutar (permitted) to you.

Mutar can also mean "what is released to you" or "left to you".

 

How can a Moslem Librarian and a Hassidic Rabbi be Holy in the same way?

 

In Sarajevo there is a thousand-year-old hand-illustrated Passover Hagada worth millions.

A Nazi general knew it was in the central library during the war -

and threatened the Moslem librarian and his boss if they wouldn't turn it over to him.

 

What did they do?

They said to him "The first Nazi General came 2 weeks ago and took it" -

and took some abuse -  until the Nazi thief gave up.

Meanwhile the Hagada was hidden on some shelves between some Korans ...

And due to their bravery we can still see it on display...

 

Recently another literary work was found - 70 year-old  personal notes written about this time of year - in 1944-  from the Vishnitzer Rebbe who came to Israel after the war.

 

He - the Vishnitzer Rebbe ( who passed away about 40 years ago) wrote

"We had a minyan today - Shabbos morning -in the room we rented from some gentiles to hide in.

But a student of mine came and told us the Nazis were rounding up Jews! And headed our way!

 

So we emptied out our pockets

(not to violate the laws of Shabbat against carrying things) 

 and we ran off into the woods!"

 

Rabbi Nachman said "what's in your heart will drive you to do G-d's will"

Rabbi Carlebach said "let your feet dance you to a holy place and a holy purpose"

and Maimonides wrote

"Holiness is a general commandment that encompasses the whole Torah".

 

So Make yourself a little more Holy this Shabbat

 

Shabbat Shalom from the Holy Land

 

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz