Rabbi Ḥiyya taught that this specific portion, Kedoshim, was delivered in a grand assembly – "Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel..." (Leviticus 19:2). Why? Because, he says, most of the essential principles of the Torah hinge on this portion. It's that important.
But what makes this section so special? Rabbi Levi offers a fascinating insight: the Ten Commandments themselves are echoed within it! The familiar declaration, “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), finds its parallel in Leviticus 19:2, “I am the Lord your God.” And it doesn't stop there.
"You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3) is mirrored in "Do not make molten gods for yourselves" (Leviticus 19:4). The prohibition against taking God's name in vain (Exodus 20:7) resonates with "You shall not take an oath in My name falsely" (Leviticus 19:8). Honoring the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) connects to "And you shall observe My Sabbaths" (Leviticus 19:3). And honoring parents (Exodus 20:12) finds its echo in "Each of you shall revere his mother and father" (Leviticus 19:3).
The parallels continue: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13) and "You shall not stand by the blood of your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:16). "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:13) and "The adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death" (Leviticus 20:10). "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:13) and, again, "You shall not steal" (Leviticus 19:11). "You shall not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:13) and "You shall not go as a gossip" (Leviticus 19:16).
And, perhaps most profoundly, "You shall not covet" (Exodus 20:14) finds its ultimate expression in the positive commandment: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18).
Rabbi Yudan, citing Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, adds another layer to this idea. He tells us that Moses himself gave us three portions in the Torah, each containing sixty mitzvot, commandments. These are the portion of Passover (Exodus 12), the portion dealing with damages (Exodus 21–23:9), and, yes, our portion of "You shall be holy" (Leviticus 19).
Rabbi Levi, quoting Rabbi Shila of the village of Tamarta, even suggests that there are seventy mitzvot in each of these key sections!
How do we reconcile these numbers? Rabbi Tanḥuma offers a beautiful solution: it's all about what's included. One who counts seventy in the Passover portion includes the section on tefillin, phylacteries (Exodus 13:1–16). Similarly, the one who finds seventy in the damages portion includes the Sabbatical year (Exodus 23:10). And, crucially for our discussion, the one who counts seventy in "You shall be holy" includes the portion on forbidden sexual relations (Leviticus 20).
So, what does this all mean? Perhaps it's this: the path to holiness, to truly embodying the divine image within us, isn't just about avoiding the negative – the "don'ts." It's about actively embracing the positive commandments, about building a society rooted in justice, compassion, and, above all, love. The portion of Kedoshim isn't just a list of rules; it's a blueprint for a holy life, a life lived in accordance with the very essence of the Torah.