There is a common misconception. Many people believe that in order to be "Holy" you must remove yourself from the world. This would be in forms of abstinence, fasting and gnerally avoiding contact with people. This idea however makes holiness into rather a negative experience and not very enticing to people.
Let us therefore redefine.
Holiness means to be Godly. The Torah commands us; You shall be Holy Because I, God, am holy. Let's think aboout Gods holiness for a minute. Doesn't seem to meet the same critria as our holiness at all.
Being a Jew and being holy requires us to go in the way of God which is imitating his actions. Just as He is merciful, so too we must be merciful. Gods creation of the world was only in order to do good for His creations, we should emulate God and be good to His creations as well.
Holiness means smiling at your neighbor. Holiness means helping the little kid who just fell off his bike. Holiness means feeding a cat. Holiness is giving charity.
Forest in Jerusalem
The Kotel
All hands up at the Kotel!!
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