Parashat Kedoshim: The Letters That Define Us.
Dalet ( ד ), Kuf ( ק ), and Shin ( ש ) are three letters of the alef-bet that pronounced individually have no symbolic meaning (although as we know, the letter Shin represents G-d’s name through its use on religious items such as Mezuzot and Tefillin). Join them together and they form one of the most important shorashim/roots in the Hebrew language. A word, that is so integral to our faith that without it, the religion that we practice would be completely unrecognisable. That root is the word קָדַשׁ (Kodash). One of the names we call Gd is Hakadosh Baruch-Hu , the Holy One, Blessed be He. We have just celebrated the festival of Pesach and the Seder begins with Kadesh. Imagine observing Shabbat without making Kiddush or enjoying a Kiddush after shul? How would a mourner be able to honour their departed relative without reciting Kaddish (and we know how upset we feel when we are unable to form a minyan)? Our Torah Scrolls are stored in the Aron Kodesh . That minyan