“You Are Kadosh, and Your Name Is Kadosh, and kedoshim praise
You every day. Selah! [For you are G-d, King, Great and Kadosh.
–Sepharad] Baruch Atah … the Kadosh G-d.” The question of
kedushah is also central to the opening phrase of one of last
week’s parashiyos. “Kedoshim tihyu… – Be kadosh for I Am
Kadosh.” (Vayikra 19:2) But what is kedushah? Translating it as
“sanctity” or “holiness” falls short as the meaning of the
English words is not too clear, nor are we sure that they truly
capture the connotations of the Hebrew original. The Toras
Kohanim (Sifra) on the pasuk writes “‘kedoshim tihyu’ – perushim
tihyu, you shall be separated”. Along these lines the Ramban
writes “make yourself kadosh with that which is permitted to
you” by refraining from the permitted. It would seem that they
are defining kedushah as separation. However, Rav Shimon Shkop
(Shaarei Yosheir, introduction) notes that this definition fails
for the clause – “for I am kadosh”. There is no purpose or
meaning in Hashem restraining Himself.