To Be Or Not To Be (Parashat Acharei Mot - Kedoshim)

I have always had major difficulty with the second pasuk in Parashat Kedoshim.  Hashem instructs Moshe to "Speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for holy am I, Hashem, your G-d."  The specific phrasing of "speak to the entire assembly" is an indication to us that this particular commandment is one of great importance.  My issue, however, is that despite this commandment to be holy (which implies greatness within us) - Hashem then spends the rest of the parasha  listing commandments that should be obvious or natural to a "holy" nation such as ourselves.

We are told to revere our mother and father, not to steal, not to lie, not to gossip, etc.  Shouldn't all of this come naturally to us if we are so holy?  The answer, is no!

I must be honest, my question on this week's parasha is not entirely mine.  It is a question that is often presented to me by students ( I do, however, have the question myself this week).  They - very understandably - want to know why, if we are such a great nation, Hashem feels the need to tell us not to do certain things.  My answer to them is the answer to this week's parasha as well...

While we think it should come naturally to keep all of these commandments, the reality is that human nature is not to keep them!  Hashem created us with the potential to be holy, but He also created us as humans!!  That being the case, was is natural for us is to do what is best for us - not what is best.

For this reason, Hashem instructs Moshe this week to "speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel" - in other words, make sure everyone hears it - and to tell us that we must overcome our inclinations and be holy - because He, our G-d, is holy.

Shabbat Shalom!