This week’s Haftorah, a short Nevuah by the Prophet Amos, reflects both of this week’s Sedros. In Achrei-Mos Hashem forbids all sorts of relationships thereby declaring them to be illicit. The Torah tells us that in the event we do in fact allow such forbidden relationships, Eretz-Yisroel will actually ‘spit out’ Klal-Yisroel. In Parshas Kedoshim Hashem again warns us not to tolerate these various unlawful relationships.

The Navi echoes in the Haftorah the words of the Sedra by conveying Hashem’s words that since there were those within Klal-Yisroel who acted in the ways of the Mitzraim and the Canaanite nations, Hashem would have to destroy the people who sinned. The Navi tells us that “the Nation that sinned will be wiped off the face of the Land”. It is unclear whether this is referring to all of Klal-Yisroel, in other words that the entire Nation will be wiped out of Eretz-Yisroel, or whether it means that those who sinned will be wiped off the face of the planet. What is, however, quite clear is the next Pasuk. The next Pasuk tells us that Hashem will not wipe off the entire Bes-Yaakov – Am-Yisroel. There is an obvious question there: what is the purpose of such a Passuk? If only individuals sin, why should Hashem wipe out all of Am-Yisroel? And if all of Klal-Yisroel were to sin, why would Hashem wipe out only some of the sinners?

Chazal tells us (Berachos) that Hashem, while creating Mankind also created a Yetzer Horah (evil inclination). This Yetzer Horah, say Chazal, is so powerful that Man cannot overcome it. Chazal then explain that Hashem gave us Torah as the antidote. It is the study of Torah that allows us to overcome this otherwise overpowering Yetzer-Horah.

Most of the world is permeated with illicit and inappropriate relationships. Unfortunately, we live in a time were illicitness has become an accepted norm.

The only thing that keeps Am-Yisroel a unified Nation is the Torah. If one were Chalila to deny the Torah, Am-Yisroel would have little or no legitimacy to continue to exist as a distinct entity.

There may be many individuals within Klal-Yisroel who at one time or another become influenced by these horribly inappropriate social norms. Nonetheless, it is impossible for Am-Yisroel as an entity to stoop so low. Since Am-Yisroel is only Am-Yisroel through Torah, so long as we exist there must be Limud Torah. As long as there is Limud Torah it cannot be that we will all sin.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski