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To Be Holy

Why did they bury the Arab terrorist 12 feet under instead of the usual six feet under?

Because deep down he was really a good guy.

On a more serious note: The period in between the death of a close relative [lo aleinu] and the burial is called "aninus". During this period a person is exempt from fulfilling all of the mitzvos. Why?

The purpose of a mitzva is to make us holy ["asher kiddishunu b'mitzvosav"]. One can only be holy if they are focused OUTSIDE of themselves. The root of the word aninus is "ani" - I. Immediately after the death of a close relative one is [understandably] focused on themselves and their own sense of loss. This leaves no room for the kedusha that one wants to achieve by the performance of mitzvos. Hence the Torah exempted one from their obligation at this time. [Heard from Rav Zwieg Shlita]


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Segula - 40 days at the Kotel

About me

  • I'm Rabbi Ally Ehrman
  • From Old City Jerusalem, Israel
  • I am a Rebbe in Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh.
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