This week’s Parashah speaks directly to the priests , those set apart for service to God. As I read through these chapters, I was reminded again of the high cost of walking in holiness. God didn’t call the priests to live like everyone else; they were in the midst of the people, but set apart in purpose and practice. Not for pride, but for purity. Not to elevate themselves, but to reflect His holiness more clearly.

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them…’
Leviticus 21:1

These instructions were specific and more demanding than those given to the rest of Israel. Why? Because the priests had a unique role. They stood between God and the people , representing both. Their lives had to reflect the sacred space they served in.

And I believe there’s something here for all of us today, because all who follow Yeshua are called to live differently. Not casually. Not halfway. But set apart.

In the New Covenant, Yeshua didn’t come to remove the standard of holiness. He came to fulfill it, and raise the bar:

You have heard that it was said… but I say to you…
Matthew 5

He called His disciples beyond surface obedience into heart-level surrender. His words weren’t a release from holiness, they were an invitation into a deeper kind of holiness. We are called to live by a higher standard, not because it’s easy, but because He is worthy. Rav Sha’ul (Paul) reminds us:

For God did not call us to impurity, but in holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives His Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:7–8

Our Haftarah echoes this. In Ezekiel 44, God honors the sons of Zadok, priests who stayed faithful when others strayed. They didn’t compromise. They didn’t bow to pressure. And because of that, God invited them closer to Him:

They shall come near to Me to minister to Me… they shall stand before Me… they shall enter My sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:15–16

Reading this, I couldn’t help but wonder: what did their obedience cost them? Were they misunderstood, mocked, or pushed aside by their fellow Levites? Maybe. Probably. But they chose faithfulness, and God brought them near.

Friends, I believe the same is true today. Living according to God’s calling won’t always make sense to the world around us. It may cost us relationships, reputation, and comfort. But it’s worth it. Every time.

Let me encourage us all: choose the narrow way. Don’t lower the standard, but rather lean into it. He gives us the strength to walk it out, and He sees every quiet sacrifice:

Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the LORD, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.
1 Corinthians 15:58

The narrow path is hard, but it's the only one that leads to life. The question isn’t whether it’s worth it , the question is whether we’re willing.

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran