Transfiguration Movement #11: Transformation Through Holiness

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He who does wrong, let him do more wrong; he who is filthy, let him be more filthy; he who is righteous, let him be more righteous; he who is holy, let him be more holy.
Revelation 22.11
You are holy, your name is holy and holy ones praise each day. Blessed are you YaH, the holy El. Amein.
Kedushah prayer from the Amidah
Holiness does not consist in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervors, or uncommanded austerities; it consists in thinking as [Elohim] thinks, and willing as [Elohim] wills.
John Brown
Pursue peace with all, and pursue apartness without which no one shall see the Master.
Hebrews 12.14
Blessed are You, Adonoy Eloheinu, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to be engrossed in the words of Torah.
Siddur Morning Prayer
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There is an ancient holy path that reveals eternal holy futures;
a course that leads souls to realms of wholeness &
redemption. Where footsteps are imprinted with
Abrahamic covenantal promises and selfless sacrificial
spirits exemplified by the likes of a mother’s laughter
after prophetic utterances whose reason was to proclaim
promised son’s whose life birthed light while the world did yet exist
in the midst of a dark and barren season. A course where
transformation is supplanted by flesh & spiritual rebirth requires
wrestling bouts with angels to the death while receiving
visions given to unveil the wisdom and rhythm of oneness.
A course where trumpets herald covenants and brides
are prepared for redemption as Rachel and Leah
who birthed a kingdom of priests and a holy nation
whose sole role is to bring to every soul on Earth
the Heavenly goal of Messianic salvation.
– Davar the Poet –

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Like many other things that I’ve had to unlearn on my journey to the Kingdom, holiness is a matter that required spiritual and mental reorientation.

Coming out of the world of Christendom, where holiness often seemed something more akin regular attendance at a churchy performance, a Sunday suit, a raised hand during praise and worship or during a sermon, the memorization of certain scriptures, running around the church “in the spirit,” speaking in tongues or having an office and title in the church, I found myself craving something deeper, something rooted, something substantial, something authentic. The transition into Messianic Torah observance redefined everything for as it stripped away the ornamental and introduced me to the holy.

I used to think holiness was synonymous with belief, not action, that it was solely connected what JC did for us and not something that is required of us to do. But Torah showed me it’s about being set apart for purpose. It’s not about looking the part, it’s about becoming the part. Holiness in the Torah is not something that is just performative; holiness is transformative. It is not a condition of being perfect, but a process of being set-apart, consecrated and purified. It’s not just about personal righteousness, but covenantal identity.

Throughout the Torah, we see the repeated command for Israel to embrace their promordial nature of holiness (Exodus 19.6, Leviticus 19:2, Numbers 15.37-40, Deuteronomy 7.6). But it wasn’t just a demand for our ancestors of the past, it is also a calling for us today as a people; holiness is our destiny. For the same cloud that covered Mount Sinai covered the tabernacle and the people; the same fire that burned in the bush before Moshe, burned in their calling. Holiness was never meant to be far off, it was meant to be embodied, it was meant to exuded, it was meant to be exemplified.

On that note, on my journey, I’ve personally been repeatedly taught and reminded that holiness isn’t about removing myself from the world, but transforming myself within it; we all know the phraseology, being in the world but not of it. Holiness is the slow work of daily sanctification through Torah, through mitzvot, through the Spirit that makes me and us whole.

And in a world obsessed with trends and performance, true holiness calls us back to the blueprint, back to the sacred rhythm of creation, covenant, and calling. It doesn’t ask us to be flawless; it asks for us to be faithful and blameless.

But now we must ask ourselves, what is holiness? In Hebrew, the word for “holy” is kadosh (קָדוֹשׁ). It doesn’t merely mean “morally good” or “pure” in the conventional sense. Kadosh denotes something or someone set apart for a sacred purpose, made distinct by and for a higher designation and intent.

Considering the meaning of each letter that spells the word kadosh, according to Gal Einai’s exposition of the meanign of the letters, we find the following insight:

• Kuf (ק) – Symbolizes the paradox of holiness emerging from the lowest places. Its unique structure, comprised of a Reish (ר) and a Zayin (ז), reveals the supernal mission to redeem fallen sparks. Kuf reaches beneath the line, signifying how holiness descends into what appears profane, not to dwell there, but to lift it up. This letter teaches that true kedushah (holiness) doesn’t avoid darkness, it enters it, separates from it, and transforms it. Thus, Kuf embodies the redemptive power of elevating what has fallen, retrieving hidden sparks of light buried in the mundane, and restoring them to heaven’s purpose. SELAH!!!
• Dalet (ד) – Represents dalut, or poverty, not in a material sense, but in the spiritual virtue of selflessness. It is the awareness of one’s own lack, the humility that opens the soul to receive from above. Dalet symbolizes the doorway, yes, but not just to another realm, but to inner transformation. It is the portal through which the ego surrenders, allowing Primordial light to enter. Holiness begins when we decrease so that Elohim might increase. As it is written, “Humble yourselves in the sight of YaH, and He shall lift you up.” (James 4.10). Dalet reminds us that self-emptying is not weakness, it is the secret gate to splender.
• Vav (ו) – More than just a connector, vav is the supernal hook that binds heaven to earth, spirit to form, intention to action. In the sacred tongue of Hebrew, vav literally means “hook,” and in Torah scrolls, it’s used to join the curtains of the Tabernacle, symbolizing unity between what is above and what is below. Holiness, then, is not about separation from the material world, but about elevating it, aligning it with the heavenly pattern. Vav stands as the conduit through which heaven’s will is made manifest in human deeds. It teaches us that to be holy is to be in alignment, to be a bridge between the Infinite and the finite. Like the vertical line it resembles, Vav stretches from the heights of the heavens down into the depths of the earth, reminding us that true transformation is found not in escape, but in embodied connection.
• Shin (ש) – Symbolizes the eternal flame of Supernal truth, the sacred fire that continuously burns upon the altar of the soul. In the inner Israelite tradition, shin represents the transformative energy of fire, not as a force of destruction, but of refinement and elevation. Just as fire purifies gold, shin alludes to the inward spiritual process that burns away impurities and reveals the essence of holiness within. Being it is a character with three lines, shin is the flame of the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, each “tooth” of the letter representing a pillar of holy consciousness. The middle flame, rising higher than the others, signifies the neshamah, the soul, yearning upward to unite with its Source. In the word “Shaddai” (שדי), one of the sacred titles of Elohim, shin expresses the Shekinah presence that dwells within the fire, the same fire that did not consume the bush before Moshe, but commissioned him. It is the same consuming, yet, sustaining flame that defines the walk of holiness: constant, passionate, and luminous.

Therefore, from these letters, we see that to live kadosh is to embody kedushah (holiness) and to choose a path that transcends the surface of life, while remaining deeply embedded in its unfolding. It means being present in the world, aware of its tribulations, trials, and temptations, yet unmoved by their allure. A kadosh life does not require isolation from culture, but a rootedness that allows you to walk through cultural noise without adopting its confusion. It is the art of engaging without conforming, of standing at the edge of superficiality and seeing through it with spiritual clarity.

In this light, we perceive that kedushah is not prideful or aloof; it is, rather, deeply humble. It begins with the inner posture of one who knows they are but a vessel, not the flame itself, but the wick through which the Heavnely fire burns. This receptivity creates a life that is continually being shaped and instructed by Heaven. The kadosh person is teachable, not rigid; broken open, not broken down. Their humility is their strength, because it keeps them aligned with the Source from which all true transformation ensues and flows.

But kadosh is not only an inner state, it is a bridge between the spiritual and the material. To be kadosh is to connect, to thread righteous intention into ordinary moments: how you speak, how you love, how you honor time, how you respond to injustice, how you keep your word. It is Torah not only in thought, but in touch and taste, in the way you make tea for a guest, how you drive behind the wheel, the way you rise to pray, the way you honor your parents and your children. Kedushah is not separated from the world but integrated into it, like light refracted through a prism, showing its fullness in the spectrum of everyday living, from the mundane to kadosh.

Above all, to be kadosh is to burn with a refining fire. It is to carry within you an eternal flame, not a fire that consumes in wrath, but one that purifies in love. This fire purges ego and selfishness, transforming pain into wisdom and desire into devotion. The kadosh person is passionate, not performative, but purpose-driven. Their passion is disciplined, channeled, and sacred. They don’t run from trials; they allow trials to burn away what is not essential so that only what is true and luminous remains. Think of it in terms of what Yahoshua embodied in relation to what we know as the Passion of Messiah.

Kedushah, in its fullest sense, is not a static condition, but a lifestyle of sacred becoming. It is to be set apart not by belief, clothing or slogans, but by the unmistakable radiance and deeds of one who has been touched by the Most High and, as a result, cannot remain the same as they were prior to their encounter. It is the manifestation of Heaven’s breath in human form, ever reaching, ever refining, ever renewing, ever restoring, ever reconnecting what has been lost back to the Eternal.

In previous articles of this series, particularly Transfiguration Movement #10: Prophetic Consciousness, we explored the idea that prophecy is not a performance but a flow from a purified vessel. Kedushah, similarly, is the process by which that vessel is refined, sanctified, and aligned with the will of Elohim. This lets us know, matter of factly, that there is a direct correlation between prophecy and kedushah, as kedushah is that state required for one to enter during their studies to receive prophetic consciousness. Comprehensively speaking, this is a full-immersion study, encompassing all aspects of life and requiring all aspects to be engaged in and with kedushah.

For Israelites the world over, it remains a long-standing tradition that children begin their formal Torah education not with Genesis, the book of beginnings, nor with Exodus, the story of liberation, but with Vayikra, the priestly book of Leviticus. This may seem counterintuitive at first glance, especially to modern minds so conditioned to linear, chronological learning or narrative-based introductions. But the sages offer a profound reason: “Let the pure begin with purity.” Children, whose souls are innocent and whose minds are receptive, are best suited to absorb the lessons of kedushah, consecration, and Heaven’s closeness to Earth that Leviticus offers. It’s not a storybook, but a manual for sanctity, a primer for living as a kadosh nation.

Considered the heart of the Torah, the scroll of Leviticus contains what is known as the Kedushah Code, a collection of commandments, ethical directives, and ritual instructions that covers chapters 17 to 26, but whose ideas and principles echo throughout the book. This code is not simply a list of religious rules, but a blueprint for moral living, personal discipline, community health, and spiritual alignment. The laws range from instructions on dietary habits, sexual ethics, economic justice (such as not exploiting workers or withholding wages), to rituals of purification and sacrifices. These aren’t arbitrary religious dictates; they are rooted in deep concern for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the individual and the nation.

While we were reading from Leviticus, the faith community to which I belong, Beit Mashiyach, just this past Shabbat referred to a powerful writing entitled, The Mosaic Law in Light of Modern Science by Dr. Allan Nelson, a physician and biblical scholar. In this work Dr. Nelson speaks to the timeless relevance of the instructions found within it’s pages. Illustrating how for more than 3 millennia many Levitical laws preceed modern understandings of hygiene, disease control, and mental wellness, Dr. Nelson states how, for instance, the quarantine practices found in Leviticus 13 regarding skin diseases, or the ritual handwashing and handling of the dead, mirror current health protocols designed to prevent contamination and protect public health. What ancient Israel understood as “clean” and “unclean” some 3500 years ago, can be seen today as a heavenly-inspired framework for hygiene and public safety.

Moreover, Dr. Nelson states that the Kedushah Code functions as a moral science an educational system for training the conscience and behavior of a society. He explains how its instructions cultivate mindfulness, reverence for life, and a sense of the Shekinah presence in the mundane. The command to love one’s neighbor as oneself stands at the center of these teachings and demonstrates that kedushah is not merely ritual purity but relational integrity. To be kadosh is to mirror Elohim’s justice, compassion, and order in every aspect of life.

Relational integrity like being who you say you are in relationship with others and yourself. It’s the commitment to being honest, respectful, and consistent in your interactions. It means aligning your words and actions with truth and love, upholding trust, and honoring the dignity of the relationship. It values and upholds accountability, empathy, and mutual growth, creating safe, open and transparent connections that reflect righteousness and wholeness, especially in the context of spiritual community or covenant living.

In this way, Leviticus is far more than just an ancient priestly manual. Leviticus can be considered more of a sacred curriculum for transformation, a guidebook for transfiguration. It teaches that kedushah is a lifestyle, not a label or a magical imputation. That is why the young of Israel start learning of Torah with this scrolls, so that kedushah is not put off as an advanced elective, but is firmly established as the foundational subject of life. From the earliest age, they learn that to draw near to Elohim is not to escape the world, but to engage it with sacred intentionality.

As youth become adults, learning from the oral tradition teaches us that when Israel was called “a kingdom of priests and a kadosh nation,” it wasn’t a compliment, it was a commission. The Midrash Tanchuma states that kedushah requires vigilance: “Just as I am kadosh, so too must you become kadosh through your actions, speech, and thoughts.” Again, kedushah is comprehive and holistic.

Kedushah transforms ordinary moments into aligned encounters. For instance, the matriarchs and patriarchs were not born kadosh, but through choices, obedience, reverence, and encounter, they became kadosh. Their lives became liturgies. Their bodies became altars.

To further illuminate this point, Rabbinic sages explain that kedushah is both a command and a possibility. Ramban (Nachmanides), commenting on Leviticus 19:2, says the command to “be kadosh” means to go beyond the letter of the law. It is about sanctifying the mundane, elevating daily life until all of it becomes an offering.

I cannot overstate that kedushah is not isolation, but integration, infusing work, relationships, art, even rest, with divine intention. The sages taught that every act: eating, walking, speaking, can be kadosh when done with consciousness of the Presence.

The Zohar also speaks of kedushah as “the garment of the soul,” enabling the soul to withstand and engage the Light of the Most High. Without this garment, we are exposed. But in it, we shine with the reflected glory of the Source.

In Transfiguration Movement #9: Transform by Renewing Your Mind, we learned that transformation begins in the thought realm and that, in order to manifest the change, it must move into the realm of being. Kedushah is that movement; it is the embodiment of transformation.

Transfiguration, our theme, is not merely about a single event (like Messiah’s metamorphosis on the mountain), but a lifestyle. Kedushah is the texture of that lifestyle being that it guards and sharpens the gates of our senses, refines our speech, and awakens awe. So when we embrace kedushah, we begin to resonate at the frequency of Heaven. Like the menorah lit in the Temple, we become bearers of light in a dark world.

Such is our call to kedushah.

We were not called to blend in, we were called to burn.
We were not redeemed to survive, we were sanctified to shine.
Kedushah is our perfection, it’s our pursuit.
It’s the yearning for closeness; closeness with YaH, closeness with one another, closeness with ourselves.
It is the courage to be different, the strength to say “no” to the profane so you can say “yes” to the kadosh.

Messiah Yahoshua ben Yoseph said:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

As I’ve previously written about before, the Hebrew word often translated as “perfect” is tamim, a word that means whole, complete, integrated. What Yahoshus is effectively doing with this statement is calling us to kedushah, to wholeness, to oneness with Elohim; in essence, he’s calling us back to ourselves.

So at this point, I can imagine you’re asking yourself, what can I do now to advance on my path in a more kadosh way? Well, I’m glad you asked! Here are a few steps that you can take to draw closer to our Father and King.

• Study the Torah: regularly and diligently engage the Word, individually and collectively, to understand the character, will, and ways of Elohim.
• Keep the commandments: Stregthen your walk with YaH by practicing faithfulness with sincerity and consistency as a daily lifestyle of set-apartness.
• Guard your gates – What you see, hear, and speak matters. Kedushah begins at the border of our being.
• Sanctify time – Light candles. Bless your meals. Observe a moment of stillness.
• Embrace distinction – Don’t be afraid to stand apart for the sake of the Kingdom.
• Be intentional – Whatever you do, do it with the awareness that you are hosting the Divine Presence.

Let us walk not just as believers but as kedoshim, burning ones, living, moving sanctuaries, kadosh tabernacles and temples, who shine with the splendor of our Father and King.

And the reign, and the rulership, and the greatness of the reigns under all the heavens, shall be given to the people, the set-apart ones of the Most High. His reign is an everlasting reign, and all rulerships shall serve and obey Him.’
Daniel 7.27

This excerpt from Daniel reminds us that kedushah is not merely a private virtue, it is a prophetic destiny. The kedoshim, are those who have undergone the inward transformation of kedushah and now radiate it outwardly through obedience, consecration, and purpose. This verse affirms that the inheritance of Heaven’s rule is reserved not for the casual believer, but for those transfigured by holiness into Kingdom citizens. This is the call of the Transfiguration Movement, to be the light that reveals the Kingdom through our lives, actions, and sacred identity.

Let our transfiguration contine, becuase creation is awaiting our kadosh rebirth and kadosh rule of the Most High!

Selah…