Parshas Emor commences with a series of laws which apply to Kohanim, including the prohibition of becoming tamei (impure) by exposure to a corpse and proscribing the performance of various actions which defile the body. The Torah does not specify the reason for these regulations until the sixth pasuk of the parshah, whereupon we read, "They shall be holy to their God, and they shall not desecrate His Name, for they perform sacrificial service to God and must be holy." (21:6). Until this pasuk, the Torah mysteriously presents the various special prohibitions that pertain to Kohanim without providing the reason for these prohibitions.

This is quite puzzling, especially when contrasted with Parshas Kedoshim, in which Hashem first declares, "Speak unto Bnei Yisroel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, your God, am holy", directly after which the parshah proceeds to present dozens of mitzvos, which - according to the simple understanding of the text - are the practical fulfillment of the command to be holy, such that the Torah instructs that we become holy by engaging in the mitzvos immediately presented. In stark contrast to Parshas Kedoshim, Parshas Emor lacks an introductory statement which explains that the mitzvos about to be presented are for the purpose of becoming holy. What is the reason for this quite unusual format?

The manifestations of kedushah which we find in Parshas Emor differ with the manifestations of kedushah (holiness) found in previous parshiyos. In previous parshiyos, kedushah was attained by serving God, or by Man endowing kedushah upon people or objects - as in the case of the Mishkan and korbonos (sacrifices) - as part of a personal religious quest. Parshas Emor radically departs from this vision and introduces a new type of kedushah - that which is endowed without spiritual attainment or an act of dedication to Hashem. The kedushah we find in Parshas Emor is a legal kedushah, such as that of the Kohanim and the Moadim (Festivals), which exists regardless of spiritual attainment or dedication to Hashem. Although the origins of these forms of kedushah can be traced to spiritual achievements and events, the kedushah of Kehunah (Priesthood) and the Moadim exist as permanent states engendering ritual requirements regardless of anything else. Even if a Kohen feels uninspired and does not exemplify a life of kedushah, and even if one has no sense of connection to Hashem on yom tov and desecrates the day, the Kohen and the holiday retain their complete kedushah.

It is precisely because the legal kedushah in Parshas Emor exists without special achievement that it needs no introduction. Parshas Kedoshim exhorts us to be holy and then instructs us how to do so. In Parshas Emor, the holiness is not a goal; on the contrary, it requires no merit in order to exist, and it is for this reason that the Torah omits an introductory statement about kedushah at the beginning of Parshas Emor, as the types of kedushah featured in the parshah pre-exist independent of present spiritual accomplishment.

After detailing the mitzvos of the Moadim, the Torah (24:1-9) inexplicably presents the mitzvah of the Menorah and the Lechem Ha-Panim ("Showbread"). Although these mitzvos were basically already introduced in Sefer Shmos, they appear in Parshas Emor, for they were featured in Sefer Shmos with regard to their role in constructing the Mishkan, whereas they appear in Parshas Emor as permanent mitzvos. (Rashi on 24:2) The Menorah symbolizes the Shechinah (God's Presence) dwelling among the Jews (Rashi on 24:3, from Shabbos 22b), while Lechem Ha-Panim represents God's sustenance of Man (see Ramban on Shmos 25:24). Both of these mitzvos remind us that behind the scenes of daily living, Hashem is present are takes care of the world; His involvement and interaction are hidden yet certain and great. Lest one think that the world is self-sufficient and devoid of the Divine as a dynamic Force, the Menorah and Lechem Ha-Panim remind one quite of the contrary.

This concept elucidates the placement of these two mitzvos in Parshas Emor, smack after Parshas Ha-Moadim. The Menorah and Lechem Ha-Panim remind us that the legal and objective kedushah of the Kohanim and Moadim actually reflect deep and dynamic expressions of kedushah and must be addressed and appreciated as such. The Kohanim are holy because they perform Avodah (sacrificial service), and the Moadim are kadosh because they are periods in time when God revealed Himself to us and drew especially close to His nation. By juxtaposing the Menorah and Lechem Ha-Panim with the Moadim and kedushah of Kehunah, the Torah exhorts us to appreciate these forms of kedushah as manifestations of God's interaction with us and His ongoing and special relationship with His people. The Torah bids us to relate to even legal kedushah on a passionate level, realizing its deep and very real spiritual essence.

It is not unheard of for some people who are very meticulous with mitzvos to perform them by rote and to possibly live uninspired lives; such people may even learn Torah regularly. Parshas Emor tells us that this is not enough. One must not only observe and learn Torah, but one must sense and internalize it, conscious that behind the Torah's regulations are the Torah's values, outlook and attitude, which the Jew must embody. This is the underlying message of Parshas Emor.