Holiness drawn into the physical world

במד' רוממות אתה נוהג בעולמך כו'.

In the Midrash: "With exaltedness You conduct Your world" etc.

The Midrash teaches that Hashem governs His world in a way that constantly elevates it, raising each part to a higher level.

כהונה לאהרן קדושה לישראל.

Kehunah (priesthood) to Aharon, kedushah (holiness) to Yisrael.

Just as Aharon was singled out for the holiness of the priesthood, Klal Yisrael as a whole was granted a portion of kedushah.

פי' שיכולין לעורר הקדושה גם בעוה"ז אע"פ שעיקר הקדושה הפרישות מעוה"ז.

The explanation: that one can awaken kedushah even within olam hazeh (this world), even though the essence of kedushah is perishus (separation, withdrawal) from this world.

Although holiness in its root means stepping back from worldly matters, Bnei Yisrael have the power to draw that holiness down and arouse it even within physical, worldly life.

מ"מ בכל דבר יש ניצוצי קדושה מכ"ש במעשה איש הישראלי.

Nevertheless, in every thing there are nitzotzei kedushah (holy sparks) — how much more so in the deeds of a Jewish person.

Holy sparks are hidden in all of creation, and certainly the actions of a Yid carry within them sparks of kedushah waiting to be revealed.

וז"ש מרום לעולם ה' פי' אף בעולם עצמו שהוא העמדת הטבע בגשמיות עכ"ז יש בו התרוממות הוית הבורא ית'.

And this is the meaning of "You are exalted forever, Hashem" (Tehillim 92:9) — meaning that even within the world itself, which is the establishment of nature in physicality, there is nonetheless the exaltedness of the existence of the Borei Yisbarach (the Creator).

The verse hints that even within physical nature — the very fabric of the material world — the elevated presence of Hashem's being is to be found.

ופי' קדושים תהיו ע"פ מ"ש חז"ל בלשון הוי' בהויתו יהא.

And the meaning of "You shall be holy" (Vayikra 19:2) is according to what Chazal said regarding the language of "havayah" (being): "it shall remain in its [original] state of being."

Chazal use the term "havayah" to mean something that stays exactly as it essentially is; "be holy" means to remain true to your innermost, unchanging essence.

וכל שאין עצם הנפש משתנה מהויתו הלא הוא חלק אלקי ממעל והוא קודש.

And so long as the essence of the soul does not change from its [true] state of being, it is indeed "a portion of the Divine from above," and it is holy.

The Jewish soul is literally a piece of the Divine; when a person stays loyal to that essential self and does not let it become distorted, he remains holy.

כי קדוש אני ה' אלקיכם.

For "I, Hashem your God, am holy."

The source of this holiness is Hashem Himself, who declares His own kedushah as the root of ours.

פי' שהכתוב גילה לנו כי אלקותו ית' חל עלינו כמו שהוא קדוש.

The explanation: that the verse reveals to us that His Godliness rests upon us in the very way that He is holy.

The pasuk discloses that Hashem's own holiness is extended onto Bnei Yisrael, so that His Godliness actually dwells upon us.

כי בוודאי הש"י מהוה כל הוה.

For certainly Hashem Yisbarach brings into existence everything that exists.

All existence — without exception — is continuously brought into being by Hashem at every moment.

כל אחד כפי ערך המקבל.

Each one according to the measure of the receiver.

Hashem's life-force flows to every creation, but each receives it according to its own capacity and level.

וגם חיות הבלתי קדוש הוא מהבורא ית' בהשגחה והתנהגות רחוקה.

And even the vitality of that which is not holy comes from the Borei Yisbarach, through a distant hashgachah (providence) and conduct.

Even profane, unholy things receive their life-force from Hashem — but only through a remote, concealed mode of providence.

אבל אלקותו על בנ"י הוא בבחי' קדוש אני ה' אלקיכם שם הוי' ב"ה.

But His Godliness upon Bnei Yisrael is in the aspect of "I, Hashem your God, am holy" — the Name Havayah (the Tetragrammaton), blessed is He.

Bnei Yisrael, by contrast, receive Hashem's presence directly and intimately, through the holy Name Havayah, in the mode of closeness and holiness.

ולכן קדושים תהיו.

And therefore, "You shall be holy."

Because Hashem's own holiness rests upon Bnei Yisrael directly, they are commanded — and empowered — to be holy.

וז"ש במד' רוממות אתה נוהג שאף שמלכותו בכל משלה מ"מ הוא מנהיג כל פרט באופן אחר שמתרומם זה מזה כנ"ל:

And this is the meaning of the Midrash, "With exaltedness You conduct [Your world]" — that although His kingship rules over all, nevertheless He governs each particular in a different way, such that one is elevated above the other, as explained above.

Hashem reigns over everything, yet He conducts each created thing individually, raising each to its own measure of holiness — with Bnei Yisrael receiving His presence most intimately of all.

Summary: Though the essence of kedushah is separation from the material world, Bnei Yisrael have the power to awaken holiness even within physical life, because holy sparks of Hashem's presence are hidden in everything. The Jewish soul is a literal portion of the Divine, and Hashem extends His own holiness directly onto Bnei Yisrael through the Name Havayah — so the command "you shall be holy" is really a call to remain faithful to one's innermost Divine essence.