Parshat Acharei Mot and Parshat Kedoshim

Click to read the basic information regarding Parshat Acharei Mot and Parshat Kedoshim.

Here are some previous posts of mine on those parshiot:

• Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Startling omissions


• Kedoshim: A reflection of its era

And here's my pet peeve: Why do some people seem to insist on following exclusively the rabbinic interpretation of "Lo t’kalel cheresh (Do not mock the deaf . . . ) v’lifnei iver lo titen michshol (and in front of a blind person do not put a stumbling block)" . . . (Parshat Kedoshim, Leviticus chapter 19, verse 14). The rabbis interpreted this phrase to mean that one should not mock a person who's not there (and/or able?) to defend him/herself, and that one should refrain from tempting a person to sin or leading a person to sin out of ignorance. That's an excellent interpretation, but I'm a strong believer that one should also pay attention to the literal meaning (p'shat) of this text, and I have good reason to insist on this.