In Pursuit of Holiness: Five Practical Tips

1. Keep Your Body, Clothing, and Space Clean

The Pele Yoetz, in his entry on taharah (purity), highlights how hard it can be for a person to truly serve Hashem if he is spiritually disconnected. In such moments, he advises focusing on physical cleanliness as a gateway to spiritual purity. "Through bodily purity," he writes, "one can attain purity of the soul."

He urges not only personal cleanliness, but also encourages adults to ensure children remain physically clean so their souls can develop in purity. "Because bodily purity leads to purity of the soul, a person must be careful with it—perhaps it will help him grow in Torah, awe, love, joy, and wholehearted service."

This includes:

• Washing one’s hands upon waking, before prayer, and before Torah study

• Avoiding touching parts of the body during learning or prayer

• Ensuring one’s clothing is clean and free from filth or stains

• Maintaining a clean and respectful space for prayer and blessings

The Zohar teaches, “For the Divine Presence to dwell upon a person, he must purify both himself and his dwelling.” The Pele Yoetz explains that when someone strives for cleanliness in body and garments, Heaven helps them gain understanding in Torah and a deeper love and awe of Hashem.

2. Pray to Merit Holiness and Purity

The blessing Me’ein Shalosh includes the powerful request: “We shall bless You… with holiness and purity.” Great Torah scholars made a point of eating foods that conclude with this blessing so they could regularly ask Hashem for purity and holiness. It’s a small act that opens a spiritual doorway.

3. Be Diligent in Washing Your Hands

Washing one’s hands—netilat yadayim—before meals and prayers is not only a mitzvah, but a means of achieving deep spiritual repair. Rabbi Aharon of Zhitomir, in Toldot Aharon, teaches that by washing one’s hands properly—even without deep mystical intentions—one can still achieve profound tikkunim (spiritual remedies) in higher realms.

He explains that when one blesses properly on netilat yadayim, haMotzi, and Birkat HaMazon, even simple eating becomes an act of Divine service. The meal turns into a kind of altar, and the food becomes like a korban (offering) to Hashem.

4. Immerse in a Mikveh

Immersing in a mikveh (ritual bath) is like being born anew. Just as a baby is surrounded by water in the womb, so too one who immerses themselves is surrounded with “primordial” waters and is reborn—cleansed of impurity and spiritually renewed. The transformation is not just symbolic—it is deeply real.

5. Pause and Reflect Before Doing a Mitzvah

In Mesillat Yesharim, the Ramchal teaches that one of the keys to acquiring the trait of purity is mental preparation. “Do not rush into a mitzvah suddenly,” he writes. “Take a moment to ready yourself and consider what you are about to do and before Whom you are doing it.”

This moment of reflection allows a person to remove distractions and focus their heart on what they're doing. In doing so, even routine mitzvot take on powerful spiritual meaning.