Purposeful walking
Behar Bechukotai (Leviticus 25:1-27:34)
The verb "walking" appears in various places. ,
We are assured in the Torah portion of Bechukotai of the following:
“If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit…” (Vayikra/Leviticus 26:3.4).
In addition to all of the physical blessings, we read that the result of such a walk will also bring great spiritual blessing.
“And I will place My dwelling in your midst, and My Spirit will not reject you; I will walk among you and be your G-d, and you will be My people." (ibid 26:11-12)
The words “If you walk in my statutes,” is an unusual formulation. It could or should have said:If you fulfill or if you obey My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them..etc.
What can we learn from the words ” If you walk in my statutes?"
Furthermore what is the difference between ” walking in the statutes” and “keeping the commandments”
In truth “Keeping the commandments” is an understandable concept. Obedience to the Higher Will is the path of elevated understanding and destiny. So what does “walking in the statutes” essentially convey?
If “Keeping” the commandments” is the method and pathway of obedience to a higher purpose.
Walking in the statutes on the other hand is then the pathway of elevated faith.
The Hebrew word for the law defined and rooted in the five books of Moses called the Torah is halacha. The root of the word isהלך -- to walk.
Halacha is not simply a set of rules and structure. It is a walk of life, hand in hand with the Divine. Understanding the essence of this walk of faith is critical for understanding the Jewish view of man’s purpose on this earth.
When G-d tells Abraham “lech lecha” go unto the land which I will show you, that too was Halacha for Abraham. Not only did it involve obedience and faithfulness it necessitated faith. Abraham was bidden to go forth into an unknown future.
There were others in the Bible that “walked with G-d” such as Adam and Noah. But that was not the situation with Abraham. He was bidden by G-d to “walk before Me.”
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Hashem appeared to Abram, and said unto him: 'I am G-d Almighty; walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted. ( Genesis 17:1)
That is a completely different relationship with G-d.
Walking with G-d involves complete dependence on G-d and a complete abandonment of self. Walking before G-d involves tapping into the deepest wellsprings of the soul. Abraham was asked to struggle to find that unique and Divine part of his self and use that to go before G-d, to walk in faithfulness into the unknown armed only with his faith.
Even the unusual structure in the verse is instructive. Abraham is bidden to, “lech lecha” – “go unto yourself.” Abraham was essentially told that this walk of obedience, this walk in faith was actually a walk into Abraham’s own spiritual core and would be guided by that unique Divine spark that lay embedded in his soul.
As it was with Abraham so it would be with every Jewish soul. So it will eventually be with all of mankind.
Yet even such a walk cannot be random or blind. Every step must be purposeful and driven
This is made clear further in the Tochecha( the admonitions) in the book of Leviticus (Lev.26:3-43) ;
”And if in spite of these things you will not be corrected unto Me, but will walk contrary (Keri) unto Me; then will I also walk contrary (Be-Keri) unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.”(Vayikra/Leviticus 26:23-24)
Maimonides in Hilkhot Ta’aniyot (1:3) in keeping with the understanding of Rashi translates keri not as “contrary or odious” as some traditional scholars do but rather as “happenstance”.
He writes;
But if people do not cry or sound the trumpets, and instead say, 'This occurred to us as the natural way of the world, and this crisis surfaced by happenstance' - this is an attitude of cruelty, and it causes them to become attached to their evil ways, and this crisis will bring upon further crises. This is what is said in the Torah, “And if you act towards Me be-keri; then I, too, will act towards you in the wrath of keri.” Meaning, when I bring a crisis upon you so that you repent, if you say that it occurs by happenstance, then I will add the wrath of that happenstance.
Essentially what Maimonides seems to be saying is that if the people react to the events of the world as if it is all “happenstance” then G-d will allow them to continue to experience the world in the random and happenstance fashion they have identified.
Without a sense of purpose our walk will inevitably be scarred by the bitter fires of random happenstance. The walk of destiny we embark on has to be purposeful .It has to be directed and faithful .otherwise we will be
LeRefuat Yehudit bat Golda Yocheved
