WALKING THAT GODLY WALK

Parashat Ekev

Av 22, 5781 / July 30-31, 2021

Torah: Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25
Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3 (Second Haftarah of Consolation)

 

Calendar and dedications follow below. For a full calendar of events and other info about Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier, check out: 

https://bnaihayim.org/   

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Elisheva bat Minnie Leah, Feigel bat Kreina, and D'vorah bat Feigel. 

 
Our TBH/CBM Rabbi Jason Van Leeuwen has a blog of Divrei Torah which you can read at:

https://rebjasonblog.wordpress.com/blog/ 

NO Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, August 3, and NO Cyber Torah next week. Both will resume the following week. 

Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.

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WALKING THAT GODLY WALK

 

“For if you diligently observe this entire commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Adonai your God, to walk in all God’s ways, and to cling to God...” Deuteronomy 11:22

 

Sifrei Deuteronomy 49:1 on the above verse teaches: “’To walk in all God’s ways’ – these are the ways of the Holy One – ‘gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in kindness and truth, assuring love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and granting pardon’”. (citing Exodus 34:6-7)

 

The verses from Exodus 34:6-7, cited by the Midrash Sifrei Deuteronomy, describe in part the 13 Middot (character traits) of God. These traits – grace, patience, kindness, forgiveness, etc. - are the basis for teaching and developing a virtue-based ethics, as in the Musar Movement in Judaism. This allows people to make correct moral decisions through character development, rather than by following a set of action-based rules, as in Halakhah. To Sifrei Deuteronomy, to walk in God’s ways is to emulate God’s moral character.

 

But earlier in this parashah, we have these verses:

 

“And now, Israel, what does Adonai your God ask of you? Only that you should hold in awe the Lord your God, to walk in all God’s ways, and to love God, and to serve Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12

 

“For the Lord … shows no favor and takes no bribe. God does justice for the orphan and widow, and loves the stranger, in providing them food and clothing. Therefore you must love the stranger; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:17-19

 

If we connect this latter set of verses, we see the Torah as teaching that walking in God’s ways is to emulate God’s actions, directed at our fellow human beings. We are to take no bribes, do justice, and love strangers by giving them companionship and providing for their physical needs.

 

So how do we walk in God’s ways? You already know the answer – we develop our character so we’ll do the right thing, and we do the right thing so we’ll develop our character.

 

Lace up those walking shoes!

Shabbat Shalom.

 
Richard A. Flom, Rabbi Emeritus
TBH/CBM
Sherman Oaks, CA
".איזה הוא חכם? הלומד מכל אדם"
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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