Thursday, June 2, 2016

Multitasking in the Torah: to study and to observe - Bechukotai

Parashat Bechukotai  Leviticus 26:3 - 27:34


     The first verse of Bechukotai (Lev 26:3) reads: “Im Bechukotai teilchu v’et mitzvotai tishmoru v’asitem otam” which is translated as “If you follow My laws and faithfully observe my commandments...” There is so much here in this one brief and unfinished sentence!
     It contains two different sets of words, bechukotai (statutes) and mitzvotai (commandments) and then teilchu (follow), tishmoru (observe), and v’asitem (do).
     First we have two types of laws. A chok is a statute for which we do not know the reason. A mitzvah is a commandment or code of law, and is the general category under which all laws fall. 
     Then we have a set of action words: teilchu, tishmoru and v’asitem.  Rashi (11th century) comments that “Follow my laws” would seem to mean “Observe my commandments.” Seems redundant, doesn’t it? We are taught, however, that the Torah doesn’t waste words. So what is the reason in this verse? Rashi explains that “follow my laws” means that one should labor in the study of Torah and “keep my commandments” means that one should actually perform the commandments. His proof text for this distinction is from Deut 5:1 “Hear, O Israel, the laws and rules that I proclaim to you this day! Study them and observe them faithfully.”  
     So what is this verse telling us? The most obvious explanation is that it is a set up for the rest of the parsha – the over 40 verses that lay out the rewards for following God’s commandments and the negative consequences if we do not.  We are given another explanation in verse 13, a frequent Torah explanation found in the Torah: ... because “I am the Lord your God.” Therefore we must follow, observe and do all that we are told to do. One practical explanation and one theological explanation; neither however satisfy the reason for the specific words found in this verse. 
     My understanding of the verse is as follows: We are not automatons. God created us with free will, intellect and curiosity. It is quite difficult for us to simply “do” anything. Rashi’s explanation begins to make even more sense.  The verse is telling us that the proper way to keep the commandments and to observe God’s laws is to study them and to understand them as best as we can.  Simultaneously, we must also do them. This isn’t an and/or situation. We follow, study, observe, and do the commandments all at the same time. 
     We observe God’s laws even if they don’t make sense to us while at the same time learning as much as we possibly can about them to satiate that intense craving for knowledge that God instilled in us as humans. What a wonderful life lesson this is. Sometimes we just have to do what we are told, even or especially if we don’t understand the why of the request. But knowledge, and particularly the ability to acquire knowledge, is a powerful thing.  So we learn as much as possible to teach us the following lesson: sometimes we can understand what is being asked of us and sometimes we can’t, despite our best efforts. But if we believe and know that we’ve done the best learning and exploring that we can, then we will be able to accept this obligation as well as the attendant consequences. It’s what it means to live a life as a Jew. 

Food for Thought:
~Are there times in your life when you’ve been told to do something that you thought made no sense? 
~Did you do it anyway? How did you feel about it? 
~Did you try to ultimately learn the reason for the request? 
~I discovered a wonderful website called The Famous Abba.  Tin a post titled “Chukim, mishpatim and ice cream” it lays out the differences between these Torah laws in a way that is funny and for children. Check it out - http://thefamousabba.com/chukim-mishaptim-and-ice-cream/

First printed in washingtonjewishweek.com