To walk in all His ways

At the end of our parasha, we find a verse that contains some of the most important theological concepts of Judaism: “For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the L-rd, your G-d, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him” (Devarim 11:22). Herein we find the obligations to fulfill Hashem’s mitzvot, love Him, draw close to Him, and “walk in all His ways” — “lalechet bechol derachav.”

The commandment lalechet bechol derachav is found in various textual formulations no less than eight times throughout Sefer Devarim. This repetition is very significant, since it is an accepted principle of Torah exegesis that multiple instances of a phrase or a word demonstrate its singular import. If this is true regarding a word or a phrase, it is certainly the case regarding a mitzvah. 

The Sifrei on Sefer Devarim helps define the parameters of this mitzvah. In so doing, it helps us understand the classic Jewish emphasis upon sensitivity to others, and our people’s desire to help the vulnerable among us:

“It is surely the case that just as the Omnipresent One is called merciful, so, too, should you be merciful.  [Just as] the Holy One blessed be He is called gracious, so, too, should you act graciously [toward others]. As the text states: ‘The L-rd is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness’ (Tehillim 145:8) … The Omnipresent One is called righteous, as the text states: ‘For the L-rd is righteous; He loves [workers of] righteousness, whose faces approve of the straight [way]’ (ibid., 11:7), so, too, should you be righteous. The Omnipresent One is called kind, as the text states: ‘I will not let My anger rest upon you, for I am kind, says the L-rd; I will not bear a grudge forever’ (Yirmiyahu 3:12). So, too, should you be kind [to others]” (Piska 49).

Herein, the Sifrei presents a number of Hashem’s attributes of action that are found throughout the Tanach, and urges us to behave in exactly the same manner. This idea is classically known as imitatio Dei (the emulation of the Almighty), and receives its most celebrated presentation in the following Talmudic passage:

“Just as Hashem clothed the naked [in the case of Adam and Chava] … so, too, should you clothe the naked. Just as Hashem visited the sick [in the case of Avraham after his brit milah] … so, too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He comforted the mourners [in the case of Yitzchak after Avraham’s passing] … so, too, should you comfort the mourners. Just as the Holy One blessed be He buried the dead [in the case of Moshe] … so, too, should you bury the dead” (Talmud Sotah 14a).

This statement is the basis for a famous halachic ruling of Maimonides that defines many of the essentials of Jewish communal life:

“It is a positive commandment of Rabbinic origin to visit the sick, comfort mourners, to prepare for a funeral, prepare a bride, accompany guests, attend to all the needs of a burial, carry a corpse on one’s shoulders, walk before the bier, mourn, dig a grave, and bury the dead, and also to bring joy to a bride and groom and help them in all their needs. These are deeds of kindness that one carries out with his person that have no limit” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avel 14:1).

Closer to our own time, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt”l, known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, adds an entirely new dimension to our understanding of this commandment:

“We have an obligation to imitate G-d, and by offering Him appropriate praise, we learn about and appreciate His attributes. The desire to be like Him, to fashion our deeds after a Divine design, is understandable if seen against the background of a relationship based on a passionate love. This emotion expresses itself in an overpowering longing for the complete identification of the lover with the beloved” (Out of the Whirlwind: Essays on Mourning, Suffering and the Human Condition, pages 197-198).

The Rav teaches us that we are not merely required to “fashion our deeds after a Divine design.” Far more profoundly, we yearn to do so, because of our overwhelming love of the Master of the Universe, Who is our Yedid Nefesh — the Beloved of our Soul.