A thought on פרשת עקב
"...u'bo tidbak..." "...u'l'dovka bo...""...and cling to Him..." (10:20) "...and to cling to Him..." (11:22)
The Torah employs an impossible image here. Contrary to all of our theology, we are commanded to cleave, to cling to...HaShem, or to whatever ideal is symbolized in the verse. Indeed, Chazal offer a number of important thoughts about "what" we cling to in our efforts to actualize this concept of Who we "cling" to.
For the Recanati, however, the verses present no difficulty. Since the Name of HaShem which is most known to us is that of His Presence (see last week's parsha thought), we recall how the Torah here depicts the Shechina as "a consuming fire." This attribute in understanding something of the Divine is used elsewhere in the Torah, too. Now, we know that a mortal cannot cling to anything that burns with fire. Yet, within our mortal selves is a certain "spark", the pure neshama which is known as "the flame of HaShem." Flickering within each of us is that flame which naturally yearns to draw close to the Source. Our soul, the heavenly essence within, can cling to the sacred. It struggles to cling and constantly pushes on and in us for ascent and for transcendence. This is the commandment of the first verse, then. "Seek purity, seek affiliation with the Divine!" A flame naturally clings to fire.
The second verse takes it further. How do we put this struggle to cling and connect into practical terms? The second verse orders us "to walk in all His ways and to cling to Him." The instruction of "walking" is the way in which we implement the clinging. The Recanati spells this out: "do not disconnect yourselves from the Creator when you walk, or rest, or rise or speak. People who work at this become "receptors for the Divine", for the Presence accompanies them at all times."
The clinging which the Torah has us aspire to is for fulfillment of the soul, and is developed through turning our thoughts, feelings and energies to knowing the ways of HaShem.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
The Torah employs an impossible image here. Contrary to all of our theology, we are commanded to cleave, to cling to...HaShem, or to whatever ideal is symbolized in the verse. Indeed, Chazal offer a number of important thoughts about "what" we cling to in our efforts to actualize this concept of Who we "cling" to.
For the Recanati, however, the verses present no difficulty. Since the Name of HaShem which is most known to us is that of His Presence (see last week's parsha thought), we recall how the Torah here depicts the Shechina as "a consuming fire." This attribute in understanding something of the Divine is used elsewhere in the Torah, too. Now, we know that a mortal cannot cling to anything that burns with fire. Yet, within our mortal selves is a certain "spark", the pure neshama which is known as "the flame of HaShem." Flickering within each of us is that flame which naturally yearns to draw close to the Source. Our soul, the heavenly essence within, can cling to the sacred. It struggles to cling and constantly pushes on and in us for ascent and for transcendence. This is the commandment of the first verse, then. "Seek purity, seek affiliation with the Divine!" A flame naturally clings to fire.
The second verse takes it further. How do we put this struggle to cling and connect into practical terms? The second verse orders us "to walk in all His ways and to cling to Him." The instruction of "walking" is the way in which we implement the clinging. The Recanati spells this out: "do not disconnect yourselves from the Creator when you walk, or rest, or rise or speak. People who work at this become "receptors for the Divine", for the Presence accompanies them at all times."
The clinging which the Torah has us aspire to is for fulfillment of the soul, and is developed through turning our thoughts, feelings and energies to knowing the ways of HaShem.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 5:41 PM
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