{"id":1444,"date":"2022-01-03T21:35:17","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T21:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=1444"},"modified":"2022-01-04T18:11:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T18:11:17","slug":"8-walking-in-g-ds-ways","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/8-walking-in-g-ds-ways","title":{"rendered":"8 Walking In G-d’s Ways"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitzvah 8<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Eighth Command: Walking in G-d\u2019s Ways<\/span><\/p>\n

By this injunction we are commanded to be like G-d [ praised be He] as far as it is in our power. Rambam, The Commandments Volume 1 page 11<\/span><\/p>\n

And the L-rd Passed by before him, and Proclaimed, The L-rd, The L-rd G-d, Merciful and Gracious, Long Suffering, and Abundant in Goodness and Truth: Shemot (Exodus) 34.6<\/span><\/p>\n

And the L-rd passed by before him, and proclaimed<\/span>,<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0HaShem – compassion before a person sins;<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. \u05d9\u05b0\u05d4\u05b9\u05d5\u05b8\u05d4<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0HaShem – compassion after a person has sinned;<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0G-d – Mighty in Compassion, to give all creatures according to their need;<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. \u05e8\u05b7\u05d7\u05d5\u05bc\u05dd\u00a0<\/span> Rachum – Merciful, that humankind may not be distressed;<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05e0\u05bc\u05d5\u05bc\u05df\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> Ve\u2019chanun – and Gracious if humankind is already in distress;<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. \u05d0\u05b6\u05e8\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e4\u05bc\u05b7\u05d9\u05b4\u05dd<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 Erech apayim – Slow to anger;<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. \u05d5\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d1 \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 Ve\u2019rav chesed – and Plenteous in kindness;<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. \u05d5\u05b6\u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b6\u05ea <\/span>\u00a0Ve\u2019emet – and truth;<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. \u05e0\u05b9\u05e6\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05dc\u05b8\u05d0\u05b2\u05dc\u05b8\u05e4\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd<\/span> Notzer chesed laalafim – Keeping kindness unto thousands<\/span>;<\/li>\n
  10. \u05e0\u05b9\u05e9\u05c2\u05b5\u05d0 \u05e2\u05b8\u05d5\u05b9\u05df<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 Noseh avon \u2013 Forgiving iniquity;<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. \u05d5\u05b8\u05e4\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1\u05b7\u05e2\u00a0 <\/span>Vafeshah \u2013 and transgression;<\/span><\/li>\n
  12. \u05d5\u05b0\u05d7\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b8\u05d0\u05b8\u05d4\u00a0<\/span> VeChata\u2019ah \u2013 and sin;<\/span><\/li>\n
  13. \u05d5\u05b0\u05e0\u05b7\u05e7\u05bc\u05b5\u05d4 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0VeNakeh \u2013 and Pardoning<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Who is a God like you, who Pardons iniquity, and Passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not Retain His anger forever, because He Delights in mercy:<\/span><\/p>\n

    He will again Have compassion upon us; He will Suppress our iniquities; and You will Cast all their sins into the depths of the sea:<\/span><\/p>\n

    You will Show truth to Jacob, and loving mercy to Abraham, as You have Sworn to our fathers from the days of old: Michah, 7:18-20<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \u05de\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d0\u05b5\u05dc \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05da\u05b8<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Who is a G-d like You,<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. \u05e0\u05b9\u05e9\u05c2\u05b5\u05d0 \u05e2\u05b8\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0Who Forgives sin,<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b9\u05d1\u05b5\u05e8 \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05e4\u05bc\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1\u05b7\u05e2<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and Passes over the transgression<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. \u05dc\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05e8\u05b4\u05d9\u05ea \u05e0\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05dc\u05b8\u05ea\u05d5\u05b9<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0of the remnant of His heritage?<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. \u05dc\u05b9\u05d0 \u05d4\u05b6\u05d7\u05b1\u05d6\u05b4\u05d9\u05e7 \u05dc\u05b8\u05e2\u05b7\u05d3 \u05d0\u05b7\u05e4\u05bc\u05d5\u05b9 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He does not Retain His anger forever,<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. \u05db\u05bc\u05b4\u05d9 \u05d7\u05b8\u05e4\u05b5\u05e5 \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d5\u05bc\u05d0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 because He Delights in mercy:<\/span><\/li>\n
    7. \u05d9\u05b8\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05d1 \u05d9\u05b0\u05e8\u05b7\u05d7\u05b2\u05de\u05b5\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0He will again Have compassion upon us;<\/span><\/li>\n
    8. \u05d9\u05b4\u05db\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1 \u05e2\u05b2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He will Suppress our iniquities;<\/span><\/li>\n
    9. \u05d5\u05b0\u05ea\u05b7\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05da\u05b0 \u05d1\u05bc\u05b4\u05de\u05b0\u05e6\u05bb\u05dc\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d9\u05b8\u05dd \u05db\u05bc\u05b8\u05dc \u05d7\u05b7\u05d8\u05bc\u05b9\u05d0\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and You will Cast all their sins into the depths of the sea:<\/span><\/li>\n
    10. \u05ea\u05bc\u05b4\u05ea\u05bc\u05b5\u05df \u05d0\u05b1\u05de\u05b6\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05d9\u05b7\u05e2\u05b2\u05e7\u05b9\u05d1<\/span> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0You will Show truth to Jacob<\/span>,<\/li>\n
    11. \u05d7\u05b6\u05e1\u05b6\u05d3 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05b7\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05b8\u05d4\u05b8\u05dd \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0and loving mercy to Abraham,<\/span><\/li>\n
    12. \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05c1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e9\u05c1\u05b0\u05d1\u05bc\u05b7\u05e2\u05b0\u05ea\u05bc\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0as You have sworn to our fathers<\/span><\/li>\n
    13. \u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05de\u05b5\u05d9 \u05e7\u05b6\u05d3\u05b6\u05dd\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 from the days of old:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The L-rd shall Establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He has Sworn to you, if you shall keep the Mitzvot of the L-rd your G-d, and walk in His\u00a0 Ways: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 28.9<\/span><\/p>\n

      HaShem Starts this with Mercy for that is what the name HaShem is.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Observe Everything from Aleph to Tav of the Commandments \u2013 HaShem \u2013 Eloheka \u2013 with Mercy and Judgment<\/span><\/p>\n

      Following the Path of Torah enables the soul to walk<\/em>. Studying the Torah and performing the Commandments enables us to move towards G-d.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Yom Kippur is not just about judgement and seeking good for the coming year but is mostly about devekut.\u00a0 This day is the only day in the year when we are allowed to be as close to HaShem as one can be in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The purpose of the soul, when it comes into the body, is to be rewarded with returning to its root and to cleave unto Him, while still clothed in the body, as it is written, to love the L-rd your G-d, and to walk in all His Ways<\/u>, and to keep His Mitzvot, and to cleave unto Him<\/em>. You see that the matter ends in to cleave unto Him<\/em>, as it was prior to clothing in the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

      However, great preparation is required\u2014which is to walk in all His Ways. Israel knows the ways of the Creator. Indeed, this is the meaning of Torah, that has 613 Mitzvot<\/em>. He who walks by them will finally be purified until his body will no longer be an iron partition between him and his Maker, as it is written, And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh<\/em>. Then he shall cleave unto his Maker just as he was before the clothing of the soul in the body.<\/span><\/p>\n

      It turns out that there are three discernments:<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Israel<\/strong>is he who strains himself to return to his root.<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. The\u00a0Creator<\/strong>, which is the root one longs for.<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. The\u00a0613 Mitzvot of Torah<\/strong>, by which one purifies one\u2019s soul and body. This is the spice, as it is written, I have created the evil inclination, I have created for it the Torah as a spice<\/em>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        In the end, any servant of the Creator attains them as single, united and unified discernment. They only appear to be divided into three because of one\u2019s incompleteness in the Way of God. http:\/\/www.kabbalah.info\/eng\/content\/view\/frame\/58582?\/eng\/content\/view\/full\/58582<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        The Holy One, Blessed be He, placed the yoke of Torah and Mitzvot upon the body so that it would become purified and sublimated by it, but the body regards this as an unwanted burden.\u00a0 \u2026purify and refine the body, and do not crush it by mortification.\u00a0 <\/span>The Mystical Dimension, Volume 1 Jacob Immandue; Schochet page 73<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        So too the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: My children,I Created an evil inclination, which is the wound, and I Created Torah as its antidote. If you are engaged in Torah study you will not be given over into the hand of the evil inclination, as it is stated: \u201cIf you do well, shall it not be lifted up?\u201d (Genesis4:7). One who engages in Torah study lifts himself above the evil inclination.<\/span><\/p>\n

        However, these three are actually one and the same<\/u>. Talmud \u00a0Kiddushin 30b<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        This is where mussar comes into play.\u00a0 Mussar is a Jewish spiritual practice that gives concrete instructions on how to live a meaningful and ethical life.\u00a0 Our inner drives, wounds and appetites often manifest as the Yetzer Hara (the Evil Inclination), actively preventing us from behaving as we know we should.\u00a0 Those who practice Mussar focus on the path towards being pious and saintly, by working on their individual spiritual challenges.\u00a0 Refining our emotions that drive us is what mussar teaches.\u00a0 Each of us comes into life with a G-d Given purpose.\u00a0 There is a path our soul is meant to follow.\u00a0 Our task is to define what that path is for each of us.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Everything that exists in our inner world is an aspect of our soul.\u00a0 Our personality, emotions, talents, desires, conscience and wisdom.\u00a0 Every faculty we ordinarily assign to the mind, like thought, logic, memory and forgetting, are features of our soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Creation is a work-in-progress toward restitution (tikkun), whereby all subjects of Creation work to return things to their proper place so that Creation\u2019s original plan can continue.\u00a0 Each creature\u2019s contemplation of heart and works \u2013 and its applications of power upon the inner universes. will return the Shekkinah to Her true place in unity with HaShem G-d.\u00a0 The eternal Sabbath will be regained.\u00a0 Window of the Soul James David Dunn page 21-22<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        So we should first learn HaShem\u2019s Ways, then begin to practice them applying the discipline our bodies need for refinement but we should not stop there.\u00a0 We need to refine our soul that has acquired so much that is not holy.<\/span><\/p>\n

        My son, keep the commands of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.\u00a0 Bind them always upon your heart, tie them upon your neck.\u00a0 When you walk, it shall lead you; when you lie down, it shall guard you, and when you awaken, it shall speak for you.\u00a0 For a Commandment is a Candle, and the Torah is Light, and disciplining rebukes are the way of life;\u00a0 Mishlei (Proverbs) 6.20-23<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

        To have true freedom of choice we must be able to control our emotions so that we can choose the correct path to take in any circumstance.\u00a0 Each and every moment of our lives is a Gift from our Creator.\u00a0 What we do with that gift is our choice.\u00a0 We often look back over times in our lives where in certain circumstances we wish we had made better choices.\u00a0 The past is the past and that cannot be changed. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We can, however begin a new path that will G-d Willing be full of better choices.<\/span><\/p>\n

        The meaning of the middle pillar of the Sefirot,<\/span><\/p>\n

        which is the meaning of<\/span><\/p>\n

        The Torah, the Creator, and Israel, are one<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Hence, when one is studying Torah, he should study Lishma. This means that he studies with the intention that the Torah will teach him, meaning as is the name of the Torah, which means 198 Shamati \u201cinstruction.\u201d And because \u201cthe Torah, Israel, and the Creator are one,\u201d the Torah teaches one the ways of the Creator, how He is clothed in the Torah.\u00a0 Shemati #78<\/span><\/p>\n

        May we try each day to learn about G-d, to follow His Ways and His Truth<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

        Blessings and Peace<\/span><\/p>\n

        Rebbetzin Revi<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Mitzvah 8 Eighth Command: Walking in G-d\u2019s Ways By this injunction we are commanded to be like G-d [ praised be He] as far as it is in our power.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1444","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-613-mitzvot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1444"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1450,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1444\/revisions\/1450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jewishpath.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}