picture idea by Boaz Davidoff 
When I was working in our family business in jewelry, our family used to bank at Merchant’s Bank of New York. There was a popular employee at the bank who was working as a teller at the same counter for twenty five years. I once asked my father if he’s Jewish. He responded, “probably not, he’s been a teller for twenty five years and it’s not “Jewish” to stay in the same position for that long a period of time”.
What is it about our people that we can’t stay in one place? We Jews also have a competitive edge that is second to none. If our friend buys a new car, we’ll go out and get a nicer car. Whether its moving to a better neighborhood, a higher paying job, a fancier car etc. we Jews are always on the move. It seems like we have ants in our pants…..Why?
We learn a common trait about Jews in this weeks Parsha, Bechokotai. “IM BECHUKOTAI TELECHU”- if you go in my ways, “TELECH” – go. We’re always moving. Since we are the chosen people, G-d instilled in all of us the ability to rise to spiritual heights. Therefore, we are never satisfied to stay in one position. There is that craving, a hunger, for a higher spiritual pleasure.
When the Torah describes an angel, it characterizes it as OMED- standing still. He has one mission and is programmed to do just that, hence he’s stationary. We, on the other hand, have a NESHAMA- a soul, and the mechanism as to how the soul is supposed to function is found in the word NESHAMA itself. The magic word is SHAM- there. Our mission is to go there. Where is there? We have one simple option, either to follow or not to follow the laws of the Torah.
The message of this week’s parsha tells us that “if you go in my ways, then I will always be with you- HITHALACHTI BEHTOCHAM. There is a certain bracha that will always follow you. The same usage of the word “go” is used. The reason again is because man was meant to constantly be moving toward the perfect state. He either moves up or down, but always he moves. The competitive edge has to be channeled correctly. Then, and only then, G-d will be with you. He will be with you in this world and the next.
Leave a Reply