Parashat Shoftim

 B'SD

Parashat Shoftim 

תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה עִם ה אֱלֹקיך

Placed in between two sections of the Torah discussing the prohibition against consulting with sorcerers of the foreign nations lies this pasuk instructing us to be tamim with HaKadosh Barukh Hu.

Rashi explains that we are commanded to wholeheartedly trust HaShem with what life brings us without trying to see into the future. Only then will we be "im HaShem Elokecha" - with HaShem our G-d.

The Ramban writes that we must focus exclusively on HaShem Yitbarakh, recognizing that everything emanates from Him alone (and not from sorcerers or masters of magic), and all that occurs depends on the level of our relationship with Him.

The word tamim has a double entendre. It can mean 'simple' but also translates as 'complete'. So how can we reconcile the two? It's completely simple (yes, that was a pun, go back and read it again).

The Sefat Emet elaborates on this pasuk on a deeper level. This verse of being tamim appears in the midst of a prohibition against the use of witchcraft in the attempt to know the future. People pursue such knowledge precisely because they sense their incompleteness. The search for the future is a reflection of human anxiety and insecurity. Often times we tend to ignore our relationship with HaShem on a quest to find the answers ourselves. But what we fail to realize is that HASHEM YITBARAKH IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE ANSWERS WE SEEK!

If we look closely, we realize that the pasuk is  careful to say, not simply, tamim tehiyeh, that you will be perfect and whole on your own, but tamim tehiyeh im Hashem Elokekha, that you will be able to reach this kind of shelemut, this kind of wholeness, only by being WITH HaShem Yitbarakh; we are incomplete otherwise.

So how can we be WITH HasShem and make Him part of us in order to reach this state of 'completion'?

The answer lies within us; literally.

Inside each and every single one of us is a piece of HaShem. HaKadosh Barukh Hu is already within us to complete us. Rabbi Flaum pointed out to me that we are not only made in the image of HaShem, we actually are made OF Him! Can you imagine? HaKadosh Barukh Hu, in all His Glory and Sanctity, divests a part of Himself and 'installs' it in lowly creatures of flesh and blood like us. Think about how deep this concept is. Inside you, right now, you are composed of the spirit of your Creator, the Master of the ENTIRE UNIVERSE. YOU! Do you realize how special and kadosh (holy) you must be if HaShem, Ribono Shel Olam, decides to rest a part of Himself within YOU? Knowing this, we must ensure that we sanctify our all actions and thoughts. We must act like the G-dly people we were personally designated to be. Do not ignore your mission in this life. Think about this concept over again on your own over Shabbat Be'ezrat HaShem.

Okay, so Barukh HaShem we got the 'complete' part down. Now, what does 'simple' mean?

Simple is the means by which we become complete. Allow me to explain. To become complete, we must cling unto HaShem; this is called devekut. The way by which we can reach this level is through Tefillah (prayer). Prayer, in our own words, is the most simple way we can bind to HaShem and seek those answers we are looking for. Rabbi Nahman of Breslev tells us we should constantly speak to HaShem as we speak to our fellow.It does not get more simple than that! Remember, it is not our bodies that clig to HaShem; infact, our  physical bodies serve as a resisting force to our spiritual Neshama HaKedosha (holy soul) from binding to HaShem. We must establish a means by which we can directly connect our Neshama, that Holy piece of HaShem, to HaShem Himself. And so, when we pray, our Neshama literally unites with its Creator, its original Source; they become One. This is true completion. This is the state of temimut. BY SIMPLY OPENING OUR MOUTHS AND HEARTS, WE UNITE WITH HASHEM, WE BECOME COMPLETE AND WE ARE THEN DESERVING OF THE ANSWERS WE LOOK FOR. Just daven!

This is a very important concept to keep in mind as we approach Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. We must daven for our past, our present and Be'ezrat HaShem, our futures. May HaKadosh Barukh Hu answer all our Teffliot le'Tova ve'le'Berakha at the right time. Wishing you a beautiful Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!!!!!!!!

Ariella Samimi