Parshas Acharei Mos/Kedoshim



This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.





Question:

In chapter 19, the phrase "I am G-d" is repeated quite frequently. Why?





Imitatio Dei (Emulating G-d)





“God spoke to Moses, telling him to speak to the entire Israelite community and say to them: You must be holy, since I am God your Lord [and] I am holy” (Leviticus 19:1-2)



In this week's parshah, we are commanded to be "holy" and the reason given is "because I [G-d] am holy" (19:2).



The commandment to imitate G-d is actually one of the 613 commandments (Rambam Sefer HaMitzvos 8, Sefer HaChinuch 608/Ki Savo 3) and codified by the Rambam in his Mishnah Torah:



"We are commanded to walk in these intermediate paths, and they are good and straight paths as it states 'And you shall walk in His ways' [Deuteronomy 28:9]. [Our Sages] taught in explaining this mitzvah:

Just as He is called 'Gracious', you shall be gracious

Just as He is called 'Merciful', you shall be merciful

Just as He is called 'Holy', you shall be holy

In a similar manner, the prophets called G-d by other titles 'Slow to anger', 'Abundant in kindness', 'Just', 'Perfect', 'Almighty', 'Powerful', and the like to inform us that these are good and upright paths. A person is obligated to conduct himself with them and to resemble Him to the extant of his ability" (Hilchos Deos 1:6, according to the division by Mossad HaRav Kook).



Concluding his discussion of this mitzvah, the Chinuch (the anonymous author of the Sefer HaChinuch) writes:



"This mitzvah applies everywhere and at all times for males and females, and transgressing it and not striving to straighten his ways and conquer his drives and mend his thoughts and actions for loving the G-d and fulfilling this mitzvah, negate a positive [mitzvah]" (Sefer HaChinuch 608/Ki Savo 3).



(It is interesting to note that perfection of character traits may actually be considered Torah. Rav Baruch HaLevi Epstein quotes from one of the Rambam's letters "Without any doubt, everyone who fixes himself and his soul in perfecting the character traits and the opinions in faith in the Blessed Creator is among those destined for life in the world to come [literally Hu Mibnei Olam Habah], and thus the Sages of the Truth said 'even a non-Jew who involves himself in Torah is comparable to the high priest'…" Note how the source used by the Rambam says nothing about character traits, only Torah. (Torah Temimah Leviticus 18:5, Ches, my teacher Rav Kwass pointed this source out)).



According to the Rambam (Guide to the Perplexed 1:54), the mitzvah of emulating G-d is the ultimate purpose of knowledge of G-d:



After the sin of the Golden Calf, Moses made two requests to G-d:



1. “…[A]llow me to know Your ways, so that I will know how to [remain] pleasing to You…” (Exodus 33:13) which was answered with “'I will make all My good pass before you…” (Exodus 33:19).

2. “Please let me have a vision of Your Glory…” (Exodus 33:18) which was answered with “You cannot see My face. A man cannot see My face and life” (Exodus 33:20).



The Rambam explains the first request to refer to G-d’s actions and the second request to refer to G-d Himself. He notes that although we cannot know G-d Himself in any way, we can and must strive to know, from our perspective, His actions and modes of conduct. (Thus in the source quoted by the Rambam in Hilchos Deos it says "just as He is called X so must you be X")



The Rambam points to the fact that Exodus 33:13 says “…[A]llow me to know Your ways, so that I will know how to [remain] pleasing to You…” which he explains saying that the ultimate purpose of knowing G-d is to emulate Him.



Have a good Shabbas,
Mordechai