BeChukotai
Reb Shlomo Minyan HarNof
(R. Raphael, email: [email protected])
"If you go in My statutes and keep My commandments, I will provide rain at the right time so that the land will bear its crops and the trees their fruit" (VaYikra 26:3-4) And David HaMelech said, "Master of the Universe! Every day I make my plans and decisions to go here or there but my feet always bring me to the Beit Kenesset (House of Study).
And the Beit Kenesset means the place of in-gathering, bringing everything into holiness - the awareness that every thing and every place in the world gets its existence from Hashem. Although each has its individuality, in their essence all draw their life from the same Gdly Source. And when we find the real innermost point in things we become witnesses for Hashem Who radiates the inner life of all the worlds.
And this work represents man's deepest desire - to bring his own innermost being to Hashem. Although he begins with intellect and understanding, the deepest yearning behind his endeavor is the desire to cleave to Hashem till he experiences that intellect itself comes from the Divine. But this is only possible to reach by continuously weighing things and refining his knowledge and wisdom.
And this is what the pasuk means, "If you will go in My chukim"- if My words to you will surpass the mundane levels which you comprehend according to your own understanding - if your study of Torah will touch the mystery of the Creator that His commands are statutes to which your intellect can aspire to grasp through infinite levels of understanding. Through this you can cleave to Hashem through His Torah. And this is the holiness of constantly toiling in Torah - the effort it takes to leave behind one level of wisdom for a higher level and to comprehend more so that he can go on from there to an even more exalted wisdom. (Sefat Emet 204)
Mitzvot
There are twelve commandments in parashat B'Chukotai. Many deal with how to assess the value of a pledge made to the Temple. Others deal with exchanging animals designated as offerings.
at a glance
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