Community Torah Corner, May 27, 2022

In this week’s sidra of Bechukosay the opening verse states: “If you will go in my Chukim/statutes and keep my commandments and do them." Rashi there states that, although chukim/statutes usually refer to a certain type of mitzvoth- i.e. mitzvoth并没有被很好地理解，并且超越了理性，在这种情况下，它指的是以一种非常费力的方式学习Torah, 因此，一个人在他的Torah研究中真正发挥了巨大的作用. Rashi评论的原因是，如果它指的是受戒仪式, 这是重复的，因为下一节说:“你们要谨守遵行我的诫命。." However, one may still ask, 为什么不做相反的事情:让“如果你愿意进入我的chukim/律例”这句话指的是受戒仪式，然后应用“遵守我的诫命”这句话，以某种方式指的是Torah的学习. 显而易见的答案是，“如果你愿意遵行我的律法”这句话比“遵守我的诫命”这句话更适合与Torah的学习联系起来." But how so?

答案将会出现，基于不同类别的mitzvoth的定义. “mitzvah”这个词是一个通用的词，意思是“命令”，适用于Torah的任何诫命, both negative and positive, the don’ts and the do’s. 它也作为一种与那个发出命令的人联系的方式.  " mitzvah "这个词实际上与亚兰语有关tzavta” which means “connection”. All the mitzvoth are then subdivided into three categories:

 

In Hebrew, the holy tongue, 所有具有相似辅音的同音异义词都有某种语言上的联系. This applies to the case in point, the word chukim. The  singular of chukim is chuka, which shares similar consonants with the word chakika, which means “to carve”. Sefer Torah的字母被书写并叠加在上面, 两块石版上刻有十诫的字母, as part and parcel of the stone tablets. This refers to the deeper dimension of Torah study, 通过这种方式，Torah的字母和单词以更深的方式铭刻在人类的大脑中.

因此，在所有用来定义mitzvoth的三个单词中，单词chukim is the one which lends itself to also refer to Torah study. What remains to be understood is the connection between both meanings: (a) chukim as the suprarational mitzvoth (b) chukim as the deeper, carving dimension of Torah study.

正如Torah和Talmud的许多部分是理性的一样，足球外围平台必须记住，也有超理性的部分, esoteric dimension of Torah, sometimes referred to as the “soul of Torah”. 当苦读Torah时，这个维度更容易达到, with great effort, in a sense carving in the words of Torah into our brain. 这是因为Torah是神的智慧，完全与神合一，因为神是一. Ascribing specific separate parameters to the Divine wisdom, kindness etc… in effect takes away from the Divine Unity. Hence, as these Divine attributes of wisdom, kindness, severity, compassion etc…are totally included within the Divine unity, they too possess the Infinite Divine dimension.  As we approach Shavuot, the reenactment of Matan Torah, 让足球外围平台重新作出承诺，努力学习Torah，从而与它的无限维度紧密相连, as reflected in the word “chukosay/chukim” in this week’s sidra.