The Weekly Sedra – Parshas Bechukosai

The Rebbe says:

1. The first verse of this week’s Torah portion reads, “Im Bechukosai Tay’lay’choo… – If you will go in My statutes (Chukim)…”

Our Sages tell us that when the Torah says, “My statutes (Chukim)”, it isn’t referring to Mitzvos (commandments); it is referring to learning Torah. Consequently when the Torah says, “If you will go in My statutes (Chukim)…” it is telling us that we should labor in Torah.

2. The Rebbe now asks a question on this:

There are three categories of Mitzvos; Testimonies (Eidus), Statutes (Chukim), and Laws (Mishpatim). Laws (Mishpatim) are the type of commandments that we would understand to do on our own even if the Torah was not given, Heaven Forbid. Testimonies (Eidus) are the type of commandments that make sense once the Torah tells us to do them; however we would not decide to keep them on our own if the Torah hadn’t been given, Heaven Forbid. Statutes (Chukim) are the type of commandments that do not make logical sense even after the Torah tells us to do them.

Bearing this in mind- that “Statutes (Chukim)” refer to things which do not make any logical sense- we must wonder why this verse would refer to the Torah as “Statutes (Chukim)”? Isn’t the Torah all about logic, reason, and understanding?

3. The Rebbe answers the question according to the Alter Rebbe:

The Alter Rebbe explains that the word “Bechukosai – Statutes” comes from the word “Chakikah – engraved”. Accordingly, when the Torah says, “Im Bechukosai Tay’lay’choo… – If you will go in My statutes (Chukim)…” it is hinting to us that our toiling in Torah must be in a way of “engraving”.

The advantage of something being engraved is not only that the letters come together with the object, because this also applies with ink and parchment. The advantage that engraved letters have over any other kind of writing is that the engraved letters only have form because of the object that they are engraved in. In other words, they have no other being other then the stone (for example) that they are engraved in.

This is what we mean when we say that the Torah demands of us to learn Torah “in a way of engraving”: It is not enough to come together with the Torah, because this means that there are still two entities- the person and the Torah. Only, we must become one with the Torah so that we are not a distinct entity; we are the Torah and the Torah is us.

An example of this kind of conduct can be seen from Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher), who was chosen to be Hashem’s messenger to give the Torah to the Jewish people: When Moshe Rabbeinu was giving over the words of Hashem to the Jewish people, he said, “And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle…” Moshe Rabbeinu referred to himself as if he was the one giving the grass for their cattle because he was completely one with Hashem and Hashem spoke through his throat.

4. The Rebbe now gives a second, simpler answer to our question as to why the verse would refer to the Torah as “Chukim – Statutes”:

A simpler meaning of the words “Im Bechukosai Tay’lay’choo… – If you will go in My statutes (Chukim)…” is that we should learn the Torah as we perform the Chukim, and Chukim are performed with complete Kabolos Ol (lit. “accepting the yoke”, meaning, unquestioning obedience). Being that Chukim are Mitzvos which are not understood intellectually, there is only reason we perform them- pure obedience (Kabolos Ol).

In other words, the Torah is telling us here that the very style of learning Torah where we try to understand as much as we can through logic and reason is only because we are commanded to, not because we have enjoyment and satisfaction from it.

Also, this fits perfectly with the words of our Sages quoted earlier; “it is telling us that we should labor in Torah”: If a person learns Torah because he enjoys it, he will only learn as much as he enjoys; when he feels that he wants to stop he stops. On the other hand someone who learns Torah because he is commanded to will not stop when he feels he had enough; and this is “laboring” in Torah.

5. The Rebbe now points out that these two explanations of this verse must be connected:

The Torah says, “You may not wear Shaatnez (a combination of wool and linen together)”. Our Sages in the Mishnayos teach us that the word “Shaatnez” is really made up of three different words- “Shua – smoothed”, “Tavui – spun”, and “Nuz – woven”. The Talmud learns that since the Torah contracted these three different words into one word, one is not liable for wearing a combination of wool and linen unless all three of these processes were done together; only when it was smoothed, spun, and woven together are you liable for the Biblical prohibition of “Shaatnez” .

Moreover, if the Talmud tells us that when three different words are contracted into one word they must have a connection to each other (and therefore you are only liable when all three of these processes are done together), we must say that when you have different explanations of the same words they are all connected to each other.

Therefore we must say that our two explanations of this verse- the first one about being engraved in the Torah, and the second one of learning Torah with Kabolos Ol- must have a connection to each other.

6. The Rebbe connects these two explanations:

The connection here is simple: When one labors in Torah by learning with Kabolos Ol (the first explanation) he will become one with the Torah (the second explanation).

7. The Rebbe now tells us the lesson:

The verse says, “If you will go in My statutes (Chukim)”. In other words, we must constantly be moving and growing in Torah and Mitzvos. What was good for yesterday is not enough for today.

The reward for this is as the Torah continues, “I will provide the rains in their time, and the land will give its produce”, until, “I broke the pegs of your yoke and I led you upright” which refers to the times of Moshiach (the Messiah) when we will have unlimited growth.

Translated and adapted by Shalom Goldberg. Taken from Likutei Sichos volume three.