Imitating God

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, is called Merciful, so should you be merciful, just as He is called Gracious, so should you be gracious, just as He is called Righteous, so should you be righteous; just as He is called devout, so should you be a devout one. (Sifre on Deuteronomy 10:12).

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Ki Tavo (כי תבוא | When you come in)

Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8

Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22

Gospel: Luke 23:26-56

Imitating God

That you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. (Deuteronomy 26:17)

What does it mean to walk in God's ways? It means that we are to imitate the ways of God, in as much as we are able. The commandment to imitate God is one of the most fundamental principles of the life of faith. A classic passage of the Talmud (b.Sotah 14a) explains:

Just as He clothes the naked, as it is written [in Genesis 3:21], "The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them," so too should you also clothe the naked. The Holy One, blessed be He, visited the sick, as it is written [in Genesis 18:1], 'Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre,' [while he was still recovering from circumcision,] so too should you also visit the sick. The Holy One, blessed be He, comforted mourners, as it is written [in Genesis 25:11], "After the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac," so too should you also comfort mourners. The Holy one, blessed be He, buried the dead, as it is written [in Deuteronomy 34:6], "And He buried [Moses] in the valley in the land of Moab," so too should you also bury the dead. (b.Sotah 14a)

He is also the God who feeds the hungry, assists the poor, has mercy on the sinful, rescues the perishing, heals the broken-hearted, restores homes and families, and does good to all. He is the God of absolute integrity, truth, holiness and justice. He is righteous in His every decision.

The Master lived this principal out perfectly in every situation. He walked in the ways of God, making the Father's will His will in every decision. He said, "I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." (John 8:28-29)

As such, His very life glorified God in that it accurately represented God. Thus He spoke in truth when He said to His disciple Philip, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)

Having such an example before us, we are better able to discern the ways of God. As we imitate the ways of Yeshua, we learn the ways of God and keep the commandment to imitate God. That is the very essence of discipleship and unity with God.

-First Fruits of Zion