Achrei Mos

בְּזֹ֛את יָבֹ֥א אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ בְּפַ֧ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֛ר לְחַטָּ֖את וְאַ֥יִל לְעֹלָֽה

With this shall Aaron enter the Holy: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. (Vayikra 16:3)

Here, the Torah relates when Aharon gave the instructions on procedures for Yom Kippur.  The pasuk begins by saying that he should enter the “Holy” בְּזֹ֛את-With this.  And then the pasuk says with a young bull etc.  It could have simply said, “ Aharon shall enter the holy with a young bull etc.”  Why do we need the introduction of “בְּזֹ֛את-With this”? It seems completely superfluous.

The Nachal Kadmonim has a beautiful remez that provides guidance for every yid who aspires to start anew, to being to enter the realm of kedusha and Avodas Hashem.  

When a yid wants to return to Torah and mitzvos, when he wants to reconnect and rebuild his relationship with Hashem, there are three steps he must take, as we say on Rosh Hashana. And they are:  teshuva, tefilah and tzedakah.  Each of these are expressed with three corresponding words: צום, קול ,ממון-fasting, voice, money. Through these three efforts a yid can “annul” any decree that might be placed against him. He can repair his connection to Hashem and renew his Avodas Hashem.

These three words - צום, קול ,ממון-fasting, voice, money – have the combined gematria of 408 which is the numerical equivalent of the word זאת-this. The Torah is providing us – not just Aharon – with the secret recipe for teshuva and kapara. As the pasuk says, Aharon can enter this holy avodah “with זאת” – meaning with the three aspects of Avodah represented by 408.  Armed with teshuva, tefilah and tzedakah any yid can find their way back to Kedusha.  

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אֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֧י תַּֽעֲשׂ֛וּ וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתַ֥י תִּשְׁמְר֖וּ לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶֽם:

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתָ֛ם הָֽאָדָ֖ם וָחַ֣י בָּהֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י ה':

You shall fulfill My ordinances (Mishpatim) and observe My statutes (Chukim), to follow them. I am the Lord, your God. You shall observe My statutes (Chukim) and My ordinances (Mishpatim), which a man shall do and live by them. I am Hashem. (Vayikra 18:4-5)

These two pasukim are very similar.  Why would the Torah repeat the seemingly same idea in two consecutive pasukim?  Despite their similarities, there are two distinct differences between the pasukim.

Firstly, why do the pasukim switch the order of Mishpatim and Chukim? Initially, Mishpatim are mentioned first followed by Chukim. Then, in the very next pasuk, the Chukim comes first!  

Secondly, the first pasuk concludes with אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶֽם-I am Hashem (Havaya), Your God (Elokiechem). But the second pasuk simply says: אֲנִ֖י ה' and omits אֱלֹקיכֶֽם.  What is the significance of that subtle change?

The Roshpitzer Ruv in Zera Kodesh[1] offers a powerful insight into our Avodas Hashem and the approach we must take when performing mitzvos.

There are two general categories of mitzvos. There are mitzvos that are logical; we can understand the reasoning behind them. They make sense.  In fact, the more we learn about the mitzvah, the more inspired we are when we do them. These are classified as “Mishpatim”.  Then there are “Chukim”.  These are the mitzvos whose reasons are beyond our intellectual abilities to grasp.   Their deeper purpose evades the limitations of our understanding. Why, the Rebbe asks, would Hashem need to create two different types of mitzvos: those we can understand and those we cannot?  Wouldn’t it be ideal for us to understand all of them? 

In a world of instant answers and Google searches, we believe that understanding the reasons behind why we do something adds value.  It adds “kavanah”. It enables us to feel spiritual and connected.  Knowledge enhances the experience. The more we know, the more “into” a mitzvah we can become.  However, this is not ideal. This is not Yiddishkeit. The Rebbe explains that the purest observance of mitzvos is to fulfill them solely because Hashem has commanded us to.  Simple.  Clean. Action rooted in and fueled by emunah.  We don’t need to logically justify why we should be performing a mitzvah. We can put aside our own need to “feel” connected, to have an inspiring experience.   The desire to build a relationship  with Hashem through fulfilling His Will is the only motivation a yid should need. 

However, while ideal, this is a difficult madreiga to attain.   At first, it is hard to perform mitzvos simply because Hashem commanded us to do so.   The yidden needed an incentive. We needed space to evolve and grow into that pure Ahavas Hashem and emunah. Therefore, Hashem created a framework where there would be enough mitzvos we could experience with the sweetness and excitement of understanding.  These mitzvos help train us to eventually be able to do mitzvos without being concerned for their reasons and deeper meanings. They condition us to feel the spiritual oneg we can experience from mitzvos so that we can eventually perform every mitzvah with the same singular reason: they are Hashem’s Will.

The pasukim are teaching us an incredible process. First, You shall fulfill My ordinances (Mishpatim)…You will fulfill the Mishpatim, the mitzvos that you understand and feel excited about their deeper meaning and reasons.  And, through that training, you will gladly observe My statutes (Chukim) – you will even do the mitzvos you don’t understand. However, ideally you will grow in your Avodas Hashem to the point where, as the second pasuk says, You shall observe My statutes (Chukim) and My ordinances (Mishpatim).  Your motivation is equal for My statutes (Chukim) and My ordinances (Mishpatim); you simply desire to fulfill Hashem’s Will.

The Seforim HaKedoshim explain that when a yid approaches his Avodas Hashem with the purity of only wanting to satisfy Hashem’s Will, he unlocks the gates of rachamim.  We know that Hashem interacts with this world “measure for measure”.  Hashem mirrors our behavior. If we satisfy His Wants and His Will without any calculation or logical justification, then Hashem, “measure for measure”, will fulfill our requests, our wills, our aspirations, without needing justification.

Therefore, when the first pasuk describes the beginning of our Avodah, when we are still co-dependent on reasons and explanations, it concludes with אֲנִ֖י ה' אֱלֹקיכֶֽם-I am Hashem (Havaya), Your God. A person will experience both the name of Havayah, Chesed, and Elokim, din and exacting judgment.  However, once we evolve to performing mitzvos in the manner described in the second pasuk, when we are lovingly motivated to fulfill Hashem’s Will without justification, we merit אֲנִ֖י ה' – just Hashem’s name of Chesed. Hashem provides brachos and goodness without Elokim, with the exacting justification of din.

[1] Parshas Bechukosai