Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
Commentary פַּרְשָׁנוּת
Moshe gives Benei Yisrael a very special commandment:
תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יהוה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
Be tamim (whole) with God your Lord.
The word “tamim” has a lot of different meanings: pure, whole, or perfect. What does it mean for us to try to be tamim with God?
לְשׁוֹן תָּמִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה תּוֹכוֹ כְּבָרוֹ וְשֶׁיִּצְדַּק בְּדִבּוּרוֹ וּבְמַעֲשָׂיו.
This means “pure”—you should be on the inside like you are on the outside, and be righteous in your speech and actions.
- What does it mean to be pure? What does that have to do with being righteous on the inside and on the outside?
- Why isn’t it enough to just be righteous on the outside? Why is it important to have righteousness on the inside too?
לְשׁוֹן שְׁלֵמוּת... תִּהְיֶה כִּכְלִי מָלֵא תָּם וְשָׁלֵם מֵעִנְיַן אֶחָד כְּלוֹמַר שָׁלֵם תִּהְיֶה עִמּוֹ בְּכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּבְכָל מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ וְעַל זֶה אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ "בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָּעֵהוּ" (משלי ג:ו).
This means “completeness”... You are supposed to be like a container full, pure, and complete with one thing. Meaning, complete with God in all your actions and thoughts. This is what Shlomo said in his wisdom: “In all your ways, know God” (Mishlei 3:6).
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