Parsha Mitzvot: Ki Tavo: Mitzvah 608 – Concept 11

“God will confirm you for Himself as a holy people, as He swore to You – if you observe the commandments of God, your Lord, and you go in His ways.” (Deuteronomy 28:9) We are commanded to emulate God’s ways. (Rambam, Hilchot Dei’ot – The Laws of Character)

The command to strive to emulate the attributes of God to the limits of our ability includes both their hidden and their revealed aspects. God’s revealed aspects are His deeds, the way He manifests Himself; His Essence remains forever “hidden.” Man too must retain this “hidden” element, i.e. keep himself aloof from all the peripheral matters in his environment and strive for an intimate relationship only with God.

He reveals himself by performing many commandments, such as attending Torah lectures or conducting them in public. He is seen regularly in the synagogue and generally strives to sanctify the Name of the Lord by his public actions. As soon as he has completed performing whatever Mitzvah he has performed he returns home to isolation and does not waste his time in idle chatter in public places. (Sh’nei Luchot Habrit – Torah Or – Ki Tavo)