A Pasuk is a Cloud

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- intomeaning 1 year ago
  
  When I look at a random cloud in the sky, I can notice an image coming out of it. If I focus on it more, the image can change into something else in my mind’s eye and it can happen again and again. I am looking at the same thing, but am processing it in different ways. To me, a cloud can act as a canvas and my soul is painting the possibilities of what this cloud can be. This week’s parsha states, אִם־בְּחֻקֹּתַ֖י תֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוֺתַ֣י תִּשְׁמְר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָֽם׃ וְנָתַתִּ֥י גִשְׁמֵיכֶ֖ם בְּעִתָּ֑ם, “If you walk in My statutes and hold precious My mitzvot and you perform them, I will send rains in their time” To me, the “rains in their time” reflects the quality of my relationship with Hashem. The extent to which I commit myself to living a life where my mitzvot are precious to me is the extent to which my soul receives tools through which it can look at the Torah, even at the same pasuk, in different ways. I can then apply the new vision I have of the Torah to my avodah like “rains in their time”.
  
  I would shower my prayers with this idea by having it in mind while reciting the following verse in the keriat shma:
  
  וְהָיָ֗ה (דברים יא יג) אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעׇבְד֔וֹ בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ וְנָתַתִּ֧י מְטַֽר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃ וְנָתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃
  
  “And it shall be that if you hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you today, to love the L·rd your G·d & to serve Him with all your heart & all your soul, then I will send rain for your land in its proper time, the autumn rain & the spring rain, that you may gather in your grain, your wine & your oil. And I will give grass in your field for your cattle & you shall eat & be satisfied.”
  
  May we be zoche to recognize the utility of a pasuk as a function of our commitment to Hashem’s mitzvot.
  
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