5 Follow none but Hashem your God, and revere none but Him; observe His commandments alone, and heed only His orders; worship none but Him, and hold fast to Him.
a-kha-RAY a-do-NAI e-lo-hay-KHEM tay-LAY-khu v’-o-TO tee-RA-u v’-et mitz-vo-TAV tish-MO-ru uv-ko-LO tish-MA-u v’-o-TO ta-a-VO-du u-VO tid-ba-KUN
ה אַחֲרֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֹתוֹ תִירָאוּ וְאֶת־מִצְוׂתָיו תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּבְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ וְאֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹדוּ וּבוֹ תִדְבָּקוּן׃
13:5 And hold fast to Him
Israel, first baby born in the Israeli field hospital in Haiti
This verse concludes with the directive to cleave to Hashem. Since it is impossible to literally “hold fast” to a being that has no physical form, the Sages explain (Sotah 14a) that this commandment means we are required to emulate His ways. Just as Hashem performs kind deeds, buries the dead (Deuteronomy 33:6) and visits the sick (Genesis 18:1), so too must we be kind to others and take care of their needs. Contemporary Israel fulfills this mandate, and emulates God’s compassion. It is often the first country to respond to natural disasters, providing medical aid and other assistance around the world. For example, when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, the IDF was amongst the first responders on the scene. One woman who gave birth in an Israeli field hospital was so grateful to the Israeli medical team that she named her baby ‘Israel.’
No Comments
The comments below do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and opinions of The Israel Bible™.