Mishpatim

The passuk starts, “ובכל אשר אמרתי אליכם תשמרו, and all that I said to you, watch.” Rashi writes this gives each and every mitzvas aseh a warning of a lo saaseh.

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh asks: the passuk states the word תשמרו with a tzeirei under the shin and not תשמורו. Shouldn’t it state ‘you shall watch’ and not ‘you shall be watched’? He explains with a Gemara that writes, there are 248 mitzvos aseh corresponding to the 248 limbs of a person, and 365 mitzvos lo saaseh which correspond to the 365 sinews. The passuk is hinting to us that one should not just do certain mitzvos, that will lower the protection. Rather, fulfill all the mitzvos and the passuk promises, ‘and with all that I – Hashem said, תשמרו – with all the mitzvos you will be watched.’ However, if a person is missing one mitzvah, he will then subsequently be missing the protection for the one limb or sinew which it corresponds to.

The passuk ends, “ושם אלהים אחרים לא תזכירו לא ישמע על פיך, and the name of other gods do not mention, it shall not be heard by your mouth.” Rashi writes this teaches that one shouldn’t say to watch or wait near a certain avodah zara, or stay with me on a certain day of an avodah zara. Rashi brings another explanation; avodah zara is equal to all the mitzvos, and one who is careful and stays away from avodah zara is like he guarded the whole entire torah.

The second part of the passuk speaks about avodah zara. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that just as by keeping all the mitzvos it brings a complete protection for the whole person, so to it is with keeping away from avodah zara. If one does not worship avodah zara it is as if admitting to the whole Torah and will then attain the protection of all the mitzvos. By staying away from avodah zara each and every limb and sinew has protection even without doing all the mitzvos! As long as one isn’t mivatel a mitzvah straight away.

On Shabbos in pesukei d’zimra we recite the passuk in Tehillim, “גם עבדך נזהר בהם בשמרם עקב רב.” The Nefesh HaChaim writes that the word נזהר means bright from the lashon zohar, shine, and עקב hints at the heel. By one performing mitzvos and learning Torah a person will bring light into his entire body, even until the heel which is the most megushem part of the body. May Hashem help us fulfill as many mitzvos aseh and lo saaseh as we can to bring protection and light to our whole body!