This week’s Sedra (Bechukosai) opens with Hashem telling us that if we keep His Torah He will bestow upon us all sorts of Brochos and good things. One of the things Hashem promises us is that He will not be disgusted by us. Rashi explains this to mean that Hashem will not regurgitate us. While we definitely don’t want Hashem to ‘spit us out’ it seems to be a strange expression of affection. When people want to express their love to others they will usually focus on the positive (i.e. that they want to be with them and to live in harmony with them etc.). One doesn’t say I love you so much that I won’t be revolted by you. What place does such an expression have in a message of love from Hashem to Am-Yisroel?

Immediately prior to Hashem’s saying that he will not be disgusted by us Hashem tells us that he will place His Sanctuary in our midst. Hashem is telling us that He intends to have an extremely intimate relationship with Klal-Yisroel.

In a close relationship one will often pick up on minor wrongdoings; every imperfection will likely be noticed. When someone looks at a person’s face from afar it will tend to look far more appealing than from close up when all imperfections and warts will be visible.

To be a perfect Jew may be close to impossible; to have a perfect Am-Yisroel is even more difficult. It is intimidating to know that Hashem Dwells amongst us as we feel that our imperfections are thereby magnified. Hashem is telling us that He will not be disgusted by us not as an insult, but in order to assure us that if we keep His Ratzon (even though we will most likely still err) He will be able to overlook our imperfections.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski