“If you walk in My laws” (Vayikra 26:3)
The son of the Alter of Kelm Rav Nachum Zev ztz”l related a parable on this pasuk: A group of men were sitting at a table eating and drinking. All the men appeared to be similar — there wasn’t much to distinguish between them. After the meal they rose and left except for one man who remained in his place. No one understood why he didn’t leave until they looked below and saw that he had no legs.
So too explained Rav Nachum Zev there are people who sit with their friends and learn and it’s impossible to distinguish between them. However when the time comes to get up to leave into the big world then it is easy to differentiate between those who have legs and those who do not. There are people who topple with every small breeze and there are people who don’t budge despite gales and storms. As David HaMelech said: “Widen my footsteps beneath me and my ankles did not stumble” (Tehillim 18:37).
This is what the Torah means in the above pasuk. You should walk with the Torah! You should have legs to stand firm in Torah and not be ashamed of those who scorn you. (Rav Yaakov Neiman Darchei Mussar)
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