Adapted from Rabbi Yamim Goldsmith’s FMT series
This week’s Parashah, Parashat BeChukotai, discusses a list of blessings that we will receive “אם־בחקתי תלכו,” “If [we] follow in [Hashem’s] laws” (VaYikra 26:3) and a list of curses that we will receive “ואם־בחקתי תמאסו,” “If [we] reject [Hashem’s] laws” (VaYikra 26:15). In the last Pasuk of the Berachot, Hashem says, “ואשבר מטת עלכם ואולך אתכם קוממיות,” “I will break the bars of your yoke, and I will make you walk upright” (VaYikra 26:13). We see a similar Lashon when we say Birkat HaMazon: “הרחמן הוא ישבור עלנו מעל צוארנו, והוא יוליכנו קוממיות לארצנו,” “May Hashem break the yoke off of our necks and enable us to walk upright to Eretz Yisrael.”
What does it mean to walk “קוממיות,” which is said both in this week’s Parashah and in Birkat HaMazon?
Rashi on this week’s Parashah defines “קוממיות” as walking “בקומה זקופה,” “with an upright back.” Based on the way “בקומה זקופה” is generally used by Chazal, one can define it as meaning walking with a level of confidence and self-assurance. Therefore, in this week’s Parashah, Hashem promises us that he will award us with a life of confidence if we follow His laws.
However, the Gemara in Kiddushin 31a says, “אסור לאדם שיהלך ארבע אמות בקומה זקופה,” “It is forbidden for someone to walk four Amot with an upright back.” Rashi comments that walking with an upright back gives a person a level of arrogance that makes it seem that they are standing upright and pushing Hashem away. If there is a negative view of walking בקומה זקופה in the Gemara, why does Hashem bless us with that ability if we follow His laws? That seems contradictory!
The Chatam Sofer answers this question by looking at the previous Pasuk in BeChukotai. The Pasuk reads, “והתהלכתי בתוככם והייתי לכם לאלהים ואתם תהיו־לי לעם,” “I will walk among you, and you will be my people” (VaYikra 26:12). What does it mean that Hashem will “walk amongst us?” Rashi answers this by saying that Hashem will walk amongst us in Gan Eden. If we follow Hashem’s laws and learn His Torah, Hashem will walk with us. Therefore, the Chatam Sofer explains that when Hashem walks with us, we are allowed to walk בקומה זקופה. Our walking בקומה זקופה doesn’t push Him away because He is here with us.
One can see from the Chatam Sofer that, in general, walking בקומה זקופה shows that we don’t need Hashem and that our success is only a result of our own actions, thereby giving us a false sense of arrogance. When we follow in the ways of Hashem, if we walk בקומה זקופה, we are purely showing our faith in Hashem and that we have a level of confidence that all that Hashem does for us is for the best.
Therefore, let us all follow Hashem’s laws and learn His Torah so that we can walk בקומה זקופה and show everyone the unwavering confidence that we have in Hashem.