A Way of Life

Blessed are those whose way is ^[a]blameless, who walk in the Law of the Lord.    Psalm 119:1  NASB

Walk – It really doesn’t matter what you think.  It’s what you do that counts.  In the Hebrew worldview, it’s not necessary to understand why you should do the things you are asked to do.  It’s nice when they are explained, but it isn’t required.  What’s required is what God demands of you even if you can’t figure out why He asks.  Since the influence of Hellenism, some versions of Judaism have moved in the direction of offering cognitive explanation, but this is not the ancient Hebraic view.  Obedience is what matters, even if you don’t believe that it can or should be done.  This idea is encapsulated in the Hebrew verbs dārak and hālak.  The first verb produces the noun “way” (derek); the second verb implies following the commandments.

The truly pious follow God’s leading in all that they do (i.e., they keep his commandments, I Kgs 3:14; Ps 119:1ff.). This idea can be expressed by hālak; alone (without ʾaḥărê) plus words such as ṣĕdāqôt (Isa 33:15), etc. The Hithpael is used in this connection to emphasize the continuity of the action. Striking examples of men who so lived before God are Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. (Gen 5:22; 6:9; 17:1).^[1]

“Walk in his ways” is the common metaphor of a righteous life.  This verse makes the connection to the Torah explicit.  If you want to be found blameless (tāmîm – “complete”), then keep the commandments.  As a result, your life will be ʾašer, that is, “fortunate,” “lucky,” “happy,” or in our English translations “blessed.”

It seems simple, doesn’t it?  At least in theory.  The application is perhaps a bit more complicated.  Most of the commandments are fairly obvious.  The ones we have no confusion about are really the basis of any functional society.  Don’t lie, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t dishonor your parents, don’t plan to take something that belongs to another.  No problem with these.  Perhaps we should also point out that the commandments prohibiting idolatry, upholding the Sabbath, and acknowledging the one true God are also societal requirements, although many non-Hebraic societies routinely ignore these.  But when it comes to all the rest, it’s the application of the details that matters, and that can be quite complicated.  That’s why the rabbis offer hundreds of pages of commentary in the past and in the present.  Life is filled with circumstances that demand careful consideration of exactly how these other commandments should be followed.  Variation seems to be in order, that is, there are often alternatives.  In fact, Judaism almost insists on a lack of conformity.  Choose a rabbi who suits you and follow his (or her) instructions about all those commandments that seem difficult to apply.  Then you can determine if cheeseburgers matter.  The real lesson in all these variations seems to be this: you can’t do it alone.  Everyone needs some community to help figure our exactly how to do it.  But it is possible.  Even if you’re not quite clear about what it means.

Topical Index: walk, way, dārak, hālak, commandments, society, Psalm 119:1

^[1] Coppes, L. J. (1999). 498 הָלַך. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 216). Chicago: Moody Press.