Commentaire sur Le Lévitique 18:4

את משפטי תעשו YE SHALL DO MY JUDGMENTS — Matters prescribed in the Torah which are in conformity with the human feeling of justice such as one feels ought to be ordained if they had not been already ordained by the Torah.

MINE ORDINANCES SHALL YE DO. “These are matters prescribed in the Torah which, even if they were not prescribed, one would know that they ought to be prescribed.” Thus the language of Rashi. And in the Torath Kohanim it is stated:²³³Torath Kohanim, Acharei 13:10. “These are matters written in the Torah which, even if they were not written, would deserve to have been written, such as robberies, forbidden sexual relationships, idolatry, bloodshed and blasphemy.”
Now by way of the simple meaning of Scripture, the term mishpatai (Mine ordinances) is to be understood in its simple sense. It is a reference to the laws stated in the section of V’eileh Hamishpatim (And these are the ordinances)²³⁴Exodus 21:1. and in the whole Torah. Therefore He states here, which if a man do, he shall live by them,²³⁵Further, Verse 5. as these laws were given so that man should live, and for the development of countries, and peace among men, so that no one should cause harm to his fellowman or kill him. The prophet Ezekiel likewise mentioned many times with reference to these mishpatim (ordinances), which if a man do, he shall live by them,²³⁶Ezekiel 20:11, 13 and 21. while of the Sabbath he says, to be a sign between Me and them.²³⁷Ibid., Verse 12. Similarly in the Book of Nehemiah it says, Thine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.²³⁸Nehemiah 9:29. But our Rabbis have said:²³⁹Yoma 85 b. “He shall live by them²³⁵Further, Verse 5. — but not die by them. This teaches that danger to live overrides the Sabbath laws and [all] the commandments.” And according to the Midrashic interpretation it means:²⁴⁰Torath Kohanim, Acharei 9:10. It is also mentioned here in Rashi. “He shall live by them²³⁵Further, Verse 5. — in the World to Come. Should you say it means that he shall live in this world, will he not in the end die!”²⁴¹Hence the Divine assurance that he shall live by them must refer to eternal life. And if so, the expression which if a man do, he shall live by them²³⁵Further, Verse 5. refers back [not only to the mishpatim (ordinances), as we explained before, but] also to chukothai [“My statutes,” those laws for which no reason is given, but the observance of which also assures one eternal life].
Know that man’s [reward in] life for the observance of the commandments is in accordance with his preparation for them. For he who fulfills the commandments not for their own sake, but in order to receive a reward, will be rewarded on account of them in this world with longevity, riches, possessions, and honor. It is concerning this [kind of observance of the laws of the Torah] that it is said, in her left hand are riches and honor,²⁴²Proverbs 3:16. which the Rabbis interpreted to mean:²⁴³Shabbath 63 a. “to those that stand on the left of it [i.e., to those who engage in the observance of the Torah not for its own sake], there are material riches and honor.” Similarly, those who engage in the observance of the commandments so as to merit by them reward in the World to Come, these being the people who serve G-d out of fear [of punishment], will be found worthy on account of their intention to be saved from the judgments that will come upon the wicked, and their souls shall abide in joyfulness²⁴⁴See Psalms 25:13. [in life eternal]. But those who engage in the observance of the commandments out of love, as is right and proper, together with worldly occupation, similar to what is mentioned in the Torah in the section of Im Bechukothai,²⁴⁵If ye walk in My statutes. Further, 26:3. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage,²⁴⁶Ibid., Verse 5. they will merit good life in this world according to the usual nature of things, and in life eternal, in the World to Come, their merits will still be complete before them [since the reward they received in their lifetime will not reduce that which is to come to them in the hereafter]. But those who abandon altogether the concerns of this world and pay no attention to it, acting as if they themselves were not creatures of physical being, and all their thoughts and intentions are directed only to their Creator, just as was the case with Elijah, [these people] on account of their soul cleaving to the Glorious Name will live forever in body and soul, as is evidenced in Scripture concerning Elijah²⁴⁷II Kings 2:11: and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. and as is known of him in tradition,²⁴⁸The Talmud and Midrashim abound in instances which prove that Elijah’s removal from earth was no interruption of his earthly existence. On the contrary, in countless appearances he traverses the world in order to protect the innocent etc. (see L. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, IV, pp. 202-235). and as the Midrashim speak of Enoch²⁴⁹Genesis 5:24: And Enoch walked with G-d, and he was not; for G-d took him. Many Midrashim describe his activity after his ascencion into heaven. See, however, Rashi ibid. and of those belonging to the World to Come who will rise at the resurrection. It is for this reason that on the subject of reward for observance of the commandments the verses speak [in various ways, such as]: that thy days may be long;²⁵⁰Exodus 20:12. that thou mayest live;²⁵¹Deuteronomy 16:20. and that thou mayest prolong thy days.²⁵²Ibid., 22:7. For these expressions include all kinds of life, each according to his due.

את משפטי תעשו, "You shall carry out My ordinances, etc." In view of the fact that the entire chapter deals only with regulations about forbidden sexual unions, what does the Torah mean by referring to "My statutes and My ordinances?" Besides, what does the Torah mean with the words ללכת בהם, "to walk in them?"