Jewish Recovery Thought - Shoftim

"Be wholehearted with your G-d.”

Deuteronomy 18:13

In this week’s portion, we are told, “There shall not be found among you... a soothsayer, a diviner of times, one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or a charmer…” then we are told to instead be “wholehearted” with G-d. What is the connection between the warning against engaging in various occult practices used by the ancients for divining the future on the one hand and the commandment to be wholehearted with G-d on the other?

Now days, we may not seek out soothsayers and sorcerers to read our fortunes, but we still struggle with the same underlying preoccupation with what the future may bring. Such a desire actually indicates a serious lack of trust in G-d. Is it not enough to know that He is in complete and perfect control of our destiny? Is it not enough to know that he is the Director of the show? Why should we be better comforted to have foreknowledge of His plans? Isn’t it so that whatever He chooses will be best?

Moreover, being overly concerned with the future is not only indicative of a lack of trust in G-d, it is a telltale sign that our relationship with Him lacks intimacy, that we have placed limits and conditions on our relationship with Him. If your true love wanted to whisk you away on an impetuous romantic getaway, we should hope that you would not first ask to know what the plans were. To do so would mean that one is interested in how the time will be spent, not with whom it will be shared; but true love means that time shared with one’s beloved is always time well spent, wherever we may end up going.

If G-d were to speak to you and invite you to live in His presence, to follow Him at every turn, would you ask Him first where He plans on taking you? Before agreeing to go along, would you first ask for an itinerary?

Our love for G-d should be no less sincere and unconditional as the kind of love we would expect from any intimate relationship. And with this wholeheartedness we become free from all anxiety or dread over the future able to live completely in each moment with our Beloved, G-d.