Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Your Daily Slice


Tammuz 7
Without Blemish



“Who may live on your holy mountain?  The one who walks with integrity …” (Ps 15:1-2 TLV)


Tâmı̂ym (Strong’s H8549) is the Hebrew word that has been translated here as ‘integrity’ – other translations read uprightly or blamelessly.  The word tâmı̂ym is used, for the most part, in connection with the sacrificial system, in describing the requirements of each offering as perfect, without defect or blemish (see Ex 12:5; Lev 3:1; Num 6:14).  Other words attributed to the meaning of tâmı̂ym are complete, sound, mature and without blame.

How does this relate to us, those of us who cling to the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?  To ‘walk’ has to do with our everyday lifestyle, how we live our lives.  Someone who walks blamelessly is one who walks in integrity, and the one who is mature is the one who is complete.  Bear in mind, please, that it is most generally throughout the course of any given day that we interact with other people, and it is in how we interact with these people that “walking with tâmı̂ym” is critical. 

One of the definitions listed by Noah Webster for the word ‘integrity’ is “The entire, unimpaired state of anything, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property, and agencies for others.”[1]  All of this has to do with living the Torah lifestyle, first and foremost, with the commitment to always bringing honor to the One who created us.

Further instructions for interpersonal activity are found in a verse that most of us know well:  “Do not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people. And you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am יהוה.” (Lev 19:18)  When we choose to love our neighbor, we typically do not steal, cheat, defraud, or slander each other.  And let us also remember the admonition of “through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13).  This is the formula for “walking with tâmı̂ym”.


©2018


[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, emphasis mine


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