Their Chukim and Our Chukim

Shavua Tov. We have in אחרי-מות two commandments side by side. One is a negative commandment, and the other, positive.

The negative warns us against following the חוקות הגוי, the lifestyle of the non-Jew. They are living in a way that is far from holy.

The positive Mitzva that follows, tells us ושמרתם את חוקותי, that we shall observe Hashem’s חוקים. These laws are not logical. They include the prohibition against eating pig, wearing Shaatnez, a mixture of wool and linen, the rules regarding a leper, the Red Heifer, the scapegoat, etc.

The Yeitzer Hara gives us a hard time with these laws, and tries to incite us to violate them.

We must separate between their חוקים and our חוקים. We must observe the logical and the less logical. All are from Hashem, and we must view them as גזירת המלך, the decrees of the King.