To cleave to those who know Him

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 6) stresses that clinging to Torah sages is an act of faith, for their lives demonstrate trust in Hashem. Faith becomes embodied when one sees how scholars live, pray, and decide matters according to Torah. Sefer HaChinuch (434) explains that true faith is not abstract but imitated: “By attaching to the wise, the heart learns to cleave to Hashem.” Midrash (Sifrei Deut. §49) notes that Israel’s faith is safeguarded by such attachments, for the sage becomes a living testimony that Hashem governs the world through Torah.

Torah – תּוֹרָה

• Talmud (Pesachim 49b) commands marrying into Torah families and joining in business with sages, since Torah is absorbed through closeness, not just study. Ramban (Deut. 11:22) clarifies that “cleaving to sages” means cleaving to Torah, because their wisdom is the living expression of Hashem’s word. Midrash Rabbah (Deut. 7:3) explains that the Oral Torah is preserved by sages who embody it; attaching to them is attaching to Torah itself.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• Midrash Tanchuma (Re’eh §3) teaches that the Shechinah dwells among a community that attaches itself to tzaddikim. Rambam (Hilchot De’ot 6:2) adds that cleaving to sages means joining their circles — their beit midrash, their meals, and their communal life — making holiness communal rather than individual. Sefer HaChinuch (434) emphasizes that this mitzvah builds a kehilla where values flow from teachers to students and from leaders to the nation, ensuring Torah is woven into the social fabric.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Ramban (Deut. 10:20) explains that cleaving to sages draws a person into holiness, for they are consecrated vessels of Torah. The Talmud (Ketubot 111b) states that by clinging to scholars one “clings to the Shechinah,” making holiness accessible to ordinary people. Midrash Tanchuma (Ki Tavo §3) teaches that Hashem’s holiness is reflected through His servants’ deeds, meaning attachment to them elevates daily life into sacred service.

Humility – עֲנָוָה

• The Talmud (Avot 4:12) advises: “Sit in the dust of the sages’ feet and drink their words with thirst.” This portrays not only reverence but humility before Torah wisdom. Rambam (De’ot 2:3) explains that humility is the hallmark of sages, and attaching to them trains one in this most essential virtue. Midrash Rabbah (Num. 11:16) shows Hashem Himself sharing His spirit with the elders in humility, a model for leaders and followers alike.

Love – אַהֲבָה

• Talmud (Ketubot 111b) describes cleaving to sages through marriage and familial bonds as acts of love for Torah. Midrash Rabbah (Deut. 7:8) links Hashem’s love for Israel to their attachment to His lovers, the tzaddikim. Rambam notes that when one loves sages, one naturally grows in ahavat Hashem, since their lives are dedicated entirely to Him. This mitzvah transforms interpersonal affection into Divine love.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvot, Aseh 6) explains that “cleaving” is deveikut: a pathway to Hashem by associating with His servants. Sifrei (Eikev §49) explicitly interprets “ubo tidbak” as the command to attach to sages who represent Hashem’s presence in the world. Ramban (Deut. 11:22) emphasizes that by being near those who serve Hashem, one is drawn closer to the Source Himself — creating a direct Bein Adam L’Makom bond through mediated attachment.

Bein Adam L’Chavero – בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ

• Sefer HaChinuch (434) notes that observing sages in daily interactions — fairness in trade, compassion in speech, generosity in giving — shapes one’s own conduct toward others. The Talmud (Sotah 14a) stresses that just as Hashem’s ways must be imitated, so too must the ways of His servants, making this mitzvah a training ground for interpersonal ethics. Midrash Rabbah (Ex. 34:1) highlights that the community learns derech eretz (proper conduct) from its sages, ensuring that Bein Adam L’Chavero is infused with Torah’s spirit.