(ה) אַשְׁרֵ֗י שֶׁ֤אֵ֣ל יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּעֶזְר֑וֹ שִׂ֝בְר֗וֹ עַל־יי אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ (ו) עֹשֶׂ֤ה ׀ שָׁ֘מַ֤יִם וָאָ֗רֶץ אֶת־הַיָּ֥ם וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֑ם הַשֹּׁמֵ֖ר אֱמֶ֣ת לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (ז) עֹשֶׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּ֨ט ׀ לָעֲשׁוּקִ֗ים נֹתֵ֣ן לֶ֭חֶם לָרְעֵבִ֑ים יי מַתִּ֥יר אֲסוּרִֽים׃ (ח) יי ׀ פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים יי זֹקֵ֣ף כְּפוּפִ֑ים יי אֹהֵ֥ב צַדִּיקִֽים׃ (ט) יי ׀ שֹׁ֘מֵ֤ר אֶת־גֵּרִ֗ים יָת֣וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֣ה יְעוֹדֵ֑ד וְדֶ֖רֶךְ רְשָׁעִ֣ים יְעַוֵּֽת׃ (י) יִמְלֹ֤ךְ יי ׀ לְעוֹלָ֗ם אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִ֭יּוֹן לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֗ר הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
(5) Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, (6) Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that in them is; Who keepeth truth for ever; (7) Who executeth justice for the oppressed; Who giveth bread to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners; (8) The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind; The LORD raiseth up them that are bowed down; The LORD loveth the righteous; (9) The LORD preserveth the strangers; He upholdeth the fatherless and the widow; But the way of the wicked He maketh crooked. (10) The LORD will reign for ever, Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Hallelujah.
ואמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא: מאי דכתיב (דברים יג: ה) אחרי יי אלהיכם תלכו וכי אפשר לו לאדם להלך אחר שכינה והלא כבר נאמר (דברים ד, כד) כי יי אלהיך אש אוכלה הוא.
אלא להלך אחר מדותיו של הקב"ה.
מה הוא מלביש ערומים דכתיב (בראשית ג, כא) ויעש יי אלהים לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם אף אתה הלבש ערומים.
הקב"ה ביקר חולים דכתיב (בראשית יח, א) וירא אליו יי באלוני ממרא אף אתה בקר חולים.
הקב"ה ניחם אבלים דכתיב (בראשית כה, יא) ויהי אחרי מות אברהם ויברך אלהים את יצחק בנו אף אתה נחם אבלים.
הקב"ה קבר מתים דכתיב (דברים לד, ו) ויקבר אותו בגיא אף אתה קבור מתים...
דרש ר' שמלאי תורה תחלתה גמילות חסדים וסופה גמילות חסדים תחילתה גמילות חסדים דכתיב ויעש יי אלהים לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם וסופה גמילות חסדים דכתיב ויקבר אותו בגיא.
Rabbi Chama the son of Rabbi Chanina said, "What is the meaning of the verse, 'After the Lord, your God, shall you walk (Deuteronomy 13:5)'? Is it possible for a man to walk after the divine presence? And isn't it already stated, 'For the Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24)'? Rather, To follow the character traits of God. "Just as he clothes the naked, as it is written, 'And the Lord God made for Adam and his wife cloaks of leather, and he clothed them (Genesis 3:21);' so too you shall clothe the naked. The Holy One, Blessed One, visited the sick, as it is written, 'And he appeared in Ailonei Mamrei [while Abraham was in pain] (Genesis 18:1);' so too you shall visit the sick. The Holy One, Blessed Onee, comforted mourners, as it is written, 'And it was, after the death of Abraham, and God blessed his son Isaac (Genesis 25:11);' so too you shall comfort mourners. The Holy One, Blessed be He, buried the dead, as it is written, 'And he buried him in the valley (Deuteronomy 34:6);' so too, you shall bury the dead...
Rabbi Simlai expounded, The Torah begins with loving-kindness and ends with loving kindness. It begins with loving kindness, as it is written (Genesis 3:21), "And God made for Adam and his wife coats of skin, and he dressed them." It ends with loving kindness, as it is written (Deuteronomy 34:6), and He buried him in a valley."
ספרי פרשת עקב פיסקא יג
ללכת בכל דרכיו. אלו דרכי הקב"ה שנ' (שמות לד) יי יי אל רחום וחנוך ארך אפים ורב חסד ואמת נוצר חסד לאלפי' נושא עון ופשע וחטאה ונקה. ואומר (יואל ג) כל אשר יקרא בשפ יי ימלט. וכי היאך אפש' לו לאדם לקרא בשמו של הקב"ה?
אלא מה המקום נקרא רחום וחנון אף אתה הוי רחום וחנון ועשה מתנת חנם לכל.
מה הקב"ה נקרא צדיק שנ' תהלים קמה צדיק יי בכל דרכיו וחסיד בכל מעשיו אף אתה הוי צדיק.
הקב"ה נקרא חסיד שנאמ' וחסיד בכל מעשיו אף אתה הוי חסיד.
Sifrei Devarim Ekev 13
“To walk in all God’s ways” (Deuteronomy 11:22). These are the ways of Holy Blessed One. As it is written: “The Lord! the Lord! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment” (Exodus 34:6-7). Scripture says, “But everyone who calls on [or "is called by"] the name of the Lord shall escape” (Joel 3:5). How is it possible for a person to be called by the name of the Lord?
Rather, as God is called merciful, so should you be merciful; as the Blessed Holy One is called gracious, so should you be gracious, as it is said, “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion” (Psalm 145:8), and grants free gifts to all.
As the Blessed Holy One is called righteous…
so you too should be righteous.
As he Blessed Holy One is called merciful… so too should you be merciful…
(ו) כָּךְ לָמְדוּ בְּפֵרוּשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא חַנּוּן אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה חַנּוּן. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא רַחוּם אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה רַחוּם. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא קָדוֹשׁ אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה קָדוֹשׁ. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ קָרְאוּ הַנְּבִיאִים לָאֵל בְּכָל אוֹתָן הַכִּנּוּיִין אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר תָּמִים גִּבּוֹר וְחָזָק וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁהֵן דְּרָכִים טוֹבִים וִישָׁרִים וְחַיָּב אָדָם לְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בָּהֶן וּלְהִדַּמּוֹת אֵלָיו כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ:
(6) They taught the following interpretation of this commandment: "Just as God is called 'gracious,' you too must be gracious. Just as God is called 'compassionate,' you too must be compassionate. Just as God is called 'holy,' you too must be holy." As such, the Prophets called God by many appellations: "Slow to Anger," "Abundant in Graciousness," "Just and Fair," "Pure," "Mighty," and "Powerful" - in order to demonstrate that these are good and proper ways for a person to accustom oneself to act, in imitation of God to the utmost of one's ability.
(א) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְבַקֵּר חוֹלִים. וּלְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים. וּלְהוֹצִיא הַמֵּת. וּלְהַכְנִיס הַכַּלָּה. וּלְלַוּוֹת הָאוֹרְחִים. וּלְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּכָל צָרְכֵי הַקְּבוּרָה. לָשֵׂאת עַל הַכָּתֵף. וְלֵילֵךְ לְפָנָיו וְלִסְפֹּד וְלַחְפֹּר וְלִקְבֹּר. וְכֵן לְשַׂמֵּחַ הַכַּלָּה וְהֶחָתָן. וּלְסַעֲדָם בְּכָל צָרְכֵיהֶם. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל מִצְוֹת אֵלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם הֲרֵי הֵן בִּכְלַל (ויקרא יט-יח) "וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ". כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם לְךָ אֲחֵרִים. עֲשֵׂה אַתָּה אוֹתָן לְאָחִיךְ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת:
(1) It is a positive commandment to visit the sick, comfort the mourning, to remove the dead, to bring in the bride, to escort guests, and to occupy oneself with all the needs of burial; carrying [the coffin] on one’s shoulder, to walk in front of him, to eulogize, to dig, and to bury. As well to make the bride and groom happy, and to take care of all their needs. And these are ‘Gemillut Chasadim’ that are done with one’s body, that have no measurement. Although all these are rabbinic laws they are included under "Love Your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18), meaning that all things that you would like others to do for you, you should do for your brother.
ספר החינוך (סדר דפוס פרנקפורט)/טז
ועתה בני, אם בינה - שמעה זאת והטה אוזנך ושמע, אלמדך להועיל בתורה ובמצוות: דע, כי האדם נפעל כפי פעולותיו, ולבו וכל מחשבותיו תמיד אחר מעשיו שהוא עוסק בהם, אם טוב ואם רע.
ואפילו רשע גמור בלבבו וכל יצר מחשבות לבו רק רע כל היום, אם יערה רוחו וישים השתדלותו ועסקו בהתמדה בתורה ובמצוות, ואפילו שלא לשם שמים, מיד ינטה אל הטוב, ומתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה, ובכוח מעשיו ימית היצר הרע, כי אחרי הפעולות נמשכים הלבבות.
Sefer Ha-chinukh, 16
Know that a person is influenced in accordance with his actions. His heart and all his thoughts are always [drawn] after his deeds in which he is occupied, whether [they are] good or bad. Thus, even a person who is thoroughly wicked in his heart . . . — if he will arouse his spirit and set his striving and his occupation, with constancy, in the Torah and the mitzvot, even if not for the sake of Heaven, he will veer at once toward the good, and with the power of his good deeds he will deaden his evil impulse. For one’s heart is drawn after his actions.
עברית
Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993)
Halakhic man discerns in every Divine pledge, man's obligation to bring about its fulfillment.
Rabbi Shai Held
Notice something about the Talmud’s list. The naked are vulnerable, but their situation is reversible; the sick are vulnerable, but at least sometimes they can heal. Mourners have sustained an immense loss; nothing can bring back their loved ones. And the dead are… dead, and never coming back. Their situation is the very paradigm of irreversibility. Each situation the Talmud invokes is more irreversible than the one before, and hence, I think, also more frightening. Yes, the Talmud appears to be saying, these people’s circumstances are scary. Stay with them instead of fleeing.
Faced with a situation that makes us stare the depth and extent of our vulnerability in the face, most of us want to flee. Here, then, is Judaism’s message: You want to serve God? Run towards the very people and places you most want to run away from. You want to be religious? Learn to be present for other people when they are in pain. All the rest is commentary.
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/129737/why-first-responders-are-jewish-heroes
Overwhelmed by fear we are tempted to run away. Judaism comes along and says if you want to be religious, if you want to serve God, if you want to be an heir of the Jewish tradition, learn to run towards the very places you are tempted to run away from, learn see those others look past. That is what Judaism ask of us. Fear is very hard. We have to push ourselves and be kind to ourselves at the very same time."
Compassion and the Heart of Jewish Spirituality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6WWQkEzWZk