The Sefer Tomer Devora was written by Rav Moshe Cordevoro. It discusses in great detail the mitzvah of V'halachata b'drachov, emulating and following in the ways of Hashem. In Parshat Eikev it says, "V'shamarta et mitzvot Hashem lalechet b'drachav u'lyera oso." Follow His ways so that you may fear Him. Further on it says, "Ki im l'yirah et Hashem lalechet b'chol darachav u'lahavah oso." Here yirah (fear) is mentioned before going in His way. And going in His way precedes ahavah (love). The third verse says, "L'ahava et Hashem.. lalechet b'chol drachav ul'davka bo." The Chofetz Chaim tells us that there are three levels in serving Hashem, yirah, ahava and dveikut. Ahavah may only be aroused at certain times, but deveikut, the highest level, is an ongoing state. It is like a child who clings to his mother constantly. The Chofetz Chaim explains that in order to reach the first level of yirah, it has to be with the prerequisite of lalechet bd'rachav. One must work on one's middot and emulate Hashem's attributes. Then one must still continue lalechet b'drachav in order to ascend to the second rung of ahavah and the third ultimate level of deveikut b'Hashem. These verses teach us that the root of our obligation in this world is to work on acquiring the attributes of Hashem. There's something eternal inside of us and one can bring it to the fore by emulating the ways of the Creator. V'halachta b'drachav tells us that it is not only a mitzvah to follow in the path of Hashem, but if we don't, it as if we falsify His image and shame His name.

The first middah of Hashem is Mi kel komocha (Who is like You). Hashem is sovel, He endures our sins. The Rambam says in Parshat Eikev that Hashem's love for the Jewish people was aroused when He saw our love for Him. The Torah says, "Lechteich acharei b'madibar." The Jewish nation followed Hashem into an arid, harsh, desert. For 40 years, they traveled under difficult conditions constantly pitching their tents and moving on. They showed remarkable forbearance and trust in Hashem. Hashem is sovel elbon. He carries the disgrace and embarrassment of our sins. He gives us the ability to go against His will in order to maintain free choice. This is compared to a man who gives his servant money to buy food. Instead, the servant buys a gun and shoots his master. And still the master forgives him. The Almighty doesn't stop a sinner from sinning. He waits for that day when he will repent. We too are commanded to emulate Hashem and to be sovel- to be slow to anger and to be patient. Chazal say the yetzer hara comes into a baby when it leaves its mother. If it came at the time of the formation of the fetus, no woman would give birth. The yetzer hara has no patience to endure, to take the time to understand others, and to be criticized and not take revenge. Man contains within him the image of Hashem and has the power to emulate his Creator. We must work on the middah of Mi kel komocha. And by emulating the attributes of Hashem we will come to recognize our true selves.

There are people whose paths are almost identical, but on the inside they have almost nothing in common with each other. Then there are people who have different paths, but are very similar inside. No two people have absolutely identical roles. What defines a person is how he's developed the balance between his body and soul. In the beginning, the voice of the body is very strong. But as the person grows, his mind grows with him. He is then more capable of conquering his base nature. Having this ability is not related to the influence of environment or to things that happened to the person, but rather to a willingness to define oneself by one's inner life. In the fast paced world we live in today, so many of us don't know our inner life. As an exercise, try for a day to monitor your thoughts. You'll discover how hard it is to be focused on non- material things. You'll also be surprised to find that there is a deep self underneath that doesn't just relate to the world and its physical nature.

The Ramchal explains that Hashem decreed that on this earth the soul's splendor would be hidden even from itself. The radiance of one's good deeds remains in one's spiritual subconscious until the soul enters the world of the souls. Hashem doesn't let us feel the full spiritual pleasure of a mitzvah here because if we sensed its true simcha we would never pass it up. This would eliminate free choice. At the time of the revival of the dead there will be immediate illumination, purification, and perfection of the body. The soul will get everything it earned during its first life. However this is dependent on having done good deeds on this world. Therefore let your soul speak louder than your body. Then the perfected self will rise again at techiyat hameitim and reach higher levels of elevation.