Through the Back: The Long Short Way to Him
The Ten Commandments (עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת) serve as the core of the Torah’s 620 mitzvot, encapsulating all the ways humanity connects with G‑d. These mitzvot, crowned by the 620 total, correspond to the Hebrew word כֶּתֶר (Keter), meaning “crown,” signifying the pinnacle of creation and Divine will. Yet, as lofty as this connection is, it is never direct. G‑d tells Moshe (Moses), “You will see My back, but My face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:23). This statement underscores the human condition: we do not encounter G‑d’s essence directly but through His “back,” His revealed actions, and the structure of the commandments.
At the heart of this relationship lies a profound inversion. The 620 mitzvot, when divided among the Ten Commandments, yield 62 per commandment. This number, 62, is the reflection and inversion of 26, the Gematria of G‑d’s ineffable Name, י־ה־ו־ה. Through this inversion, we uncover a central truth: humanity experiences G‑d not through His “front”—His essence—but through His “back”—His commandments and the reflections of His light.
The Pathway of 26 and 62
The number 26 represents the Divine essence, unchanging and infinite. It is the value of י־ה־ו־ה, G‑d’s sacred Name, signifying the source of all being. Yet, this essence is beyond human comprehension, veiled by the very fabric of creation. The inversion of 26 into 62 symbolizes how this essence becomes accessible—through reflection. Humanity cannot approach G‑d directly but can engage with Him through the mitzvot, which reflect His will and attributes.
This reflective relationship is what G‑d revealed to Moshe. While Moshe sought to see G‑d’s “face”—the fullness of His essence—G‑d instead showed him His “back,” the trace of His presence and actions in the world. The path to G‑d, therefore, is through “the back,” through the indirect revelation of His commandments.
620: The Long Short Way
The Torah reveals 613 mitzvot, rooted in the Torah itself, and 7 additional mitzvot, instituted by the Rabbis to safeguard and enhance the practice of the Torah. Together, these 620 mitzvot represent the complete path to G‑d, crowned with Keter—the ultimate purpose of creation. Yet, this crown is not immediately attainable. It requires the long short way: engaging with G‑d’s back, walking the path of mitzvot, and reflecting His light in the world.
The division of 620 by 10 commandments into 62 reveals the structure of this journey. Each commandment generalizes 62 mitzvot, making the Divine essence (26) refracted and accessible. G‑d’s light, once infinite and incomprehensible, becomes mirrored through the acts of humanity.
The Mirror of Reflection
In the reflective relationship between 26 and 62, we find the key to understanding the mitzvot:
• 26 is G‑d’s unchanging essence, pure and infinite.
• 62 is the reflection of that essence, inverted into a form that humanity can grasp and emulate.
This mirror teaches that the mitzvot are not merely laws but channels for encountering G‑d. Through them, we “see His back” and reflect His presence into the world. Our deeds, aligned with the mitzvot, become the human side of this reflection, bringing G‑d’s light into creation.
Through the Back: The Long Short Way
The relationship between 26 and 62, and between G‑d’s essence and His commandments, is the ultimate paradox of our spiritual journey. We do not meet G‑d face-to-face but encounter Him indirectly—through His commandments, through His revealed will, through His “back.” This is the long short way to Him: not direct and immediate, but achievable through humility, reflection, and action.
By walking this path, we align ourselves with the Divine will, embodying G‑d’s light as it reflects through the mitzvot. The Ten Commandments, the source of all 620 mitzvot, teach us that the journey is not about fully understanding G‑d’s essence but about walking in His ways and reflecting His light. This is how we approach G‑d—through the back, reflecting Him as we bring His presence in
