“…and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and I will have you walk upright.” (Vayikra 26:13)

Rashi: קוממיות means erect in one’s posture (in contrast to the bent position of a person who is under a yoke) (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 3 7).

What is Rashi teaching by telling us that you will have a straight posture? Furthermore, the gemora in Kidushin (31a) says that it is forbidden for a person to go more than four amos with an upright posture. This is even brought down as the halacha in Shulchan Aruch (OC 2:6). How could this then be a brocho?

I saw an explanation which indeed gives this blessing extra meaning. In Shulchan Aruch OC 1:1 it says that a person should not be embarrassed by people who are making fun of his serving Hashem. This halacha is referring to a person who, for example, doesn’t talk during chozoros hashatz, or doesn’t speak lashon hara, and then people around him call him “frummy” or similar derogatory phrases [even though being frum is a good thing, one’s tone of voice or sarcasm can even give even good words negative connotations and be an issur of onaa’s devarim (if he is present) or lashon hara]. One should not be concerned about those who look at them askance because of their devotion to Hashem.

There is a famous story told about a Chasidic Jew who was riding the train in NYC wearing his standard Hasidic attire. A survivor from the camps comes over to him and says in Yiddish, “What are you doing dressed in that medieval get-up? Don’t you realize how ridiculous you look? You bring scorn and derision onto all Jews!” He answers, “I am sorry, but I don’t understand what you are saying. Perhaps you’re mistaking me for someone else, but I am Amish.” To that the survivor said (in English), “I beg your forgiveness, I didn’t realize that you were Amish. You should know that I only have the utmost respect for you and your people – keeping your ways without bowing to society’s whims of the day.”

The survivor’s attitude was clear. He first showed that to him one’s Jewishness is something to be ashamed of, and it should be kept hidden. But then, when it came to another religion, he was clear that people have a right to be proud of their own religions, and we should respect them when they display it publicly.

With this thought in mind, what the Torah is telling us is that we should be proud to be Jewish in all that we do. This is a feeling that many people find difficult to have, and even more difficult to pass on to the next generation. The most important point is for a person to feel it personally and to give it over to their children so that the children should also feel it within themselves. We aren’t always able to express our feelings in public, and therefore there are times that we should not flaunt our religious beliefs. But on the inside, in our view of ourselves, we should always be proud of our personal commitment to Hashem and his Torah. Our children will then absorb our attitude, without us even having to say anything.

This may seem like something that we need to build with our own efforts. However, this Rashi is telling us that we can merit this through a blessing from Hashem. I would imagine that both aspects are true. There is a part of this that we can achieve ourselves, and there is a part of this that we need to receive from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

We who live here in Eretz Yisrael amongst our own people have the ability to express our religious beliefs, even in front of those who are not yet committed. I am not saying what someone should do on the outside, but on the inside, we should always be proud of our commitment to Hashem and his Torah.