אור החיים — ונכבשה הארץ... והייתם נקיים מה' ומישראל

Q — Moshe tells the tribes of Reuven and Gad that after they help conquer the land, 'you shall be clean before the Lord and before Israel' (נקיים מה' ומישראל). Why must one be cleared before both God and people — isn't being right before God enough?

A — Or HaChaim derives from this the principle that a person must discharge his obligations not only toward Heaven but also toward fellow human beings — one must 'come out clean' in the eyes of others, not only in the eyes of God. Even when one's conscience and divine accounting are clear, one bears responsibility to avoid suspicion and to satisfy the legitimate concerns of the community. Moshe's condition teaches that righteous conduct requires being beyond reproach on both planes, the heavenly and the human.