The Jewish king must constantly study from his sefer Torah, and one of the reasons is (17:20): וּש ְׂמֹאול יָמ ִין הַמ ִּצְוָה מִן סוּר וּלְבִלְתִּי, "He shall write for himself two copies of this Torah... so that his heart does not turn from the commandment right or left..." This is an aspect of temimus. To accept the Torah as it is, without compromising, without making changes to the right or to the left, when he thinks it will be to his benefit.
This is obviously also the temimus that every Yid should have.
In the parashah of ketores we say that if there were honey in the ketores, the smell would be so wonderful that people would fall on their faces from the scent.
מערבין אין למה דבש בה, "So why don't we include honey in the ketores? לא דבש וכל שאור כל אמרה שהתורה מפני תקטירו, It is because the Torah tells us that all sourdough and all honey may not be added in the ketores."
These words are from the Yerushalmi and are written in an unusual style, by asking a question and then answering it on its own. (It is called a "hypophora," a question that the questioner answers). In hilchos Shabbos, for example, we don't find, "Why can't one light a fire on Shabbos? It is because it states ולא אש תבערו..." The halachos of Shabbos are expressed straight out. So, why by the ketores is it different?
It is because common sense tells us that honey should be used in the ketores. After all, it would enhance the ketores immensely. However, we do what the Torah says, even contrary to our common sense.
מערבין אין ולמה דבש בה, "We don't we put in honey, שהתורה מפני אמרה, because the Torah told us not to."
This attitude is called temimus, which means to keep Hashem's laws as He gave them, without compromises, shortcuts, additions, or subtractions.
The Ruzhiner zt'l once told his chassidim the following story:
A Yid, who sold furs for his parnassah, had many furs in stock, but they weren't selling. Once, early in the morning, someone knocked on his door and said he wanted to buy all the furs. This was a dream opportunity. However, the Yid didn't daven Shacharis yet. According to halachah, one mustn't conduct business before Shacharis.
"Come back in an hour," he said, "and I'll sell them to you for a good price."
"No. I need them now. If you don't sell them to me right away, I'll buy elsewhere."
His parnassah was tight, but halachah comes first. So, despite the yetzer hara's pleas, he chose to do Hashem's will.
Not wanting to explain to the goy that he doesn't do business before Shacharis, he quoted the goy an exorbitant price for the furs. He figured that the goy would surely refuse to pay so much and that he would leave. But the goy replied that he is prepared to pay that price!
The yetzer hara spoke up again and said, "You can't let this deal go. It is a miracle from Heaven. He is willing to pay double the price. How can you pass up on such an opportunity?"
But his loyalty to Hashem came first. So, he increased the price even more.
The goy replied, "I see you don't want to sell them," and left.
The Ruzhiner Rebbe told this story to his chassidim, and the chasidim were waiting to hear the ending.
The Ruzhiner told them, "I see you are silent. You are waiting to hear the end of the story. But that was the end of the story. I wanted you to hear about this man's mesirus nefesh to keep halachah."
Most chassidic stories end with a miracle, a salvation, but this story ends with a person being loyal to Hashem, while foregoing a very lucrative opportunity. And that was the lesson the Ruzhiner Rebbe wanted to impart to his chassidim: Loyalty to halachah, at all costs.
This lesson is discussed in this week's parashah (18:13), אלקיך 'ה עם תהיה תמים, "Be complete with Hashem, your G-d." Temimus means to be loyal to Hashem, and one aspect of temimus is to be unwavering in our devotion to keeping halachah.
There is nothing to consider, nothing to debate. We do what Hashem commands.
The 'ת of תמים (according to an old custom) is written bigger than the standard text in the Sefer Torah. The Kotkzer zt'l explains that the large 'ת hints that there is enough room for everyone. Everyone can live a life of temimus. It isn't only for a select few; it is for everyone. Furthermore, the large 'ת hints that one should be whole with temimus, with all his 248 limbs. No part of his body should be without temimus.
The Baal HaTurim writes that the large 'ת implies that if you have temimus, it is like you kept the entire Torah from 'א through 'ת.
