The mitzvah of Beris Milah is introduced with the words, “Ani E-l Shad-ai, his-halech lifanai veheyei tamim — I am E-l Shad-ai, walk yourself before Me, and be whole.”
To me, this pasuk addresses the focus of the most basic open question in Jewish philosophy. Clearly the attention of Yahadus is on keeping mitzvos. But what is the goal of following mitzvos? What is the goal of life, that mitzvos are to help us accomplish?
How are we supposed to read the quote? Is the walking before G-d that is primary, and being whole a side-effect? Or, is being whole the focus of the pasuq, and walking before G-d is a means to reach that temimus?
To the Ramchal (see the opening paragraphs of Mesilas Yesharim), among many others, the goal is coming close to Hashem. In contemporary terminology we would say “deveiq