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Parshat Ekev / 20 AV 5770 / July 31, 2010
Daf Yomi: Shevuos 34
1,496 Days of Captivity for Israeli MIA
Gilad Shalit
Weekly Dvar Torah
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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL
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SPONSORED BY THE HENRY, BERTHA AND EDWARD ROTHMAN FOUNDATION
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Guest Rabbi
Rabbi Hershel Kurzrock
Young Israel of Kensington, NY
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Parshat Ekev
“And it shall come to pass, ‘Ekev’ — as the consequence of your hearkening to these ordinances and carefully performing them — that HaShem will keep the covenant and loving kindness with you that He swore to your forefathers” [Deut. 7-12].On this opening verse of the Sedreh Ekev, Rashi quotes the Medrash Tanchuma [Ekev 1] wherein the word “Ekev” is rendered as meaning a “heel” and the verse is interpreted in the following manner: “If you will hearken unto the ‘light’ precepts/commandments of minor importance which man is prone to trample with his heels, i.e. treat lightly, then HaShem will keep his covenant, etc.” [Rashi, Deut. 7:12].
It is difficult to comprehend why Rashi, known as the great “parshandatah,” who at all times pursued the most literally simple and logical interpretation, should in this case offer an explanation seemingly not clearly stated or implied in the words of the sentence. In fact, the Targum Onkeles and Yonathan both render the word “Ekev” by its simple meaning, “Chalal” (in consequence of or because) which is fitting for this verse.
Also, since in the preceding verse which is the last sentence of the Sedrah V’etchanan, the Torah clearly admonishes the Jewish people to strictly adhere to the “chukim and mishpatim” (statutes and ordinances), why, in the first verse of the Sedrah Ekev which discusses the reward, mention is only made of the “mishpatim” (ordinances)? [see Klay Yokor and Meshech Chochmoh.]
The Medrash Tanchumah [Ekev 2] stresses the importance of striving to perform every one of the 248 positive precepts with equal devotion, care and diligence. The measure of reward doesn’t attest to the ease or difficulty in the performance of a particular mitzvah. Also, we cannot determine the importance of a mitzvah by ascertaining how easy or difficult it is to perform that mitzvah. To prove this point, the Medrash cites a saying of Reb Shimon Ben Yohai who says: “For observance of two mitzvot, the Torah explicitly reveals the reward. One is considered a “kal shebakalot” (easiest to perform) — when chancing upon a bird’s nest one should first send away the mother and only then take the children — not difficult to perform and entailing no expenditure of funds [see Deut. 22, 6 and 7]. And the other “chamurah shebachamurot” (most difficult to perform properly) honor your mother and father [see Exodus 20-12 and Deut. 5:16], requiring constant vigilance, awareness, possible loss of funds and accepting shame and invective, etc. [see Talmud Kiddushim 31a, 32a]; and yet the reward these two mitzvot earn is exactly the same: “that you may merit long life” [Deut. 22:7, 5:16].
We are admonished in Pirkei Avot 2:1, “Be as careful (in observance) with a minor mitzvah as with a major one, for you do not know the rewards given for mitzvot.” In fact, although in our vast Talmudic literature we find mitzvot characterized as “kalot” (light) in specific instances [for example, see Talmud Avodah Zarah 3a], there really are no clear, sharply defined rules given by our sages which would enable us to officially label and categorize mitzvot as “light” or “weighty” — minor or major. No one actually knows how to make distinctions between different mitzvot and conclude which are truly “great” in the eyes of the Al-Mighty.
However, in regard to those mitzvot called “mishpatim” (ordinances) which are also known as “mitzvot sichliut” (dictated by reason), a person may be inclined to use his own subjective judgment as a yardstick to evaluate the reasonableness and wisdom of a particular “ordinance precept” and then classify it as either minor or major mitzvot. A person is more apt to take this approach with “mishpatim” where we have reasons, rather than with “chukim” (statutes) where no reason is given and it is understood that performance is based on the faith and belief in HaShem and His Torah [Deut. 4.6]. It seems to me that the above thought is strongly alluded to by the Alshech HaKodesh (Tehillim 19, 10-12)) in a beautiful, lengthy discourse which ends with a strong admonition: “... and it should not seem in the eyes of man that the reward for mishpatim is not that great, since reason dictates their observance.”
This tendency on the part of a person to assess and classify mishpatim (precepts), often leads to laxity and apathy in the observance of those deemed trivial and to their eventual complete neglect and discard. Those mitzvot are literally “dosh b’akayvov” (trampled by his heels)!
Bearing the above in mind, a clear answer to the questions posed at the beginning becomes apparent. The very use of the word “Ekev” instead of the smple term “Im” (if) [Sefer Or Hachaim] and this verse’s reference to mishpatim, can only be the basis for Rashi’s using the Medrashic interpretation. Rashi seeks to stress that the use of the extraneous word “Ekev” which can also mean a ‘heel’ in conjunction with rational precepts, teaches us that a person must be particularly careful, vigilant and alert not to deceive himself (also a possible meaning for the root letter of the word “Ekev” if pronounced “Awekov” as in the verse “Vy’akvaini...” (and he deceived me) [Gen. 27:36] into believing that he has the right to evaluate and classify mitzvot. Man must strive to perform every mitzvah in as perfect a manner as possible.
With this interpretation, a quotation by the Medrash Tanchumah on this first verse in “Ekev” becomes clear. The Medrash [Ekev] quotes the verse from Tehillim 49:5 where King David cries forth: “...why should I fear in times of evil (suffering), for the ‘trivial’ (Ekev) iniquities surround one...” (see Alshech). King David laments that he may have been lax in observance of mitzvot that can be construed as trivial and for this he feared the wrath of the
Al-Mighty.
True, no one is perfect or reaches perfection [Kohelet 7:20]. As the Kotzker Rebbe said: “...he that thinks he has attained spiritual perfection... this is his greatest imperfection.” Yet, a person must be cognizant of his responsibilities and try to be alert and vigilant to perform all mitzvot with equal fervor and dedication. With this approach, man may, at times, temporarily transgress and be guilty of “stepping on a mitzvah” (as one may tip-toe with a sole). But never can he be accused of “trampling on a mitzvah” (as one does with a heel) by completely neglecting and rejecting its observance.
The story is told that, when Reb Yaakov of Lisa accepted a call to become the rabbi of the city of Stree, he was confronted by the elders of the city of Lisa. They asked him in bewilderment: “Rabbi, why are you leaving? What are you missing by being with us?” Rabbi Yaakov answered: “I’ll tell you what I miss here. Since I became the rabbi in Lisa, this is the very first shailah (question) the rabbi was asked. I seek a live, vibrant community interested in the knowledge of Torah and mitzvot with the viewpoint and desire for proper dedicated observances.
A firm resolve to live by the principle of cherishing and appreciating the value of every mitzvah whether “light” or “weighty,” will transform a perfunctory approach to the performance of mitzvot into a regular, consistent one (note: letters of “Ekev” transpose into “kehva” which means regular or continuous).
Living by these convictions guarantees that HaShem will keep His covenant and loving-kindness that He swore to our forefathers [Deut. 7:12] and merit for us the Al-Mighty’s blessings.
Shabbat Shalom.
GILAD SHALIT WILL BE SPENDING ANOTHER SHABBAT IN CAPTIVITY. PLEASE DAVEN FOR HIM
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