B"H
Tuesday, Menachem Av 19, 5778 / July 31, 2018
This week’s Parsha, Aikev, records Moshe's guiding words to the Jewish people before his death.
Moshe reminds the people that when they will keep G-d’s commandments, G-d will fulfill His promises to them. He also tells them that all their trials and tribulations, during their forty years in the desert, were like to a father punishing his son when he goes astray. It was out of G-d’s love, in order to make them go in the right path so that they would observe His commandments.
Moshe says, “Now Israel, what does G-d your G-d demand of you? To fear G-d; to follow all His ways; to love Him; to serve G-d with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Q. Is observing Torah and mitzvot as easy and simple as Moshe makes it sound?
A. It all depends on how we look at them. According to our sages, Torah and mitzvot are like gold and diamonds. Each mitzvah brings more merit. This is why G-d gave them to us in abundance. But if one looks at them otherwise, then the more we have the more difficult they become.
In Pirkei Avot, “Rabbi Chanania son of Akashiya said, “The Holy One blessed be He, wished to make the people of Israel meritorious; therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvot in abundance.”
It’s like the two people walking on the road on a very hot day and each of them carrying a heavy load. One was carrying rocks and the other diamonds. They were both sweating and bent over with their heavy load.
As they were walking, the one carrying the rocks saw more rocks, but he was too tired and didn’t even bother to pick them up.
But when the one carrying the diamonds saw them he realized that they were diamonds. Although his load was heavy too, he was happy to pick them up and add more diamonds to his load!
It is the same with Torah and mitzvot. It all depends on how we view them. If we see them as rocks, then they do become heavy and burdensome after a while. But if we value them as diamonds, then the more the better. Their value makes all the effort worthwhile.
The name of the Parsha, "Aikev," can also mean, "heel." Our sages explain this to imply that a person must be very careful to perform every mitzvah, even those that may seem insignificant - "mitzvot that one may step upon them with their heel." Moshe tells the Jewish people to be careful with every mitzvah, no matter how insignificant it may appear to a person. Every mitzvah has great significance and merit, because they are all equally given from G-d.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY