Eikev: Heeling Relationship
Dear Friend,
Newlyweds can be so crazy! “He looked at me!” “She stood right here!” “We took a walk here before we got married!” Who cares? Why make a big deal out of trivial interactions?
This week’s Torah portion, Eikev, begins, “Because (eikev) you will obey these commandments . . .”
“Eikev” also means “heel,” that calloused bottom part of your foot. The sages understood this verse to refer to those commandments that people “trample with their heels” and treat lightly. These mitzvahs are not necessarily ignored; they are obeyed, but mentally demoted to second-class status.
Back to the crazy couple. Why do they care so much about the tiniest of connections? Because it’s a connection. It’s a relationship. When you care deeply about someone, there is no such thing about an insignificant interaction. It’s all about the bond.
This is super-applicable to the most important relationship: that of our soul with G‑d. There’s no such thing as a more important commandment or a less important commandment. They are all His will. They all provide us opportunities to express our love and awe of Him. And they all connect us to Him.
Because it’s the relationship that ultimately matters most.
Zalman Nelson,
responder for Ask the Rabbi @ Chabad.org
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