eikev

This week’s parsha begins with the amazing blessings that will come upon us by following g-d’s commandments. It begins “v’haya eikav tishma’u” and it will come about because you obeyed. Commentaries (rashi) ask however why was the word “eikav” chosen instead of the more usually “eim”. The possuk could have been written with “v’haya eim tishmau”. Also the eikav can be as well translated to mean a heel of a foot.
This week we read as well the second of the “seven consolations” which begins with the word “vtomar tzion ozovani hashem…tzion says that g–d as abandoned them. Is there a connection between the parsha and the haftrah?
They explain that the reward given for observance of mitzvah that the verse here describes is not by ordinary observes but an exceptional one. That when the laws that are usually Dosh B’akavo” stepped upon with our heels i.e. treating lightly these are kept meticulously, then the reward that the verse describe will come upon us.
Another explanation giving is the word “eikav” is not describing a type of mitzvah but rather a time. V’haya eikav tishmu” –and if u will observe the mitzvah in the time of “eikiv-during the darkest moments of exile the “eikvaso d’meshicha” the time when we hear the foots steps of moshiach’s coming. If the Jew will observe the law in times of difficulty and struggle i.e. in the darkest periods of our exile he then will receive the blessing of the verses said.
There are two types Jews. a) The bais hamikdash yid-the temple Jew b) the golus yid the exile Jew. There is the Jew that lived during the temple era and saw the miracles and wonders of divine revelation in the temple. When he did a mitzvah he saw the benefits it produced. His mind and heart understood the meaning behind the actions that he did. When he did a mitzvah he did it with love and fear of hashem. To him being the chosen nation was clear as day that the Jewish people are g-d “am krovo” G-d’s loving nation.
Then there is the exile Jew even more so the exile Jew at the end of Jewish history that has already experienced r’l all the horrors and pain of golus. He does the mitzvos with “kabolas ol” – the acceptance of the yoke of heaven. It s not because he sees miracles, or because his heart is full of love and fear of hahsem, and is mind is full of understanding, that he observes the law. He does rather like a poshita yid. A simple Jew. Even more so to him t seems that “ atta bchartono” being the chosen nation g-d forbid seems to be a liability i.e. chosen to suffer and nothing more.
And yet he observes the laws for no other reason other then it being g-d will.

Chassidus explain that these two types of Jews correspond to two types of servants.
a)eved naimon-the faithful servant. b) Eved poshut-the simple servant.
A king has many different kinds of servants there is the servant who is a minister. He is close to the king is entrusted with great mission and loves and understands the king. He serves with king with joy. And then there is a servant who is very simple and is usually entrusted with simple task. Does not understand the king or necascary love him. However he serves the king and must do so for he fears him much.
The Jew of the temple era is like the faithful servant while the Jew in exile is the simple servant. Yet which one is a truer servant? It would seem that the greater servant and service preformed is through the sophisticated servant and not by the
Simple one. And indeed the advantage of feeling and enthusiasm is lacking in the simper servant is found by the faithful one. However with regard to the true essence of what a servant is the simple excels the faithful one. For by definition a servant does not mea a friend. A servant mean self-nullification to the master-bittul- and this is found more expressively by the simple one. For the only reason he is do the king’s will is due to obedience. While The faithful servants service is tainted self-awareness of his own skills and abilities. Though he must obey the king but he to has illusion of his own unique understand I fulfilling the kings will. Feeling of tread ad awe before is master is drowned out by his feeling of love and understanding he believes he posses for the king as possible I his mid like no other. The faithful servant has not gotten over himself yet while the simple servant ahs no illusion of who e is ad what he must do. His only concern that posses him is fulfilling exceedingly exact is the will of the king.
The temple Jew is like the faithful servant while the exile Jew is like the simple servant.

This then is what the parsha is telling us. ‘v’hayah ekev tishmu. When he Jew who is in exile and not only exile but he is ekev at the lowest point in his spiritual state with regard to his love and fear of g-d. Not motivation or understand. Not willingness or inspiration. He is in exile both within and with out. Even more he claims’ g –d is far away “azvani hashem” g-d has abandoned him and the Jewish people in exile. Ad et his very same Jew fulfill g-d will meticulously as if he posses all the inspiration insight understand joy will and motive to do hahsem is with great joy. It is this Jew g-d proclaim with pride and great satisfaction ‘vhaya ekev and it will be the exile Jew who is like a heel with regard to his spiritual level observation the law in the heel of time
Ad the end game of Jewish history in exile. .. Then will truly come all the great blessing… he will complete the true redemption. And it is this Jew who will merit to be both on the level of self-nullification of the simple servant with he depth and spiritual light and delight of the faithful servant.