My Musing
Ekev, the name of the parsha and the second word in the opening verse is a difficult word to translate. It opens the next section in Moshe’s farewell address and the theme of this section is the promise of good for observance or some might say obedience. The word however, seems without translation. Most translations and commentaries apply the conditional ‘If’ (אם) but then what is the need for the word Ekev? Why not use a structure similar to the second paragraph of the shma, “And if you hearken”?
Rashi comments that the word Ekev is for emphasis to identify those mitzvoth that we might tread on, or neglect, due to their simplicity or lack of gravitas. Ekev, according to Rashi, is a conjugate of the word for ankle.
Eben Ezra connects the Ekev here to the l’Olam Akev in Psalms (119:112) which is roughly translated as “to the very end” Ekev then implies a diligence with emphasis.
I read Nachmanides as explaining the word Ekev as having tenacity, that things keep going in a cycle.
The opening midrash for this week’s Tanhuma is, I believe, the source for Rashi’s explanation. And it could bring to mind Rabbi Yehudah’s exhortation in Pirkei Avot to be scrupulous with the easy mitzvoth as with the more demanding mitzvoth becuae you cannot discern the reward for either.
But more interesting for me is the second part of the this midrash which refers us to another use of the word Ekev in Psalms that implies great reward. Enigmatic? Absolutely! One only has to look at last week’s selection of midrash to understand why. Does God owe us anything or not?
Ekev, the name of the parsha and the second word in the opening verse is a difficult word to translate. It opens the next section in Moshe’s farewell address and the theme of this section is the promise of good for observance or some might say obedience. The word however, seems without translation. Most translations and commentaries apply the conditional ‘If’ (אם) but then what is the need for the word Ekev? Why not use a structure similar to the second paragraph of the shma, “And if you hearken”?
Rashi comments that the word Ekev is for emphasis to identify those mitzvoth that we might tread on, or neglect, due to their simplicity or lack of gravitas. Ekev, according to Rashi, is a conjugate of the word for ankle.
Eben Ezra connects the Ekev here to the l’Olam Akev in Psalms (119:112) which is roughly translated as “to the very end” Ekev then implies a diligence with emphasis.
I read Nachmanides as explaining the word Ekev as having tenacity, that things keep going in a cycle.
The opening midrash for this week’s Tanhuma is, I believe, the source for Rashi’s explanation. And it could bring to mind Rabbi Yehudah’s exhortation in Pirkei Avot to be scrupulous with the easy mitzvoth as with the more demanding mitzvoth becuae you cannot discern the reward for either.
But more interesting for me is the second part of the this midrash which refers us to another use of the word Ekev in Psalms that implies great reward. Enigmatic? Absolutely! One only has to look at last week’s selection of midrash to understand why. Does God owe us anything or not?
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת עקב סימן א
(דברים ז:יב)"וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאֵלֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְשָׁמַר יְדֹוָד אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַאֲבֹתֶיך"
"וְהָיָה עֵקֶב" זה שאמר הכתוב (תהלים מט:ו) "לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע עֲוֹן עֲקֵבַי יְסוּבֵּנִי"
The Midrash begins with another verse from Psalms using a cognate of Ekev. Literally translated it means “the iniquity of my heels surround me”. The play here is on the heel and sin. What do you trample on?
יתברך שמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא, שנתן תורה לישראל שיש בה תרי"ג מצות ויש בהן קלות וחמורות. ומפני שיש בהן מצות קלות שאין בני אדם משגיחין בהן, אלא שמשליכין אותן תחת עקביהן, כלומר, שהן קלות. לפיכך, היה דוד מתירא מיום הדין ואומר 'רבונו של עולם, איני מתירא מן מצות החמורות שבתורה שהן חמורות, ממה אני מתירא? מן מצות הקלות שמא עברתי על אחת מהן אם עשיתי אם לא עשיתי מפני שהיתה קלה. ואתה אמרת הוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבמצוה חמורה'. לכך אמר "לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע וגו'".
The midrash elaborates that there are two types of mitzvoth, easy or simple and difficult or stringent. These mitzvoth are less likely to be neglected because of their complexity. The simple ones are likely to be trampled. The midrash references the verse from Psalms to explain that David feared neglecting these simple mitzvoth. The midrash continues with another view.
"וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן" זה שאמר הכתוב (תהלים יט:יא) "הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים" וכתיב (תהלים
יט:יב) "גַּם עַבְדְּךָ נִזְהָר בָּהֶם בְּשָׁמְרָם עֵקֶב רָב"
The verse in psalms is more familiar to some from the siddur. The verse declares the mitzvoth to be more precious that the finest gold and sweeter than the finest honey. This is how David exalted the Torah.
בא וראה היאך דוד משבח את דברי התורה שאמר "הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב", ולא עוד אלא שאין בכל מיני תבואה חביבה מסלת נקיה שהיא צפה בפה ודברי תורה חביבין ממנה שנאמר "וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים".
Rabbi Chaninah expands this idea and relates that perhaps David feared that these sweet mitzvoth might have been left to ferment- to spoil. Therefore David declares that he observed them very carefully with Ekev Rav. That is followed by another verse promising the goodness that God has set aside for those who are faithful to His mitzvoth or more accurately seek shelter in Him.
אמר רבי חנינא: אם תאמר שאין בכל מיני המשקין מתוקין מן הדבש ודברי תורה מתוקין מכלם שכתוב בהן "וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים", אמר דוד לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא 'רבון העולמים, שמא מפני שהן מתוקין מדבש בסרתי בהן חס ושלום, אלא "גַּם עַבְדְּךָ נִזְהָר בָּהֶם בְּשָׁמְרָם עֵקֶב רָב" מצות קלות לפיכך כתיב (תהלים לא:כ) "מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחֹסִים בָּךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם"
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