Monday, August 6, 2012
Parshat Ekev
Dvarim 7:12 – 11:25
23 Av 5772 / August 10 – 11, 2012
Stepping Towards Godliness
by Emly Oren, Moishe House Portland
by Emly Oren, Moishe House Portland
In Parashat Eikev, the third
parshah in the book of Dvarim, Moses continues speaking to the Israelites
before entering the Promised Land. He promises that if they fulfill the
commandments, they will prosper in the land that is, “Flowing with milk and honey.”
Moses also addresses the hardships we went through, such as recalling the
worship of the Golden Calf and the rebellion of Korach. The Parshah concludes
with the description of manna and the blessings of the seven species.
I noticed the first sentence uses
this week’s Parshah, “Eikev”, as a conjunction of “because”: “And it shall come
to pass because you heartened and you listened and you obeyed God’s
commandments.” As a noun, however, Eikev is defined as a “heel.” For me, this
definition gives me more insight. The Israelites have stopped wandering the
desert and are about to enter the Promised Land. They have walked long and far
and are now grounding themselves with their heels. In this Parshah, heels
symbolize our history and the lessons that Moses has taught us. Now the
Israelites are entering their new home with their feet forward, knowing that
their heel has led them to this very moment. It is up to them to let their toes
guide them in the right direction while allowing their heals to be grounded.
Where we put our feet depends on
the choices we make and the direction we take is completely up to us. During
this week I think it is important to ask ourselves the following questions: Are
we walking with our feet towards godliness or away from it? Are we stepping
into a place of light or darkness? This week’s portion is teaching us that we
have choices to make in life. May we enter this week with the direction of
free-will and may our feet guide us to a place of holiness.
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