From: Netvort@aol.com
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 3:32
AM
To: JoshHoff@aol.com
Subject: Netvort : parshas Eikev,
5765
In
the Long Run
By
Rabbi Joshua (ultimately known as The Hoffer) Hoffman
The
famous English economist, John Maynard Keynes, was once presenting an analysis
of the national economy, when he was asked, " what will happen in the long run?"
In response, he said, " in the long run, we are all dead." Perhaps it is this
pessimistic view of life by such an influential economist that contributed to
economics’ reputation as being "the dismal science." The Jewish view of life,
however, does not follow the pattern that was laid out by Mr. Keynes, as a study
of the beginning of this week’s parsha, in tandem with the end of last week’s
parsha , reveals.
Parshas Eikev begins with the
statement, " And it will be ‘because of’ (eikev) your listening to these
ordinances, and your observing and performing them : the Lord, your God, will
safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your
forefathers" (Devorim 7:12). The midrash, as cited by Rashi, already noted the
peculiar use of the word ‘eikev’ - because of - rather than the more usual term,
‘im’ - if, which would have rendered, ‘if you listen to these ordinances, etc.’
The midrash explains that the word ‘eikev’ also means ‘heel,’ and the Torah, by
using this word, is thereby hinting that reward will come for observing mitzvos
that people deem to be light, or unimportant, and tread on with their feet. This
comment of Rashi must be seen in conjunction with his comment on the last verse
of parshas Vaeschanan, "You shall observe the commandments, and the statutes and
the ordinances that I command you today, to perform them. " (Devorim
7:13). Rashi there explains that we are to do the mitzvos today, and receive our
reward for them tomorrow, in the world to come. Therefore, when the Torah
now tells us that we will receive reward in this world for mitzvos that we do,
Rashi explains this to be referring to a specific kind of mitzvoh, as alluded to
in the word ’eikev’ (for a further discussion of the Torah’s promises of
earthly rewards for observing mitzvos in light of the Talmudic statement that
‘reward for mitzvos is not in this world,’ see Netvort to parshas Eikev, 5759,
available at Torahheights.com).
We may, however, add a certain
nuance to Rashi’s understanding of the reward for seemingly minor mitzvos, based
on another source. The medieval commentary, Pa’aneach Razah, by
Rabbi Yitzchok ben Yehudah HaLevi, seems to understand the midrashic explanation
of ’eikev’ differently from Rashi. He writes that the first letters of the
two words, ’eikev tishme’un’ - because you will listen’ - are the same letters
that are at the beginning of the words ‘eiruv tavshilin’ - which is a rabbinic
enactment to prepare certain food items before a Yom Tov that runs into Shabbos,
in order to permit cooking and baking on that Yom Tov for Shabbos. The rabbis
tell us, continues the author of Pa’aneach Raza, that Avrohom kept all of the
mitzvos, including the rabbbinic mitzvoh of eiruv tavshilin. Thus, the word
‘eikev', hints to this seemingly minor mitzvoh that Avrohom observed, along with
the rest of the mitzvos. The special reward that one receives for doing
such mitzvos, then comes when it is done in conjunction with all the rest of the
mitzvos, as was the case with Avrohom. The image of the heel, then, according to
Pa’aneach Raza, should perhaps be taken to mean that we need to keep all of the
mitzvos,’ from head to heel.’
Rashi’s grandson, Rashbam,
seems to understand the term eikev, as used in our verse, differently from the
way his grandfather does. According to Rashbam the word eikev refers to the
end of a process. In this sense, the verse must, again, be interpreted in
connection with the verse near the end of parshas Vaeschanan ; "You must know
that the Lord, your God, He is the God, the faithful God, Who safeguards the
covenant and the kindness for those who love him and for those who observe His
commandments, for a thousand generations " (Devorim 7:9). Rashbam explains this
to mean that we should not think that God will fulfill his promise whether or
not we observe his mitzvos. Therefore, God tells us, that He "safeguards the
covenant and the kindness for those who observe His commandments". If the nation
does not observe the commandments, God will wait even for a thousand
generations, until the people are worthy. This message, says Rashbam, concludes
with the first verse in parshas Eikev, in which God says that if the people do
observe the mitzvos, then God will not wait until the thousandth generation, but
fulfill his promise with the current generation.
Rabbi Aharon
Dovid Goldberg, in his commentary Shiras Dovid, cites this explanation of
Rashbam, and asks, how he can say that God’s fulfillment of his promise to
the forefathers is dependent on the nation’s observance of the mitzvos? Didn’t
God tell Avrohom explicitly that the fourth generation of the exile would return
to the land? He answers that the people would have entered the land even if they
had not observed the commandments, since God promised Avrohom that the fourth
generation would return there. However, they would not have remained there very
long if they did not observe the mitzvos, and would go into exile, and only
return on a permanent basis when they did follow the Torah. I would like to
suggest a different answer, based on a comment of the Ramban in parshas Bo,
12:40. The Torah tells us there that the sojourn of the children of Israel in
Egypt was four hundred thirty years. Ramban asks, didn’t God tell Avrohom that
the nation would be in exile for four hundred years? He answers that they had to
stay an additional thirty years because of their sins. Rav Dovid Feinstein
explained that the period of four hundred years was similar to a minimum
sentence handed down by a judge. If the prisoner serves out his sentence
properly, he will be released on schedule. Otherwise, he may have to serve a
longer sentence. Thus, the nation could have served a sentence of even longer
than four hundred thirty years. According to Rashbam’s explanation of the verses
we are examining, the sentence could have lasted a thousand generations, if the
nation did not begin observing the mitzvos. The end of the process - eikev -
would come when the nation followed God’s Torah, so that they would be worthy of
entering the land.
In light of Rashbam’s explanation, the use
of the word ‘vehaya,’ - ‘and it will be’ - in the beginning of our parsha, in
the opening phrase,’vehaya eikev tishmeun’ - and it will be because of your
listening - takes on added significance. As Rabbi Chaim ben Attar points out in
his commentary, this word is, according to the Talmud, an expression of joy.
Although the simple explanation of the use of this term here is that the reward
God will grant will bring joy to the people, Reb Zadok HaKohein of Lublin
explains, in his commentary Peri Zaddik, that the joy referred to must be seen
in conjunction with the rebuke mentioned at the end of the previous parsha.
God’s rebuke is a means of bringing the people to observe His commandments and
come close to Him, and, thus, ultimately generates a state of joy. Following the
Rashbam, perhaps we can explain the joy expressed here as coming from an
awareness that, no matter how long the people may stay in exile, in the end, God
will fulfill his covenant with the forefathers and grant the entire land to
them. The joy, then, comes from the knowledge that, on a national scale, we are
in the middle of a process, and, in the long run, we will endure and possess all
of the land that God promised our forefathers to give to
us.
Please
address all correspondence to the author (Rabbi Hoffman) with the following
address - JoshHoff @ AOL.com.
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