Occasional Vort VIII

by Netanel Livni

והיה עקב תשמעון את המשפטים האלה ושמרתם ועשיתם אתם ושמר יהוה אלהיך לך את-הברית ואת-החסד אשר נשבע לאבתיך - “And it shall come to pass, because ye [עקב] hearken to these ordinances, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep with thee the covenant and the mercy which He swore unto thy fathers”

Rashi says (based on midrash tanchuma):

"These are the lighter commandments, which a person treads with his heels [בעקביו]"

The Kotzker Rebbe asks, which commandment does a person tread on with his heels?Click here to read more The commandment of living in the land of Israel!

Because some people think of this mitzva and the lightest of the light, the Torah comes and says “And it shall come to pass, because ye [עקב] hearken to these ordinances, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep with thee the covenant and the mercy ... and He will love thee, and bless thee” - with all the blessings mentioned in this parsha.

Ahhh...

But you may say: making aliya is difficult! I have no heart for it!

then comes another teaching of the Kotzker (from the previous parsha). It says in the Torah: “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

There are times when a person has no heart for the service of his Maker. Nevertheless, he must serve Him..