The parsha through the lens of Mussar, the trait of Zachor / Remembering / זכור
Parsha Summary:
- He describes the land they are about to enter as “flowing with milk and honey,” blessed with the “seven kinds” (wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and dates).
- The second chapter of the Shema in this parsha repeats the fundamental mitzvot enumerated in the Shema’s first chapter, and describes both the rewards of fulfilling God’s commandments and the consequences --famine and exile --if they don't.
הַזְּכִירָה - {hazkirah] Memory, זכור Zachor = to remember, remnant, trace, vestige ; in memory of. The root is זכר = masculine.
This is a picture of the forget-me-not flower, which in Hebrew is called זכריני מסועף ! [Zachreini M'su'af ] [Normally, the direct translation would beאל תשכחיני Al tashkicheini]
Memory is a precious gift, for it transforms the discrete moments of our lives and events in history into an unfolding narrative. We become acutely aware of being a part of an eternal people that began a spiritual journey in the distant past with its goal to be realized in the remote future. www.myjewishlearning.org
(יב) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
(12) And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, your God יהוה will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers:
עֵקֶב (n-m) heb
והיה עקב תשמעון. אִם הַמִּצְווֹת קַלּוֹת שֶׁאָדָם דָּשׁ בַּעֲקֵבָיו תשמעון.
והיה עקב תשמעון AND THE CONSEQUENCE WILL BE, IF YE HEARKEN (The Hebrew text may be taken to signify if you will hear the heel, עקב) — If, even the lighter commands which a person usually treads on with his heels (i.e. which a person is inclined to treat lightly), ye will hearken to,
...for memory is a fence to truth, and it helps a man to fulfill his vows. If there is a matter between him and his companion, he must remember it and not alter his words. If someone tells him a secret and commands him not to reveal it, he must remember this and not reveal it. Orchot Tzadikkim, 19:2
The people were meant to observe these commandments out of a feeling of love for G’d, not because they did so in order to earn a reward. Sforno, on Eikev 7: 12
The word eikev is used because it has a numerical value of 172—the number of words in the Ten Commandments. ~Baal HaTurim
ikveta d’meshicha, is the phrase used to describe the generation of “the heels of Moshiach” --which many say we are in now. Ours is the last generation of the exile, so some say that we are the spiritually lowest generation, due to the “descent of the generations” but is the generation in which it is said that the footsteps of the Moshiach can already be heard.
Our commitment to Torah should be such that it permeates us entirely, so that also our heel—the lowest and the least sensitive part of the person—“hearkens to these laws, observes them and does them.” In other words, our relationship with G‑d should not be confined to the holy days of the year, or to certain “holy” hours we devote to prayer and study, but should also embrace our everyday activities. Indeed, this “lowly” and “spiritually insensitive” part of our life is the foundation of our relationship with G‑d, in the same way that the heel is the base upon which the entire body stands and moves. ~The Lubavitcher Rebbe
(יז) כִּ֤י תֹאמַר֙ בִּלְבָ֣בְךָ֔ רַבִּ֛ים הַגּוֹיִ֥ם הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִמֶּ֑נִּי אֵיכָ֥ה אוּכַ֖ל לְהוֹרִישָֽׁם׃ (יח) לֹ֥א תִירָ֖א מֵהֶ֑ם זָכֹ֣ר תִּזְכֹּ֗ר אֵ֤ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה וּלְכׇל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (יט) הַמַּסֹּ֨ת הַגְּדֹלֹ֜ת אֲשֶׁר־רָא֣וּ עֵינֶ֗יךָ וְהָאֹתֹ֤ת וְהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ וְהַיָּ֤ד הַחֲזָקָה֙ וְהַזְּרֹ֣עַ הַנְּטוּיָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֖ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כֵּֽן־יַעֲשֶׂ֞ה יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לְכׇל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָרֵ֖א מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
(17) Should you say to yourselves, “These nations are more numerous than we; how can we dispossess them?” (18) You need have no fear of them. You have but to bear in mind what your God יהוה did to Pharaoh and all the Egyptians: (19) the wondrous acts that you saw with your own eyes, the signs and the portents, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm by which your God יהוה liberated you. Thus will your God יהוה do to all the peoples you now fear.
If so, how could a man hide his eye from his deeds or slacken his striving in attaining this [truth about his actions]? ~Mesillat Yesharim, 4:11
When you understand that the nations are more numerous than you, and that you, with your own power, cannot defeat them, but are totally dependent on G‑d’s help, then you need not fear them. But if you begin to believe that you can defeat them on your own, then you indeed have great cause for fear. ~Rabbi Eliezer Ashkenazi (1583) , Maasei Hashem
(א) כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יהוה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (ב) וְזָכַרְתָּ֣ אֶת־כׇּל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹלִֽיכְךָ֜ יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ זֶ֛ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לְמַ֨עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֛ הֲתִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְוֺתָ֖ו אִם־לֹֽא׃
(1) You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that יהוה promised on oath to your fathers. (2)Remember the long way that your God יהוה has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years, in order to test you by hardships to learn what was in your hearts: whether you would keep the divine commandments or not.
(ד) אַךְ יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּמִדַּת הַשִּׁכְחָה לִשְׁכֹּחַ הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה. כִּי אִם יִתֵּן לֵב לִזְכֹּר מִצְווֹתָיו וְתוֹרוֹתָיו, וְיִשְׁכַּח רָעוֹתָיו וְתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו – אָז יִהְיֶה צַדִּיק בְּעֵינָיו וְלֹא יָשׁוּב. אַךְ יִזְכֹּר פְּשָׁעָיו, וְיִכְתְּבֵם עַל סֵפֶר וְיִקְרָאֵם כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר הַכֹּל, וְיָשׁוּב מִכָּל אַחַת וְיִתְוַדֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם. אַךְ עַל מִצְוָה שֶׁעָשָׂה לֹא יָחוּשׁ לִזְכֹּר. לְעוֹלָם יְדַמֶּה בְּעֵינָיו כְּאִלּוּ הוּא רֵיק מִמִּצְווֹת וּמָלֵא עֲבֵרוֹת. וְיִשְׁכַּח חַטֹּאת חֲבֵרוֹ וְיִמְחֹל לוֹ, וְיִשְׁכַּח מִלִּבּוֹ שִׂנְאָה וְקִנְאָה וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים. וּבְעֵת הַתְּפִלָּה יִשְׁכַּח מִלִּבּוֹ כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אַךְ יַעֲלֶה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ חֶסֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְיִדְבַּק בּוֹ בִּדְבֵקוּת גְּדוֹלָה. וּכְשֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה צְרָכָיו – יִשְׁכַּח מִלִּבּוֹ כָּל דִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וְדִבְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁה, אַךְ יַחְשֹׁב בְּצָרְכֵי בֵּיתוֹ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. וְיַחֲשֹׁב שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא צוֹאָה, וּבָזֶה יַשְׁפִּיל לִבּוֹ. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר: לְכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה יַעֲשֶׂה מָה שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכָּחֶנָּה, ״כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר״ (משלי ו כג).
(4) However, a man should employ the quality of forgetfulness to forget the commandments that he has fulfilled. For if he sets his mind on remembering the precepts that he has fulfilled and the Torah that he has studied, while forgeting his bad deeds and evil schemes, then he will be a righteous man in his own eyes and will not repent. But he should remember his transgressions and write them in a book and read them, in order to remember all of them and repent of each and every one, and he should confess them. But as for the good deeds that he has done, he should not hasten to remember them, and he should always appear in his eyes as though he were empty of good deeds and filled with transgressions. He should forget the sins of his fellow man and forgive him, and he should remove from his heart all hatred, jealousy, and evil thoughts. And at the time of prayer he should remove from his heart everything in the world, but there should be uppermost in his thoughts the kindness of God, and he should cleave to Him with great attachment. And when he performs his bodily needs, he must forget all the words of the Torah and words of holiness, but he may think about the needs of his household, at that time. He should also think that he is filled with excrement, lowering the pride of his heart. The general rule here is that with respect to every precept of the Torah he should do something that will cause him not to forget, "For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light" (Prov. 6:23).
(א) כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יהוה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
(1) You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that יהוה promised on oath to your fathers.
The simple meaning of the phrase “all the mitzvah” is the entire body of divine commandments—all the mitzvot. The Midrashic interpretation is: do the whole mitzvah. If you begin a good deed, finish it, for a mitzvah is credited to the one who concludes the task. ~Rashi
Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Eikev, Derekh Chayim 2
כל המצוה אשר אנכי מצוך היום . Our sages in Bereshit Rabbah advise that having commenced to perform a mitzvah, one should try to complete it. It is only a mitzvah when performed fully. This is the message contained in our verse.
כל המצוה אשר אנכי מצוך היום . Our sages in Bereshit Rabbah advise that having commenced to perform a mitzvah, one should try to complete it. It is only a mitzvah when performed fully. This is the message contained in our verse.
(סה) וְהוּא מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בְּפֶרֶק הַזָּהָב (ב"מ נח): אִם הָיָה בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה, לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ, זְכוֹר מַעֲשֶׂיךָ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְכוּ'. אִם הָיוּ חֳלָאִים בָּאִים עָלָיו, לֹא יֹאמַר לוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲבֵרָיו לְאִיּוֹב (איוב ד): זְכָר נָא מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד וְגוֹ'. אִם הָיוּ חַמָּרִים מְבַקְּשִׁים הֵימֶנּוּ תְּבוּאָה, לֹא יֹאמַר לָהֶם, לְכוּ אֵצֶל פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁהוּא מוֹכֵר תְּבוּאָה, וְיוֹדֵעַ בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא מָכַר תְּבוּאָה מִיָּמָיו.
(65) This is what our sages said: "if he were a Baal Teshuva (penitent), do not say to him 'remember your former deeds...' if sickness befalls him do not say to him in the way the friends of Job said: "Remember, please, who ever perished, being innocent?" (Job 4:7). If traveling merchants ask you for grain, do not tell them 'go to such and such who sells grain', and you know that he never sold grain in his life" (Bava Metzia 58b).
כל המצוה אשר אנכי מצוך היום תשמרון לעשות. הנה המכוון אצל ההמון הוא השגת הצלחות זמניות הנכללות בג' מיני' והם אורך ימים והבנים והממון והנה בקיום המצות תשיגו את כלם לפיכך תשמרו לעשותם:
כל המצוה אשר אנכי מצוך היום תשמרון לעשות, the objective of people worshipping idols is nothing other than their obsession with transient values which consist mostly of three categories, having children, living to a ripe old age, and success in amassing money or its equivalent. The Torah promises that by observing G’d’s commandments as spelled out in the Torah one may achieve all these three objectives. This is meant by the Torah writing: למען תחיון, when commanding the laws of the Torah G’d did not only mean to guarantee you eternal life in the hereafter, but He had in mind also successful, rewarding life on earth.
(ג) וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ וַיַּאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן הוֹדִֽיעֲךָ֗ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א עַל־הַלֶּ֤חֶם לְבַדּוֹ֙ יִחְיֶ֣ה הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֛י עַל־כׇּל־מוֹצָ֥א פִֽי־יהוה יִחְיֶ֥ה הָאָדָֽם׃
(3) [God] subjected you to the hardship of hunger and then gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever known, in order to teach you that a human being does not live on bread alone, but that one may live on anything that יהוה decrees.
(י) וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃
(10) When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to your God יהוה for the good land given to you.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה. וְכׇל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה מָעַל. מַאי תַּקַּנְתֵּיהּ? — יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָכָם.
The Sages taught in a Tosefta: One is forbidden to derive benefit from this world, which is the property of God, without reciting a blessing beforehand. And anyone who derives benefit from this world without a blessing, it is as if he is guilty of misuse of a consecrated object. The Gemara adds: What is his remedy? He should go to a Sage.
...material comfort can create a sense of complacency and arrogance. It is often easier to turn to God when hungry than after finishing a lavish meal. The Torah addresses this potential pitfall by placing the grace after the meal. In many ways, people have a much greater need for a reminder about God and our religious commitments after eating than before. ~ Rabbi Yizchak Blau
(יא) הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֔ פֶּן־תִּשְׁכַּ֖ח אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֨י שְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְוֺתָיו֙ וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם׃
(11) Take care lest you forget your God יהוה and fail to keep the divine commandments, rules, and laws which I enjoin upon you today.
(יד) וְרָ֖ם לְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ (טו) הַמּוֹלִ֨יכְךָ֜ בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּדֹ֣ל וְהַנּוֹרָ֗א נָחָ֤שׁ ׀ שָׂרָף֙ וְעַקְרָ֔ב וְצִמָּא֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־מָ֑יִם הַמּוֹצִ֤יא לְךָ֙ מַ֔יִם מִצּ֖וּר הַֽחַלָּמִֽישׁ׃ (טז) הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ מָן֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֗ וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ לְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֖ בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃ (יז) וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ כֹּחִי֙ וְעֹ֣צֶם יָדִ֔י עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֶת־הַחַ֥יִל הַזֶּֽה׃
(14) beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget your God יהוה —who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage; (15) who led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its seraph serpents and scorpions, a parched land with no water in it, who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock; (16) who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your ancestors had never known, in order to test you by hardships only to benefit you in the end— (17) and you say to yourselves, “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.”
Asked Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov: The Torah repeatedly warns against pride and extols humility. Nevertheless, this precept is not counted as one of the 613 commandments. Why isn’t it a mitzvah to be humble?
Answered the Baal Shem Tov: If humility were a mitzvah, the ego of man would count it among its achievements.
Answered the Baal Shem Tov: If humility were a mitzvah, the ego of man would count it among its achievements.
(ד) אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר בִּלְבָבְךָ֗ בַּהֲדֹ֣ף יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ אֹתָ֥ם ׀ מִלְּפָנֶ֘יךָ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ בְּצִדְקָתִי֙ הֱבִיאַ֣נִי יהוה לָרֶ֖שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וּבְרִשְׁעַת֙ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה יהוה מוֹרִישָׁ֥ם מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
(4) And when your God יהוה has thrust them from your path, say not to yourselves, “יהוה has enabled us to possess this land because of our virtues”; it is rather because of the wickedness of those nations that יהוה is dispossessing them before you.
Better a sinful person who knows that he has sinned, than a righteous person who knows that he is righteous. ~ Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Horowitz, The Seer of Lublin
(יב) וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָ֠ה אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכׇל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
(12) And now, O Israel, what does your God יהוה demand of you? Only this: to revere your God יהוה, to walk only in divine paths, to love and to serve your God יהוה with all your heart and soul,
(יט) וַאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (כ) אֶת־יהוה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ תִּירָ֖א אֹת֣וֹ תַעֲבֹ֑ד וּב֣וֹ תִדְבָּ֔ק וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃
(19) You too must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (20) You must revere יהוה: only your God shall you worship, to [God] shall you hold fast, and by God’s name shall you swear.