אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם
"Vehaya ekev tishme'un..." "And it will come to pass, because you listen..." Devarim 7:12
The Strange Opening
Parashat Ekev opens with a word that seems strangely out of place: ekev. It means "heel." Why does the Torah begin a section about listening to HKBH's commandments with a word that refers to the lowest, least sensitive part of the body?
Rashi gives the classic answer: the word alludes to the mitzvot that a person tends to "trample with their heel." These are the commandments that seem small, easy to overlook, or insignificant. The Torah is warning us: watch your step. Because the things you are stepping on might be the very things you were sent here to do.
The Arithmetic of the Soul
We live in a world that celebrates the grand gesture.
We admire the towering scholar, the heroic act, the overnight success. But the Torah teaches us that true greatness is built differently. It is not built in a single moment of inspiration. It is built in the quiet, unglamorous, repetitive moments that no one else notices.
The Kli Yakar explains that the Yetser Hara (the evil inclination) rarely pushes a person toward a catastrophic sin. It does not say: "Renounce HKBH." Instead, it whispers:
"This one time, it is not a big deal." "You can say that blessing faster. No one will know." "You will make it up tomorrow."
And slowly, imperceptibly, the soul becomes calloused. The Kav HaYashar describes this process as a "thickening of the heart." At first, a small transgression causes discomfort. Then, less. Then, nothing at all. The real danger is not the sin itself. It is the loss of sensitivity.
The Divine Strategy of Daily Manna
This is exactly why the manna in the desert did not come in a bulk delivery.
Imagine if HKBH had provided a year's worth of food in one go. It would have been a colossal miracle, but it would have failed to teach the key lesson. Instead, the manna came every single morning. Fresh. Daily. Small enough to gather by hand.
The message was clear:
"Lo al ha'lechem levado yichyeh ha'adam" "Man does not live on bread alone, but on everything that comes from the mouth of HKBH." (Devarim 8:3)
We are not sustained by one great spiritual high. We are sustained by the daily bread of Torah, prayer, and kindness. These are the small things we do again and again, whether we feel like it or not.
The Greatness of Small Things
This is the deep teaching of the Steipler Gaon.
A student once asked him: "How can I become a great Torah scholar?"
The Steipler replied: "Do not try to become a great scholar today. Study seriously today. Then, tomorrow, do it again."
That is it. That is the secret.
Greatness is not a single leap. It is a long walk. And walking requires feet. And feet require heels. Every step, no matter how small, moves you forward. Each one matters. Each one is counted.
The Secret of the Heel in Your Own Life
So here is the question this parasha asks, directly and without apology:
If HKBH looked only at the "small" things you did this week, the prayers you rushed through, the kind words you did not say, the extra minutes you wasted, the "Amens" you mumbled without thinking, would your week have value?
It is a hard question. But it is also liberating.
Because it means you do not need to wait for a big moment to change. You can begin right now. Not with ten resolutions, just one. And hold it.
Rabbi Nachman of Breslev taught:
"If you believe you can damage, believe you can repair."
Every small step of repair, every small act of attention, is a step toward your soul.
A Call for This Week
This week, try the "Ekev" practice:
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Pick one small mitzvah that you usually trample. Maybe it is saying Birkat Hamazon with attention. Maybe it is pausing before speaking. Maybe it is greeting someone with a smile.
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Make it yours. Do not take on ten things. Take on one.
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Remember: the heel is the lowest part of the body, but it carries the whole person. Your small step carries your entire soul.
Source Material
This post is based on the Torath Haïm weekly publication for Parashat Ekev, Edition N°5, which includes teachings from Rashi, Kli Yakar, Kav HaYashar, the Steipler Gaon, Rabbi Nachman of Breslev, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.