Eikev

Eikev – Daniel Beaupain

For decades Daniel has been active as a management consultant/project manager. The past 5 years he studied Mussar at the Mussar Institute in the US. Last year he introduced Mussar in the Netherlands and is now also trying to apply Mussar to present-day business and social issues. Presently he serves as a director at the Amsterdam-based Folkertsma Foundation for Talmud. Daniel is a member of the Liberal Jewish Congregation in Amsterdam.

This sidra looks like a part of a repeated tautology. Starting with the Torah as the blueprint of life, Deuteronomy is a mini Torah and Eikev is a mini Deuteronomy. Eikev has aspects of a management summary, it starts and ends by recapitulating the essence or the "deal", i.e. keeping the Covenant.

Where it all boils down to is this: God proposes a covenant, if we keep to our part He will stick to His part. God then elaborates on His part, the blessings (which are numerous) are attractive and advantageous.

However, if we by any chance, would forsake our part, He will simply withhold the perks that go with keeping the covenant. The mere absence of these blessings will be experienced as curses. Imagine if the rain stops (no crops and no food) or no child is born alive (no le-dor va dor).

To me this appears to be a lesson in empowerment. We are taught how to be an adult, how to think twice before making a choice and to be willing to accept the ramifications. To assess all the possible consequences of our actions, not only on the short term but especially on the long run and in the broadest context.

But does this sidra only try to explain the causal relationship between Torah observance and Divine blessings?

If it does, it would only reinforce the idea that greater welfare is a direct result of putting more effort and energy in our observance of the mitzvot.

Deuteronomy 9: 1-5 clearly explains that there is hardly such thing as a reward/punishment principle behind the covenant. The covenant is rather relationship-driven. It aims primarily on our well-being rather than on our welfare, although the latter often (but not always) tags along.

This also means that both the blessings and their absence are (sometimes ungraspable) expressions of Gd's love and care.

This reminds me of the story of Abraham and Lot in Genesis 13. The difference between Abraham and Lot is based on a conflict between two opposing lifestyles:

• A lifestyle where man prefers to be independent of God (=Lot);
• A lifestyle striving for a dependence (=relationship ) with God (Abraham )

From a Mussar point of view Eikev (meaning heel) represents the midda Humility. The heel always follows the toes and the rest of the body, it doesn’t initiate autonomous actions and hence doesn;t run the risk of becoming arrogant.

Humility (...no more than my place, no less than my space...) is the key factor for properly keeping any relationship, and par excellence the relationship driven covenant.

Deuteronomy 10:12-15 shows that observance is a measure of emotional attachment, a continuation of the relationship between God and our forefathers, which was a relationship based on mutual Trust. The only confidence-trust driven reality in the universe is the relationship between God and Israel as expressed in the covenant.