Ekev (On the heels of)
The word Ekev literally comes from the root which means heel like the name Yaakov who was born grasping onto the heel of his brother. It means that it follows on the heels of something else. Moshe is continuing his plea to the Jewish people to understand all that G-d would require from us. Obedience is the focus of the message and the consequences of obeying or not. G-d’s Torah was given to us in three types of commandments: 1) Mitzvoth translated as commandments or Ten Words which are to be kept in response to our love for Him, as 2) Chukkim which are His statutes and ordinances; these are not necessarily logical to us and are to be kept as a simple act of obedience and as 3) mishpatim are logical and mean law or injunctions; these deal with justice, man to man and from which stem most of our legal and insurance systems.This book Devarim is like Moshe’s last will and testament where he is telling the people that they have a great responsibility to be obedient to the G-d of Israel. We hear his plea summed up in Deut. 10:12-19. Verse 13 …to obey for your own good, the mitzvoth and chukkim of YHVH which I am giving you today….vs 16…therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart…” This phrase is also used in Deut. 30:6 expanding the idea to our children and in Jer. 4:4 reaching out further to all the people of Israel. The circumcision of the heart is obviously an allegorical expression as in David had the heart of a lion. What does circumcision in Judaism actually mean? It is a covenant between G-d and the parents of the male child bringing this boy into the house of Israel. It was not a practice that was invented by the Jews. It was already being practiced in Egypt and other ancient nationalities. It became however a symbol of the covenant made between Abraham and G-d for the development of this new nation, Israel and it is simply one of the chukkim. It is not logical but it is just to be obeyed for anyone to become part of Israel. It has nothing to do with salvation. When done on the 8th day, it is a sign, identification with Israel.
I was asked why the women weren’t circumcised. According to Torah, women were included and came under the protective covering of men. This is not a chauvinist point of view, it is quite biblical. It is not a matter for feminists to rise up against. As a matter of fact, in trying to be like men, women have actually lowered themselves. Women were created as the final and crowning glory of all of creation. They were given a spiritual aspect which man does not have. The covering by man was meant to be a protection for her since she can more easily be deceived as witnessed in the temptation of Eve by the snake. Anytime we confuse the roles, we destroy G-d’s creation. The Scriptures never speak of female rabbis, female pastors, same sex marriages. No matter how much man tries to justify these positions, it is simply man’s opinion over what Torah actually states. Again, who do we believe, man or G-d?
You will see one word which means love repeated over and over in these verses…ahava hbha. This is not a sentimental love, a mushy, gushy feeling. It is a word of action stemming from a desire to be obedient because you love G-d. The blessings and curses are consequences that arise from being obedient to Him or not. It has nothing to do with salvation which only G-d can give to each of us. Once we are chosen by Him and this is in no way dependent upon ourselves, we then have the choice to be obedient or not to His commandments. This is what was meant when Rav Shaul stated, work out your salvation with fear and trembling (which it can be interpreted as: ‘with reverence and dedication’). Once G-d has called us, we are chosen by Him and He gives us the purpose for our lives. We need to follow Him and not man.
Yeshua stated emphatically in Matthew 5:17” Do not think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish but to expand its meaning. Indeed I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away not so much as one yud or stroke will pass from Torah until everything that must happen has happened. So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvoth and teaches other to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven…”
Yeshua’s words speak for themselves. He did not bring in another set of commandments or limit them to only two…”Love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, soul and might and love your neighbor as yourself.” Yeshua was speaking of being obedient to Torah for both Jew and Gentile. We the Jew were to be ‘or l’goyim” (light to the gentiles) teaching as Yeshua said at the end of Matthew to go the nations, to make talmidim teaching them to obey everything that he commanded us…and that is Torah.
May G-d add blessings to His Word.