The Little Things

7 Tishrei

BTW - there was a comment posted yesterday in the article "The Slow Process", I published a response next to the comment. Great question.

In the beginning of Parshas Eikev, the Torah delineates quite clearly the reward of those who follow the mitzvos. I will refer you to those psukim instead of quoting them here - just the first few psukim there. The Torah basically says "Do this, and I (HKBH) will take care of you."

Rashi there explains that "Eikev" is lashon of "Akeiv," or foot. The mitzvos that HKBH is asking us to do here in order to receive this blessing are the small mitzvos, the mitzvos that we "step on with our feet" and overlook them. The message is that if we do the little things, the simple mitzvos, HKBH will bestow lavish blessings upon us.

How powerful is this Rashi! HKBH is not asking us to be Oker Harim, uproot mountains. Just a few small mitzvos! Give some tzedaka, smile at someone, learn for an extra minute. This is all HKBH is asking in order to bless us. Don't let the Yetzer Hara convince you that the little things don't matter - they matter a great deal!

Gmar Chasima Tova.