IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS
This week’s Parsha, Eikev, opens with Moshe telling his nation that they should be careful with the mitzvos that people step on. If we shall observe those mitzvos then HaShem will preserve for us the covenant He made with our forefathers.
Rashi comments that Moshe is referring to the mitzvos kalos, the lite mitzvos, those mitzvos which people take lightly. If we will attend to those seemingly insignificant mitzvos then HaShem will preserve the covenant He made with our forefathers.
Which specific set of mitzvos was Moshe referring to?
There are mitzvos which are tremendously significant which unfortunately folks step on.One such example is the mitzvah of remaining silent during the entire duration of the davening service. I find it difficult to accept that Moshe is referring to this set of mitzvos because Rashi would not refer to this set as the “lite mitzvos”. This set is actually very severe. Although people step on them that would change their description to being “lite”.
Perhaps it is the set of mitzvos that are truly not severe in any respect, but they are nevertheless mitzvos. Let us take, for example, the mitzvah of reciting the bentching on a cup of wine. When a group of three men eat together, they must bentch together. There is a mitzvah that the leader should recite the bentching while holding a cup of wine. This mitzvah does not disqualify the bentching, and for this reason many people do not practice it. Nevertheless, it remains a mitzvah. We might be correct in assigning it to the set of “lite mitzvos”.
Regarding this set, Moshe tells us that if we attend to these mitzvos, HaShem will attend to His covenant that He made with our forefathers.
What is the connection between these “lite” mitzvos and the covenant He made with our forefathers? The destiny of our people lies in that covenant. For that matter, the entire purpose of our existence lies in that covenant. Is it not an overstatement to say that every-thing we are and can hope to be lies in the performance of the “lite” mitzvos?
There is an expression that great people are recognized by small deeds. The implication is that great people pay attention to the minutiae. The general population may concern themselves with the “important” issues and with the “big” issues but may not care about some of the small details. The one who has his focus on the whole picture pays attention to every small detail.
Perhaps Moshe is telling his nation that the covenant we have with HaShem is not limited to the “important” issues. It is built on the totality of our commitment to HaShem and to His Torah. There is no mitzvah that is truly insignificant.
If we are fixing up a rental unit to be able to rent it out, we may not care if the knobs on the kitchen drawers match. If, however, this will be our home in which we shall live and raise our family it is important that the knobs match. In fact, we will even be careful that the knobs are perfectly centered.
We are entering the second week of the seven weeks of consolation. Every Shabbos we read a chapter from Yeshayahu as he fore-tells how HaShem will take us back. He reminds us that our current state of exile is only temporary. May HaShem grant us the strength and courage needed to slowly pick up all the minutiae of His great Torah and prepare for the great return.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind