About two weeks have passed since two-thirds of the world’s sports population watched the World Cup Soccer competition. I guess the entire country of Spain watched the world cup; I, for one, fell into the “other one third” who did not watch even one minute of a game. Even though I do not particularly enjoy watching soccer, I do understand and appreciate the style, technique and grace that go into the sport. Besides using your head (which is a good thing for everything we do) the main play of the sport is using your feet. One can kick the ball with their toes, side of the foot, and the back heel.
There are twenty six* bones in the human foot, some in the front, others in the back and some underneath. Some are large and others are small, but they all need to be healthy in order to kick a soccer ball. Each part of the foot affects the ball in terms of direction, speed and accuracy. Depending on what you want to do, whether it’s to pass, shoot, or run with the ball, one has to use a different part of the foot.
This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Rashi explains this to be a reference to the heel of a foot.
Eikev – “on the heel of”, i.e. in consequence of listening to the Mitzvos of the Torah. I would like to offer a few interesting interpretations of the word Eikev used here in relationship to Hashem.
1) The word Eikev is seen as an allusion to Mitzvos that are associated with the heel or foot walking to the study hall or the Shul to pray or to learn. Other Mitzvos associated with the foot are, walking to visit the sick, escorting the dead to their final resting place, travelling to console mourners, etc.
2) It teaches us that the reward one reaps in this world for observance of Mitzvos is very small and of little value as is the heel of man. The major portion of reward is saved for the world to come.
3) A third and perhaps the most well known explanation of the word Eikev is: Heel of the foot alluding to the Mitzvos that are trodden upon and treated lightly.
The last reason is telling us; do not step on those commandments that we feel are not important or have little value. Rather, treat each and all Mitzvos in a special beautiful way by upholding and cherishing them. Regardless of whether we agree with that Mitzvah or not we must still perform the Mitzvah to the greatest of our ability. We, for sure, must stay away from mocking Mitzvos and the Torah. Don’t kick the Torah like a soccer ball with any part of our foot, especially the heel which literally steps and treads upon things.
A certain Rabbi named Horav Swift interprets the verse as a lesson to parents. Children follow the heel, or in the footsteps of their parents. They see and sense their parents’ commitment and take it to heart. Our greatest error is to underestimate our children’s perceptions. On many occasions, we express the hope that children will follow in their parent’s footsteps. We hope that it is an appropriate blessing.
Now that we are warned about the potential greatness and danger of the foot, we can all prepare for the coming of Moshiach. If not we will see you in Brazil in 2014.
Ah Gut Shabbos
Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky
* Some people know the significance of the number 26 in Jewish lore and what it equals to. Thinking about the foot, the lowest part of our body, should humble us before God.
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