(12) And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, the ETERNAL your God will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers: (13) [God] will favor you and bless you and multiply you—blessing your issue from the womb and your produce from the soil, your new grain and wine and oil, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock, in the land sworn to your fathers to be assigned to you.

(1) והיה עקב תשמעון, Moses explains that the reason why the King, i.e. G’d, commands them to observe all these commandments is in order to be able to fulfill the promises made to their forefathers regarding them. The people were meant to observe these commandments out of a feeling of love for G’d, not because they did so in order to earn a reward. [If I understand the author correctly, the wordsואת החסד in the phrase את הברית והחסד, are to establish reciprocity of G’d’s loving care for the patriarchs, the parties to the covenant, and their descendants’ feeling of love on their part towards the Creator. Ed.]

(17) I will bestow My blessing upon you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore; and your descendants shall seize the gates of their foes. (18) All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.”

(24) That night GOD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and increase your offspring for the sake of My servant Abraham.”

(13) And standing beside him was GOD, who said, “I am the ETERNAL, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. (14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. (15) Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

(9) God appeared again to Jacob on his arrival from Paddan-aram. God blessed him, (10) saying to him,
“You whose name is Jacob,You shall be called Jacob no more,But Israel shall be your name.”
Thus he was named Israel. (11) And God said to him,
“I am El Shaddai. Be fertile and increase;A nation, yea an assembly of nations,Shall descend from you.Kings shall issue from your loins.(12)The land that I assigned to Abraham and IsaacI assign to you;And to your offspring to comeWill I assign the land.”

(5) ושמר ה' אלוקיך לך את הברית, the one He swore, when He said (Genesis 17,7) “I will give My covenant between Me and you, and between your descendants after you for all generations as an eternal covenant, to be your G’d and that of your descendants after you.” Being our G’d means that He will supervise our fates not by means of some intermediary, such as the fates which are supervised by appointees of G’d, including horoscopes, and angels assigned to each nation. Besides, anything which is done by G’d personally, without His having recourse to an intermediary, is something that endures forever. Compare Kohelet 3,14 כי כל אשר יעשה האלוקים הוא אשר יהיה לעולם,”anything which G’d does Himself is something that will endure forever.” By contrast, transient phenomena, [such as extinct species, for instance, Ed.] are proof of the fact that they were the products of intermediaries of G’d. [G’d had commanded the waters to produce the living creatures of the waters, and He had commanded the earth to produce vegetation and the mammals, etc. Water and the earth are both intermediaries. Ed.] (6) ואת החסד, as He had said in Genesis 17,8 when He promised the land of Canaan to Avraham’s descendants. Such acts are acts of loving kindness and have nothing to do with the reward awaiting us as compensation for performing the commandments in the world to come. (based on the statement in Kidushin 39 that reward, in the sense of compensation, for commandments performed is not something that is due while we are on earth.)

(14) I realized, too, that whatever God has brought to pass will recur evermore:
Nothing can be added to it And nothing taken from it—
and God has brought to pass that mortals feel reverence.

והיה עקב תשמעון, “it will be as a consequence of your hearkening, etc.” Rashi comments on why Moses used the word עקב, “heel,” here when he could have used numerous other words meaning: “as a result of.” He says that Moses refers here to the kind of commandments which the average person tramples underfoot with his heel, is hardly conscious of, for the observance of which meticulously the Torah promises great reward, even though it takes no effort to fulfill theses commandments. This is also what David had in mind in Psalms 49,6 when he said: למה אירא רע בימי עון עקבי יסובני, “why should I be afraid of trouble in days to come –seeing that I have fulfilled the most difficult commandments?-He answers rhetorically, “I have reason to be afraid of being punished for trespassing the commandments that are so easy to fulfill as it is to put one heel behind another.” Our sages in Ethics of the Fathers chapter 2 mishnah 1, warn us to be as meticulous to fulfill the commandments which are easy to fulfill as we are with fulfilling the commandments which are difficult and expensive to fulfill. Something along the same line has been written in Proverbs 5,6 where Solomon warns: ארח חיים פן תפלס נעו מעגלותיה לא תדע “she (the immoral woman who is the subject here) does not chart a path of life; her ways are unstable; you do not know them.” Solomon warns us not to apply our yardsticks to different commandments and taking credit for the ones we performed with a great deal of effort, while neglecting to fulfill the ones we considered as unimportant. We have no way of knowing how G–d values the performance of different commandments, so that we do not know what rewards are in store for their performance. This can be illustrated best by a parable. A king had an orchard; he brought workmen to that orchard to plant trees and did not tell them how much he would pay each for each tree that they planted. If he had told them beforehand which planting would be paid for most, he would find at the end that only half the orchard had been planted with trees, as the workers would, of course, all plant the trees for which they would be paid the most. According to Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, G–d revealed the reward of only two of all the commandments; one is the commandment which is the easiest to fulfill, the other is the commandment which is the hardest to fulfill. Honouring father and mother is the easiest commandment to fulfill, it can be fulfilled several times daily without special effort. The other is the sending away of the mother bird when one plans to take the chicks it had hatched or was about to hatch. Both of these commandments are rewarded with same reward, long life of the person who fulfills them. The reason is that G–d wanted to show the world that there are commandments which we think must carry a great reward, and others which precisely because they are so easy to fulfill, and the opportunity to fulfill them is ever present, so that we might have thought that they cannot carry much of a reward. [The author continues with further elaborations, which I have omitted as the point has been made sufficiently. Ed.]

(1)והיה עקב תשמעון, "It will be because you hearken, etc." Why did the Torah have to write the word והיה? If the word refers to G'd keeping His covenant with us, i.e. ושמר …את הברית, it would have sufficed for the Torah to write עקב תשמעון without the word והיה as introduction. Another problem is the use of the word עקב instead of simply אם "if." In a simliar situation in Leviticus 26,3 the Torah wrote אם בחוקותי תלכו, "if you walk in My statutes." Tanchuma on our verse writes that the word עקב heel, is an allusion to the kind of commandments people ignore, i.e. step on with their heels because they consider them as inconsequential. This is a purely homiletical comment, of course.

(6) The Zohar volume three page 213 says there is no joy before G'd equal to the joy G'd experiences at the time Israel studies Torah. The Torah uses the word והיה without being specific to show that this joy will be of a very general nature, it will embrace the whole earth all because you hearken to the Lord's commandments. The word עקב also is a hint that a Torah-observant Jew is humble, the word עקב, "heel," reminding him of the need for humility. Once he approaches Torah in such a spirit, תשמעון, "you will hear," i.e. understand the deeper meaning of the Torah and its commandments.

(12) There is still another way of looking at our verse. The words עקב תשמעון are an assurance by Moses to the people that in order to dispossess the Canaanites and to inherit their land they did not need to rely on the oath G'd had sworn to Abraham. All they had to do was to keep G'd's commandments. G'd would then keep the covenant on account of the merits the people had acquired. If you possess personal merit such merit is far superior to the merit of the ancestors working on your behalf. Moses makes a point of saying לך את הברית, "to you the covenant;" he did not content himself with saying merely: ושמר לך ה׳ את הברית". The difference in the position of the word לך is crucial to the understanding of our verse. Moses wanted the word לך to appear next to the word הברית. By saying ושמר, Moses indicated that if possession of the land of Canaan would be due to Israel's own merit G'd would keep His covenant for all times. We can be sure that this is true seeing that Abraham himself became the recipient of all these promises not because of the merit of his fathers but because of his own merit. If Israel were to be as deserving as their patriarch, why would they receive less of an inheritance than that promised to their fore-father? On the contrary, they had accumulated additional merits when they accepted the Torah at the revelation at Mount Sinai! They would observe the commandments as an act of obedience to G'd, a greater merit than merely doing so voluntarily. To sum up, the merits of the sons were greater than those of the fathers.

(1)The Well, the Clouds of Glory and the Manna / The Covenant / Defeating Amalek / Drink, Clothing and Food / Teaching Torah / Fear of Sin / Expressing Wisdom Carefully / Original Torah Thoughts / The Double Portion / Guarding Against Pride / Guarding Against Unseemly SpeechThe well, the clouds of glory and the manna that accompanied the Jewish people throughout their wanderings in the wilderness remained with them in the merit of Moses. These three entities came to them originally due to the spiritual influence of the three patriarchs. Thus the well, with its waters of kindness, corresponded to Abraham. The clouds corresponded to Isaac, who had clouded eyes. And the manna corresponded to Jacob. Moses’ soul was composed of the three patriarchs; therefore, he could maintain the existence of these entities.As a whole, the patriarchs represent the covenant (of circumcision, referring to sexual purity), which was polluted by Amalek when it attacked the Jewish people in the wilderness. With the power that he received from the patriarchs, Moses was able to defeat Amalek and rectify the covenant. In doing so, Moses attained a double portion of spiritual abundance.The well, the clouds of glory and the manna correspond to drink, clothing and food. A person attains these in accordance with the degree to which he internalizes the traits of the patriarchs: Abraham’s kindness, Isaac’s might and Jacob’s harmony and truth. A person is kind in that he teaches Torah and brings people close to God. He is mighty in that his fear of sin precedes his wisdom. He possesses harmony in that he expresses his wisdom carefully, so that his words will not be unappreciated.When a person’s consciousness is complete — when he has attained these three traits — he can fight the battles of HaShem. Then, after he overcomes entities hostile to Jews and strengthens weak Jews, he is able to create original Torah thoughts on the Shabbat, which corresponds to a double portion of spiritual abundance.Through the illumination of the Shabbat, the entire world is thereby aroused to repent out of love and delight. Then all the Tzaddikim are healed and granted respect, and every individual can receive honor and respect — which represent the double portion.They must take care, however, lest they allow this honor and respect to mutate into unseemly pride. Also, the spiritual nature of the Shabbat is dependent on guarding one’s speech. If the generation does not guard its speech, then — even though the wise Tzaddikim spread the influence of the Shabbat and repentance — the light of repentance, honor and respect are damaged. Consequently, people grow prideful and the Shekhinah goes into exile.
HaShem, my God and the God of my fathers, You Who graciously grant awareness to human beings, be gracious and compassionate to me and pour Your wisdom, understanding and knowledge onto me.

(3) Another matter, what is written above? “You shall know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king who entrusted a deposit to the hands [of the king]. The friend of the king died, and his son came and requested the deposit from [the king]. He said to him: ‘Give me the deposit that my father entrusted with you.’ The king said to him: ‘Have you found another better than I? Have I not guarded the deposit that is with me, and have I not folded it?’ So, when Israel sinned in the days of Jeremiah, the Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Go and say to Israel: “What injustice did your fathers find in Me?” (Jeremiah 2:5). I took an oath to them that I will bless their descendants, as it is stated: “For I will bless you….” (Genesis 22:17). Did I not bless you by means of Moses, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has multiplied you”? (Deuteronomy 1:10). I said to him that I would take them out with great wealth, as it is stated: “Then they will emerge with great wealth” (Genesis 15:14). Did I not do so?’ – “He brought them out with silver and gold; none among His tribes faltered” (Psalms 105:37). That is why Moses said: “And from His observance of the oath” (Deuteronomy 7:8), “He redeemed you from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 7:8); you know that He is the faithful God.
Another matter, “That the Lord your God, He is God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king…his son came and requested the deposit from him. The king said to him: ‘Go bring two military commanders and twelve advisers, and through them I will give you the deposit.’ So the Holy One blessed be He said when Israel departed from Egypt: ‘Your ancestors entrusted Me with a deposit [pikadon].’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I have remembered [pakod pakadeti] you” (Exodus 3:16). He said to them: ‘Let two commanders and twelve advisers come’ – these are Moses and Aaron and the twelve heads of the tribes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall count [tifkedu] them according to their hosts, you and Aaron…. And with you shall be a man for each tribe” (Numbers 1:3–4).
Another matter, “the faithful God” – from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was an incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair who was residing in a certain city in the South. People went there to earn a living. They had two se’a of barley and they deposited it with him, forgot about it, and left. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair would sow them every year, place them in a grain pile and gather them. Seven years later, those same friends went there, to demand that he give it to them. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair recognized them immediately and said to them: ‘Come and take your storehouses.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was another incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, who went to a certain city, and the mice were devouring [everything] within the boundaries of that city. They came and asked his help. What did Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair do? He said to them: ‘Why do you not separate your tithes properly? Are you asking me to guarantee you that if you separate your tithes properly the mice will devour no more?’ They said to him: ‘Yes.’ He guaranteed them, and the mice departed and were not seen again.
Another matter, there was an incident involving a certain man who would dig water channels for the public. His daughter was walking on her way and came to cross a river, and it swept her away. They came and said to Rabbi Pinḥas: ‘This happened to the daughter of so-and-so.’ He said to them: ‘It is impossible; since he performed the will of the Holy One blessed be He concerning water, the Holy One blessed be He would not eliminate his daughter by means of water.’ Immediately there was an outcry in the city: ‘The daughter of so-and-so has come!’ Our Rabbis say: When Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair said this, an angel descended and lifted her [from the water].
There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ, who purchased a certain donkey from a certain Ishmaelite. His disciples went and found on it a gem suspended from its neck. They said to him: ‘Rabbi, “the blessing of the Lord, it will enrich”’ (Proverbs 10:22). Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ said to them: ‘I purchased a donkey, I did not purchase a gem.’ He went and returned it to that Ishmaelite. That Ishmaelite called out in his regard: ‘Blessed is the Lord, God of Shimon ben Shetaḥ.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He, who is faithful to pay Israel reward for the mitzvot they perform. From where is this derived? “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” (Exodus 12:17). But the reward for them: “It will be, because [ekev] you heed” – in the end [be’ekev] I will give you your reward.

(21)And I will espouse you forever:I will espouse you with righteousness and justice,And with goodness and mercy,(22)And I will espouse you with faithfulness;Then you shall be devoted to GOD.

(1) (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if (literally, in the heel of).” This text is related (to Ps. 49:6), “Why should I fear in the evil days, when the iniquity of my heels encompass me?” May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed because He has given a Torah to Israel in which there are six hundred and thirteen commandments, some of which are light and some weighty. But because some of the commandments are light, people pay no attention to them. Instead they cast them under their heels [while] saying they are light. For that reason David was afraid of the Day of Judgment and said, “Master of the world, I am not afraid of the weighty commandments which are in the Torah, because they are weighty. Of what am I afraid? Of the light commandments, lest I have transgressed one of them, [not knowing] whether I have fulfilled it or not fulfilled it, because it is light; for you have said, ‘Be as mindful of the light commandments as of the weighty commandments.’” It therefore says (in Ps. 49:6), “Why should I fear in the evil days?” (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if (ekev) you heed [these statutes].” This text is related (to Ps. 19:11-12), “More delightful are they than gold, than much fine gold; [sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the comb]. Also by them is Your servant warned; [in keeping them there is great reward (ekev)]. Come and see how David glorified the words of Torah, where it is stated (ibid.), “More delightful are they than gold, than much fine gold.” And not only that, but among all the kinds of grains, none is more precious than pure semolina, which floats upon the [sieve] (zafah benapah); but the words of Torah are more precious than that, as stated (ibid., vs. 11), “sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the comb (nofet zufim).” R. Hanina said, “If you say that among all the beverages none is sweeter than honey, the words of Torah are [even] sweeter than honey.” David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the universe, if You say that they (the commandments) of the Torah are sweet, Heaven forbid that I should have missed them. Rather (according to vs. 12), ‘Also by them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward,’” [meaning] the light commandments. Therefore it is written (in Ps. 31:20), “How abundant is the good which You have laid up [for those who fear You]….” This is the reward for the light commandments.

(1) (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” This text is related (to Prov. 5:6), “She does not steer a straight path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.” R. Abba bar Kahana said, “That you should not practice give and take among the commandments of Torah to see which reward of Torah and commandment is greatest and perform that one. Why? (Ibid.:) ‘Her ways wander, and she does not know it.’ The paths of [rewards of] the Torah have been moved.” R. Hiyya said, “A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and introduced workers into it, but the king did not disclose the reward (i.e., the payment) for his seedlings to them; because if he revealed the reward for his [various] seedlings, one would see which seedling increased [their] reward, and plant that one. The work in the orchard would end up with some of it suspended and some of it carried out. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, did not reveal the reward for each and every commandment in the Torah; for if he had revealed it, the commandments would have been found with some of them carried out and some of them suspended.” And R. Aha said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has made the reward for fulfilling a commandment moved around in this world, so that Israel would totally fulfill them.” R. Simeon ben Johay taught, “For two commandments did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal their reward. These are the lightest of the light and the weightiest of the weighty ones. The lightest of the light ones is sending away [the mother from] the nest; and there it is written (in Deut. 22:7), ‘and you will prolong your days.’ The most weighty is honoring parents, about which it is [also] written (in Deut. 5:16 // Exod. 20:12), ‘so that you will lengthen your days.’ Note that they are equal with regard to reward [in] this world.” R. Abba bar Kahana said, “If in regard to paying a debt, length of days is written, how much the more so when it is a case of damage to purse and loss of life.” R. Levi said, “They said something greater than that: A case of paying a debt is more important than a case of damage to purse and loss of life.” R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi, “Just as the giving of their reward is great, so [too] are their punishments great.” That is what is written (in Prov. 30:17), “The eye that mocks a father and scorns obeying a mother will have the wadi ravens pluck it out and the young eagles devour it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “A raven, which is cruel to its young, will come and pluck it out without profiting from it; an eagle, which is merciful to its young, will come and will profit from it.” And where is it shown that a raven is cruel to its young? Where it is stated (in Job 38:41), “Who provides prey for the raven, when its young cry unto God and wander about without food.” It also says (in Ps. 147:9), “to young ravens when they cry out.” When the raven reproduces, it reproduces white [young]. Then the male says to the female that another bird has begotten it. So they reject and forsake them. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He brings forth gnats from their dung. Then [the gnats] fly, and [the young] eat them. This is what is written (in Job 38:41), “Who provides prey for the raven.” But the eagle is merciful, as it is written (in Deut. 32:11), “As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young]; it spreads its wings, takes them up, and bears them aloft on its pinions.” As it is not confident about them because of other birds who pursue them. What does it do? It places them on its wings and says, “Better that the arrow should go through me and not through my children.”

(1) (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 7:7)? “It is not because you are the most numerous of all the peoples [that the Lord desired you and chose you. Rather you are the least of all the peoples].” It is not because you are the most numerous of all the nations,” and it was not because you fulfilled more commandments than they; for the nations do more commandments that they were not commanded than you, and they magnify My name more than you. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 1:11-12), “For from the rising of the sun until its setting My name is great among the nations, [and in every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation; for My name is great among the nations]…. But you desecrate it when you say the table of the Lord is defiled, and its special food is treated with scorn [like ordinary] food.” (Deut. 7:7:) “Rather you were the least of all the peoples.” Rather, because you diminish yourselves for Me, therefore I love you.’ And so it says (in Mal. 1:2-3), “’I have loved you,’ says the Lord …. ‘But I have hated Esau….’” It also says (in Hos. 14:5), “I will heal their veering and love them voluntarily….” My soul has volunteered to love them, even though they were not worthy; and so it says (in Deut. 7:8), “Because the Lord loves you […].” It is written (in Is. 2:2), “And it shall come to pass that in the latter days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains….” This text is related (to Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), [your end shall greatly flourish].” [This verse is here] to teach you that everyone who is troubled (rt.: ts'r) from his beginning will have it well at his end. You have no one who was more troubled (rt.: ts'r) than Abraham, who was cast into a fiery furnace and went into exile from his ancestral home. Moreover, sixteen kings pursued him. He also stood the test of ten trials and buried Sarah. Yet in the end he had rest, as stated (Gen. 24:1), “Now Abraham was old, advanced in years, and the Lord blessed [Abraham in all things].” So too was Isaac troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, for the Philistines were jealous of him, [as stated] (in Gen. 26:16), “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, ‘Go away from us, [for you have become have become too powerful for us].’” But in the end they begged him [for mercy], as stated (in vs. 27-28), “And Isaac said unto them, ‘Why have you come unto me…?’ And they said, ‘We have clearly seen….’” Jacob also was troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, as stated (in Ps. 129:1), “’They have harassed me greatly from my youth,’ let Israel now say.” While he was in his mother’s belly, Esau sought to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 25:22), “But the children struggled [within her].” [Moreover,] when he received the blessings (according to Gen. 27:41), “Then Esau hated Jacob …, and Esau said in his heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come, [and I will kill my brother Jacob]’.” So he fled to Laban and was troubled (rt.: ts'r) over his daughters, and after that Laban sought to kill him, as stated (in Deut. 26:5), “An Aramean would have destroyed my ancestor.” He went away from him and encountered Esau, as stated (in Gen. 33:1), “Now Jacob raised his eyes and saw Esau coming….” There came upon him the trouble over Dinah, the trouble over Rachel and the trouble over Joseph. But in the end he had rest, [as stated] (in Gen. 47:12), “And Joseph sustained his father [and his brothers]….” Ergo (in Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), your end shall greatly flourish.” Another interpretation (of Is. 2:2), “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains… and Mount Tabor shall become very tall.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the palace children of a king. They went down from the city and killed lions, tigers, and bears in the forest. Then they brought them and hung them opposite the city gate, so that all the people in the city were amazed from those lions. The Holy One, blessed be he, did so with Sisera. [When] Sisera came against Israel on Mount Tabor; (according to Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.” All began to be amazed, for there had never been an event like this, when the stars came down from the heavens to make war with flesh and blood. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world the stars have fought on your behalf, but in the world to come (according to Zech. 14:3-4), ‘Then the Lord will come forth and fight with those nations [as when He fights in the day of battle]. And His feet shall stand in that day [upon the Mount of Olives]….’ And [so on through] all that section (of Zechariah).” Then everyone will see and point Him out with the finger, as stated (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; [we waited for Him, and He delivered us. This is the Lord; we waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation].’”

Rabbi Levy is quoted in Leviticus Rabbah 20 as saying "if the heel of man outshines the sun, will not his face outshine it even more?" This means that if the reward man receives as a result (eykev, heel) of using his free will for constructive purposes elevates him to a status exceeding that of the planets (which are performing G-d’s will in an involuntary manner), this is proof that man himself, i.e. "his face," the seat of his faculties, outranks the planets. An artist who fashions two plates, one for himself, the other for an outsider, will surely take greater pains with the plate he intends for himself. Similarly, G-d. Man who is to serve Him, was fashioned with more care than the sun which is merely to serve man and G-d’s other creatures. Planets do not require intelligence to carry out their functions. The duties of man however, are such that he requires intelligence as well as other faculties to carry them out, something the planets are not equipped with.

(6)In time of trouble, why should I fearthe encompassing evil of those who would supplant me—

(3) Know then this day that none other than the ETERNAL your God is crossing at your head, a devouring fire; it is [God] who will wipe them out—subduing them before you, that you may quickly dispossess and destroy them, as GOD promised you. (4) And when the ETERNAL your God has thrust them from your path, say not to yourselves, “GOD has enabled us to possess this land because of our virtues”; it is rather because of the wickedness of those nations that GOD is dispossessing them before you. (5) It is not because of your virtues and your rectitude that you will be able to possess their country; but it is because of their wickedness that the ETERNAL your God is dispossessing those nations before you, and in order to fulfill the oath that GOD made to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (6) Know, then, that it is not for any virtue of yours that the ETERNAL your God is giving you this good land to possess; for you are a stiffnecked people.

Love, therefore, the ETERNAL your God—and always keep God’s charge, laws, rules, and commandments.