The Hidden Rewards in Parsha Ekev

In this Dvar Torah, we will explore the lessons from Parsha Ekev, to emphasize the importance of reflection and growth during the month of Elul, a time dedicated to deepening our relationship with Hashem through self-assessment and perseverance. Parsha Ekev starts out by discussing the ways that Bnei Yisrael will be blessed by following Hashem’s commandments. In perek chet, passuk aleph it says "כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע ה’  לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם”- “You shall faithfully observe all the instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that Hashem promised on oath to your fathers”. This is just another reminder of how serving Hashem will ultimately reward us and allow us to flourish. While this idea is an important one, it sometimes feels cliche and empty. Sure, it’s an idea that sounds great, but it’s a lot easier said than done. We are constantly told that following Hashem will pay off regardless of whether or not we see the way it all plays out. We’re always being taught that serving Hashem will in turn serve us, but it doesn’t change the fact that sometimes it’s just difficult to do and hard to see the rewards. Waking up early for shul, not being able to go out on Friday nights, not being able to eat whatever you want, and just trying to go above and beyond to show your love for Hashem is challenging at times even though the importance of it is constantly drilled into our brains. The real issue is that the rewards of following in the ways of Hashem are discussed way more than the difficulty of doing so. This leads to the issue of people being deterred from Judaism or thinking that they’re doing something wrong when they are not able to easily see the benefits of their actions. However, in this Parsha, this issue is also addressed. In perek chet, passuk bet it says,"וְזָכַרְתָּ֣ אֶת־כׇּל־הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹלִֽיכְךָ֜ ה' אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ זֶ֛ה אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לְמַ֨עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֛ הֲתִשְׁמֹ֥ר מִצְוֺתָ֖ו אִם־לֹֽא"- “Remember the long way that your God has made you travel in the wilderness these past forty years, in order to test you by hardships to learn what was in your hearts: whether you would keep the divine commandments or not.” It’s tough to be motivated to continue when you don’t realize that the hardships are normal and necessary, and it’s easy to forget how you’ve struggled in the past and ended up flourishing because of it. That’s exactly why this week's Parsha is so important; it reminds us that rewards come with hard work, and we’ve overcome all of our past challenges in one way or another to get to where we are today. In fact, this doesn’t just apply to Judaism, it also applies to our day to day tasks. As we start going back to school, it’s important that we remember the importance of staying motivated and the rewards that’ll come from our efforts, no matter how challenging they may seem at the time. It’s easy for us to charge straight into the school year fully motivated and then start to freak out and lose that dedication once it gets too stressful. Just remember, the same way Bnei Yisrael was tested by hardships in the desert in order to receive the Torah, become a nation, and enter Israel, our daily hardships will also pay off. 

Claudia Ohana