On Monday night, August 3, members of the community gathered for an uplifting shiur at Ohr HaTorah in Kew Gardens Hills, delivered by well-known speaker Rabbi Maor Bendel and hosted by Chazaq, Ohr HaTorah, and Meorot.
Rabbi Bendel shared that “we want to know and feel that Hashem loves us.” He taught that there is a guarantee in the Torah that Hashem loves you, and it can be found in Parshas Eikev.
According to Rashi, eikev means “heel” and refers to the smaller details of the mitzvos. Rabbi Bendel explained that, according to the Bartenura, when we focus on these small details, it awakens love from Hashem.
Eikev also refers to the heel of Mashiach. We are living in the day before Mashiach, he said, and we all have something to fix in this world.
The Baal Shem Tov taught that no one in the world can do what you can do. We are all part of one soul.
Rabbi Bendel described three levels of avodah. The generation that came out of Egypt is represented by the eyes and ears. That generation saw and heard Hashem. The generation of Tana’im and Nevi’im is represented by the heart. They saw Hashem mentally. In our generation, we are like the heel. We do not see or hear Hashem, and our generation has the greatest difficulty holding on to emunah.
We see a lot of darkness; but if we can hold on to emunah during difficult times, then Hashem knows we love Him. In the darkest moment, Hashem is closest to you. In those moments, if you believe, then Hashem says, “Now you know I love you.” This awakens Hashem’s love.
In this week’s parshah, Moshe says that you see before you a blessing and a curse. The brachah is that you will listen to Hashem’s words. The klalah is if you do not listen.
Why does the parshah use the word “see,” r’iyah? See what? Also, it repeats “hayom” (today), three times.
Rabbi Bendel explained that no person is the same as another person. No one can fix what you can fix. Every person has a special job. When you realize this, that is the brachah. You realize what your purpose is. The curse is not accomplishing your purpose. Hashem provides each of us with the tools we need to succeed in our mission.
How do you know what your job is? Ask yourself: What is the hardest thing for you to do? That thing takes m’siras nefesh and self-discipline, and that is your purpose.
The Chizkuni teaches that every day, Hashem gives you things in your life to wake you up. You can choose to listen and wake up, or you can choose not to listen. If you choose the latter, then that is a curse.
Rabbi Bendel shared the idea that there are three things in your life that help you change: the rabbi, the wife, and parnasah. Your rabbi teaches you to change. Your wife is filled with love for you, and this helps you understand how much love to direct toward Hashem. If a person does not wake up from his rabbi or his wife, then he will have trouble with parnasah.
The word hayom is repeated to teach us that every day it is our job to become better. Every day of our lives, there is something we have to fix. Hashem sends us opportunities every day to grow and improve. The most important thing we have to do is what we have to do today.
Everyone left inspired by the beautiful shiur.
Rabbi Bendel gives an ongoing shiur every Monday night at 8:45 p.m. at Ohr HaTorah in Kew Gardens Hills. Sushi is served. Everyone is welcome.
By Susie Garber
