Ekev

In this week’s parsha, a few times the pesukim command us to abide by the words of Hashem, each time in a different format. In pasuk 11:1  וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֣ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְחֻקֹּתָ֧יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֛יו the Torah tells us to keep the negative commandments, the chukim (laws that are not logically understood), and the mishpatim (laws that are logically understood).

And pasuk in 10:12 the Torah commands us to fear Hashem, love Him, and walk in His path.

And in pasuk 8:18 the Torah commands us to remember the Bris, the covenant HKB”H made with our forefathers. 

The question is asked, why does the Torah need to put so many safeguards to remind us to follow the ways of Hashem? Fear of Hashem, love of Hashem, a covenant, logical laws, laws that are not understood logically, etc. What’s the need to have so many different venues to serve Hashem? 

To explain the reasons behind all is beyond the scope of this writing. But I want to try to explain two items on the list based on the writings of Sefer Shem Mishmuel. 

The idea of Bris between HKB"H and B'nai Yisroel is analogous to two friends who are moving away from each other and are afraid that the love and friendship between them would be forgotten as a result. Therefore they decide to promise each other not to forget the love between them no matter where they are and what they're doing. So they make a covenant that their love and friendship should continue forever. Similarly, since the Jewish people are forced to be involved in the materialistic world most of the time, and cannot learn and daven for many hours, it's hard for them to have their minds on Hashem at all times. As a result, their love towards HKB"H may decrease. Therefore, there needs to be a Bris, a covenant, between them and HKB"H that even at the darkest times they will stay loyal to each other and remember the love they had for each other at the time of the Avot. 

The Mishpatim extend the idea of Brit to a practical realm. When B'nai Yisroel are on a low spiritual level and not meritorious, the ministering angels of Esav and Yishmael come forward and claim that they also have a portion in the inheritance of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaacov. For HKB"H to be able to protect the Jews from their claim, He uses the merit of the Mishpatim (the logical laws), the laws that clarify the ownership of an object. HKB"H delves into the absolute truth of the judgment to clarify that Esav and Yishmael don't have any ownership rights in what  Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaacov passed down as inheritance to their children. That the forefather's true offspring are B'nai Yisroel and not Esav and Yishmael. 

May we be zoche to keep the Mishpatim and not forget the Bris we have with HKB"H and continue the loving relationship we have with Him at all times.