Based on the teachings of Rav Zamir Cohen
Parashat Ekev continues Moses' great discourse to the people of Israel. More than just a narrative, this section of the Torah reveals itself to be a true practical guide for the inner life. It teaches us how to transform our approach to relationships, personal challenges, and our connection to the Divine by showing us how to move from the superficial to the essential.
The discourse opens with a fundamental principle: a single core action or quality, the "root" (*Shoresh*), is the source of all others. When God asks us to "fear the Lord," it implicitly includes love, obedience, and walking in His ways. Understanding this is the key to transformation.
In Marriage: Instead of arguing over countless details ("the leaves"), one must find the root of the conflict. Is it a lack of listening? A need for respect? By addressing the root, the symptoms disappear.
In Education: We must identify a child's positive "root"—their core quality—and nurture it. Rather than defining them by their mistakes, we define them by their potential, thus encouraging them to rise to it.
The Torah reveals a profound psychological truth: our mind can and must govern our heart. When faced with fear and anxiety that arise in the heart, the Torah prescribes a mental remedy:
The double command "remember" teaches us that this is not a passing thought, but a constant mental training. By actively recalling God's past miracles and reinforcing our faith, we can actively calm the fears of the heart. A person is not a victim of their emotions; they are their master through thought.
Life's difficulties are not punishments, but tools for refinement. The verse "As a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you" shows us that a trial is an act of love, meant to polish and elevate us. Divine providence, as in the time of the desert miracles (the manna, the clothes that grew), is always present, even if it is more hidden today.
A simple pencil illustrates this principle:
A lasting and healthy relationship, whether with God or between people, cannot be based solely on love (*Ahava*). Love is by nature fluctuating. It needs the stability and framework provided by respectful fear, or awe (*Yirah*).
*Yirah* is what prevents love from becoming destructive during its "lows" and gives it a solid foundation. The Torah always joins these two concepts, teaching us that love without respect is fragile, and respect without love is cold. Harmony is born from their union.
According to the teaching of the Ari'zal, the material world is a garment for a deeper spiritual reality. Every object, every food, contains a spark of divine life. The key verse is:
This means that when we eat, our body is nourished by the matter, but our soul (*ha'adam* - man par excellence) is nourished by the spiritual energy, the "word of God" that created that food. The laws of Kashrut are therefore a guide for the soul, telling us which energies are beneficial and which are harmful to our spirituality.
The discourse concludes by answering a fundamental question about identity. Being Jewish is not a mere culture or nationality; it is a spiritual structure of the soul, transmitted through the mother. This soul possesses higher levels of connection to the Divine (*Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama...*).
The answer is no. The essence of the soul is unchangeable. A non-Jew can convert and, through this process, "receive" these additional soul levels. It is a spiritual addition. However, a Jew cannot "remove" these levels. Their spiritual identity is permanent and intrinsic. It is a status of a spiritual "royal family," a potential and a responsibility that cannot be abandoned.