Hearing and Listening - Eikev

Hearing and Listening
Parshat Eikev

This week we read the Torah portion of Eikev. This portion is chock-full of many Mitzvot as well as the V'haya Im Shamoa (the second chapter of the Shema Yisrael). Of course, the Shema Yisrael contains three different chapters, which are found in the Torah portions of V'Etchanan (Ch. 1), Eikev (Ch. 2), and Shelach (Ch. 3) respectively. 

This second chapter of the Shema in our Parshah begins with the words (Devarim 11:13)
" והיה אם-שמוע תשמעו אל מצותי - It will be that if you hearken to My commandments".

The next verses of the chapter go into great detail of all the blessings and gifts Hashem will provide to us, if we listen to His commandments.

Our sages expound the double form of the verb שמוע תשמעו (lit. if hearken you will hearken) to imply a double measure of understanding and blessing. Rashi commentary (France 1040-1105 France) explains "that if you will hearken to what you have already learned, by taking care to review and and understand it, then you will gain fresh insights in the Torah." Similarly, if one neglects their study, the loss and forgetfulness will become magnified. The Or Ha'Chaim Hakadosh (Italy 1696-1743) takes this a step further and explains this to mean "if you use your heart to listen and use the wisdom you already have, then Hashem will grant you further wisdom".

In the Yiddish language there are two words that are very similar. The word הערען (Heren) means to hear or listen. The word דעהערען (Derheren) means to truly comprehend or become one with the idea or thing.

 When we feel that we are not truly being heard or understood, we become frustrated. How often do we ask our children, spouses or students "are you listening?", because even if they heard us, the question on our minds is, "are they really hearing what we are saying".

Perhaps this is the lesson we can derive from the double verb in our portion. That Hashem wants us not only to hear Him and His commandments, but to really listen, comprehend and buy in to what is being said. When we truly listen and hear, then we are deserving of the greatest blessings.

Shabbat Shalom,