Hearing good news, seeing a head of state, and going to the bathroom. They all have one thing in common. No, they’re not random cards from a game of Apples to Apples. Our tradition has a blessing to follow all three. Blessings for everyday and ordinary situations are, in my opinion, one of Judaism’s subtle beauties. Sure, we have the ceremonial grandeur of the High Holidays and the weekly joy and recharge of Shabbat, but there’s something special about finding meaning in the mundane, and I’d extend this to include seemingly mundane commandments.
Parshat Eikev contains a related, and powerful, message that connects mitzvot (commandments) and blessings. The portion begins with the word eikev itself, which is often translated as “because,” suggesting that the blessings we receive are a direct result of our actions. But eikev also means “heel,” hinting at those mitzvot that are often overlooked or taken lightly, the ones that we might not even notice as we step through our lives. This dual meaning is a reminder that our everyday actions, even those that seem small or insignificant, can have just as much an effect on our lives as the big milestone moments. Our mitzvot aren’t a checklist of to-dos; they’re individual and unique opportunities to bring good into our lives and the world.
The text this week promises that if we observe the commandments, we will be blessed in many ways—through fertility, abundant harvests, protection from enemies, and good health. These blessings aren’t just rewards; they are the natural outcome of living a life aligned with the values and principles that God has laid out. When we live in accordance with basic values—kindness, justice, humility—we create an environment where blessings can flourish.
What we have to remember is that blessings aren’t always immediate or obvious. Sometimes, the blessings come in forms we don’t expect, or they arrive in subtle ways. But Judaism isn’t about a one-for-one exchange of good deeds and rewards. It’s about having faith that our efforts to do good will ultimately bring goodness into the world, even if the results aren’t always abundantly clear. This is especially true with the “heel” mitzvot, the ones we might think don’t matter as much. It’s far too easy to focus on the big, dramatic acts (literally, the ten huge ones on the side of our building come to mind) and overlook the small, daily opportunities to do good.
Parshat Eikev teaches us that every action counts. We don’t just receive blessings, we create them through our actions and attitudes. There’s a reason the Jewish value of gratitude is hakarat hatov in Hebrew, or “noticing the good.” By paying attention to the small mitzvot, and by cultivating gratitude for the everyday, we can create a world where blessings abound. This week’s parshah calls us to recognize the power we have to bring blessings into our lives and the lives of others, one small act at a time. The small acts of kindness, the quiet moments of gratitude, the everyday decisions to do what’s right—these are the building blocks of a life filled with blessings.
