Hebrew Word: The End
Do we have any way of knowing how the Eternal values our performance of different laws of the Torah, so that we would know what rewards are in store for us for their performance? For it has indeed been said to us because we have guarded and performed the commands of the Torah, the Eternal will also guard unto us His Covenant. Our Hebrew word in question is the word “because” in the translation. Many translations tend to flatten out Hebrew text to create a smoother reading. But in this effort many gems of wisdom are lost for the reader, as they are not always visible in translations. Yet, it is only possible to explore these issues once we know what the Hebrew text reads, and once we understand the meaning of its words and know its grammar. Such is the case in the statement above that says, “because you have guarded”.
It is the object of this work to explain the Hebrew text of Deu 7:11-12 in Mosheh’s final address to the nation. This work has also a second object: to interpret its literal translation as it is distinctly explained by the rabbis. This will be further explained in the interpretation of the verses in due course.
“Serving the Eternal is not religion but way of life”. Navah
You (singular) shall therefore guard the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you (singular) this day, to do them. And it shall come to pass, because* you (plural) hearken to these ordinances, and guard, and do them, that the Eternal your Elohim shall guard unto you (singular) the covenant and the mercy which He swore unto thy fathers, (Deu 7:11-12)
We will explain that this is not the only way to translate this verse. The Hebrew language allows an alternative translation and therefore interpretation, which may make more sense to the critical reader, as we will explain below. Now, it needs to be clearly understood why Mosheh said “because”, which seems to be a smooth translation, and why he had to change the grammatical number category from singular to plural form?
Grammar note: The English conjunction “because” is a compound word of “to be” and “cause”; thus, it is capable of these interpretations: “for the reason that”, “on account of”, “for the sake of”, but literally, “to be the case of”. But this is not the meaning of the Hebrew word behind “because”. This compels the reader to search for a different translation and interpretation. We now return to the text.
The word English word “because” translates the Hebrew word עֵקֶב eikev which has only 13 occurrences in the Tanach. The etymology of the word eikev is interesting. Traditional commentators offer their interpretations of the phrase above generally translated “because you hearken to these ordinances” or “if you hearken to these ordinances”. The rabbis noticed the uncommon usage for eikev in the Hebrew text of this verse. The Hebrew word עֵקֶב eikev has a direct connection with another Hebrew word spelled identically (having same consonants but different supplied vowels) עָקֵב akeiv, which means “heel” (Gen 3:15, Gen 25:26,) or “steps” (Psa 56:6). Both words come from the primitive verb עָקַב akav which literally means “to restrain” as seen in Job 37:3-4. We read,
He directs it under all the heavens and His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars. He thunders with the voice of His majesty, and He does restrain (akav) them when His voice is heard. (Job 37:3-4)
One more word comes out from the verb עָקַב akav, and this is the name of the patriarch יַעֲקֹב Ya’akov. He was called so because of the peculiar way the brothers came out of the womb: because Ya’akov was holding the heel of his brother, Eisav, who came out first. But why was he called יַעֲקֹב Ya’akov, and not עָקֵב akeiv, “heel”, or עֵקֶב eikev, our word in the verse, if the reason was that he was holding on to his heel? The letter yud, which prefixes the verb עָקַב akav, makes it third person imperfect tense verb. Thus, the name Ya‘akov means “he restrains”, or “he takes by the heel”, for he was protecting the soft fontanel of his head from the back-kick of his brother Eisav’s heel (Gen 25:26). Unlike all other children who grow up as part of one and the same nation, as soon as Eisav and Ya’akov came out of the womb, they each developed in a different way to grow up and become two separate nations hating one another, for they were already fighting in the mother’s womb.
But if we want to really know how and when the word עָקֵב akeiv, “heel”, has developed, we need to rewind time even further to the time of the Garden of Eden, where this word first appears in Scripture. There we read how to crush snake’s head: crush the head with the heel (the hardest point of the foot), not with the sole of the foot which is the softest side.
And I put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall crush your head, and you shall crush his heel (akeiv). (Gen 3:15)
So, what is the connection between עֵקֶב eikev, “because”, and עָקֵב akeiv, “heel”, and עָקַב akav, “to restrain”? And why do the translators preferred eikev (with only 13 occurrences) instead of simply כִּי kiy (with total of 1120 occurrences) indicating causal relations of all kinds, or אִם im, “if” which is a conditional clause. The differences between “heel”, “because”, and “if” will be better understood by what the rabbis said on Deuteronomy 7:12.
In his commentary on the verse, deriving from Midrash Tanchuma, Eikev 1, Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak (Rashi) interprets עֵקֶב eikev as an allusion to those laws which a person tramples with his heels in contempt. In Rashi’s own words: “If even the lighter commands which a person usually treads on with his heels (i.e., which a person is inclined to treat lightly), you will hearken to, then the Lord Your God will keep for you His promise”. While this is an acceptable interpretation, the indirect reference to it does not explain the meaning of eikev, for literally the phrase reads: “And it shall come to pass [in] the heel, etc.” What does “in the heel” mean? The 18th century Torah commentary Ohr HaChaim explains that true satisfaction and fulfillment comes at the “end”, עֵקֶב eikev which is the complete fulfillment of all the laws. Similarly, Rabbi Avraham ben Meir ibn Ezra says that the meaning of the word eikev is the reward (for the fulfillment of the laws of the Torah) which will be given at the end. We will read from the Torah Psalm 119,
Teach me, the Eternal, the way of Your laws, and I observe it to the end (eikev). (Psa 119:33)
I have inclined my heart to do Your laws forever, to the end (eikev; alt. “at every step”). (Psa 119:112)
Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban), while agreeing with the rabbis on the meaning of the word eikev that “in the end” there will be reward, better explains as to why eikev is to be understood as “the end”. In his words: “In the Sacred Language the beginning of anything is called rosh (Hebrew for “head” or “beginning” as in Bereishit in Gensis 1:1). Similarly, the conclusion of any matter is called akeiv (“heel”) as the Sacred Language adopts these figurative expressions from the human body. And thus “the head” is the beginning while “the heel” is the conclusion and end of the body”. Ramban further explains that in keeping the laws of the Eternal there is a great reward [in the end]. But an alternative interpretation is that eikev means “base”, as the heels are the lowest part of the body that supports its whole weight. We read from Psalm 19,
Also, Your servant is warned by them [Ed. the laws]. In guarding them there is great reward (eikev; alt. “great end”). (Psa 19:11)
These verses in Psalms address and resolve the questions raised above. Our verse in Deuteronomy is stating that in the end the ultimate consequence of hearkening to the Torah is that the Eternal will keep His Covenant and the rewards that will come: “The Eternal shall love you and bless you and increase you, and shall bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, etc.” (See verse 13). And this appears to us to be the correct translation. But what exactly is being described here?
Mosheh tells the people that on account of their observing the laws of the Torah the blessings will be bestowed upon them collectively (expressed by the noticeable plural form of “you”). Conversely, if they do not observe His commands, He will not fulfill the terms of His Covenant until the following generation which do observe them. Similarly, Mosheh used the word eikev (because) to refer to retribution in the end, for not hearkening to the Torah. We read further in Deuteronomy,
Like the nations which the Eternal is destroying before you, so you are to perish, because (eikev; in the end) you did not obey the voice of the Eternal your Elohim. (Deu 8:20)
We have no way of knowing how the Eternal values our performance of the Torah. And there should not be any. For if we had known what rewards are there for us, we would have put more special importance on some and less on other commands. But nothing that men do has an effect on the Eternal in order to make any claim. Or as Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai has stated it: “If you have practiced Torah much, claim not merit to yourself, for to that were you created”.
Yet, there are indeed rewards. But as Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai has wisely stated, the Eternal has revealed the reward of only two of all the commands: one is the command, which is the easiest to fulfill, and the other is the command which is the hardest to fulfill. It is natural to honor father and mother, and this is the easiest commandment to fulfill. The other commandment which is hard to fulfill is the sending away of the mother bird when one wants to take the eggs. But both commands are rewarded with same reward: long life of the person who fulfills them. The reason for giving these two types of commands is that the Eternal wants to show that there are commands (like honoring father and mother) which seem to carry a greater reward than the commands (like sending away the mother bird) do. And for this reason, the latter commands are harder to fulfill for they are often neglected on account of belief that they do not carry much of a reward.
After all of the above, it remains for us to explain Mosheh’s words in context to bring light to what we already explained. If we examine and reflect on the arguments that have been cited above, we will come to the conclusion that they all point to the end of days concerning which it was said,
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Elohim and possessing the witness of Yeshua Messiah. (Rev 12:17)
And likewise, it is said,
Here is the endurance of the saints. Here are those guarding the commands of Elohim and the faith of Yeshua. (Rev 14:12)
Notice the following which is often overlooked. Both doing the commands of the Eternal and having the faith of the Messiah are necessary for redemption, not either or. And those who have guarded them will be called the remnant and saints. But those that had not kept the laws of the Torah were of no concern to the personification of evil inclination, or worse.
One final thought. The time immediately preceding the arrival of Melech haMashiach (King Messiah) is referred to in the rabbinic literature as עקב. In Sotah 49, the Mishnah says that at the end עכבתא (from עקב) of the period preceding his arrival disrespectful behavior will become the norm. We are right there.
Knowledge known to only a few will die out. If you feel blessed by these teachings of Time of Reckoning Ministry, help spread the word!
May we merit seeing the coming of our Mashiach speedily in our days!
This page contains sacred literature and the Name of the Creator. Please, do not deface, discard, or use the Name in a casual manner.