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Parashat Eikev – 5785
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites
In this week’s parasha, we read the second paragraph of the Shema, which includes the verse:
“To serve Him with all your heart”
(Deuteronomy 11:13)
Our sages interpreted this as follows:
“What is the service of the heart? This is prayer!”
(Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 21a)
From this Talmudic statement, we learn that the mitzvah of prayer is not explicitly stated in the Torah, but rather derived midrashically from this verse.
This raises a question: Prayer is one of the foundations of Judaism. A hallmark of the eternal Jew is speaking with their Creator. It is a constant mitzvah, practiced three times a day, and children are educated to pray from a very young age. Is it reasonable that such a central mitzvah is not directly addressed in the Torah?
Like many ideas in Jewish thought, this concept is illuminated by a classic Jewish parable:
There was a charming young man who studied Torah day and night and observed all the mitzvot meticulously. He was G-d-fearing, respectful to parents and teachers, kind to friends—a model youth.
As such, many sought him as a match for their daughters. After much deliberation, one of the wealthiest men in town succeeded in arranging a match between this outstanding young man and his daughter. The families began preparing for a grand wedding: the top Torah student marrying the daughter of a prominent figure.
The groom’s parents did not leave anything to chance. They sent their precious son to a highly experienced mentor to prepare him for married life. Until then, the groom had lived a life detached from worldly matters, immersed entirely in Torah and mitzvot. He began visiting the mentor, who guided him on how to live as a husband to the daughter of a wealthy household.
A month after the lavish wedding, the groom returned to his parents, ashamed, and told them his bride had left him and returned home. He had no idea why. “I did everything the mentor taught me,” he insisted.
The concerned parents contacted the bride’s family, and both sides tried to understand what had happened. Eventually, the bride revealed the reason: “He hasn’t spoken a single word to me since the wedding!”
The groom’s parents were shocked. Was this truly how he was instructed by the seasoned mentor? They sent him back to the mentor to clarify.
The groom explained, “You never told me I was supposed to speak! You taught me what to do: not to argue, not to raise my voice, to support her if needed… but you didn’t tell me I had to talk!”
The mentor was stunned. “Did I really need to tell you that? The entire concept of marriage is an emotional connection between two people. Of course it’s impossible without ongoing mutual conversation, day and night, whenever the moment arises. That’s not something that needs to be taught! All the guidance I gave you assumes the basic, normal relationship exists. Without that—none of it matters.”
At Mount Sinai, when the Torah was given, the Jewish people were metaphorically “married” to G-d. The Torah and rabbinic commentary describe the giving of the Torah as a wedding. Like all marriages, there are many mutual responsibilities—but the first and most fundamental of all is the personal bond between the bride (Israel) and the groom (G-d).
Prayer is the daily conversation between the Jew and their Creator. Through this, a personal connection is formed—an emotional and spiritual bond. Only then can one move on to the many other responsibilities and mitzvot. But first and foremost, there must be a connection! That is the “service of the heart.”
Because a true relationship cannot exist without constant, heartfelt communication.
