Why the Smallest Mitzvah You Ignore Could Bring Moshiach

Welcome to Words for the Journey: Life Lessons from Deuteronomy — Lesson III (Parshat Eikev) Why does Jewish tradition say the mitzvot you barely think twice about might matter more than the ones you're proud of? And what does an oddly-chosen word in this week's Torah portion have to do with it? This shiur opens with the Talmud's six reasons why the 15th of Av (Tu B'Av) became one of the most joyous days on the Jewish calendar — from the end of the desert generation's death decree to the healing of a civil war within the Jewish people. From there, Rabbi Greenberg turns to this week's parsha, Eikev, and unpacks the unusual Hebrew word that gives it its name — "because," "the end of days," and "heel" — and what each translation teaches about how we relate to the commandments. The Rambam's teaching that a person should see the entire world as evenly balanced between merit and guilt, where a single deed can tip the scale, sits at the center of it all: no mitzvah, however small, is insignificant. The shiur closes with two more threads: the mezuzah's dual appearance in the Shema (once singular, once plural) and what it reveals about the union of masculine and feminine energy, and why the Torah calls the manna "affliction" — the surprising answer connects directly to the mitzvah of lighting Shabbat candles. 🔎 In this video we explore: - The six historical reasons the Talmud gives for the joy of Tu B'Av — and the mystical reason behind them all - What "Eikev" actually means, and why Rashi says it points to the mitzvot people "trample with their heel" - The Rambam's teaching that one small mitzvah can tip the scales of the entire world - Why the mezuzah is mentioned twice in the Shema, and what that reveals about marriage and the balance of masculine and feminine energy - A remarkable story of a father writing Torah commentary in ink made from herbs while in Soviet exile - Why the Torah calls the manna "affliction" — and how that connects to lighting Shabbat candles - Three more reasons behind the custom of lighting candles before Shabbat ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Opening & entering the holiday of Tu B'Av 1:07 Why the Talmud calls the 15th of Av the greatest day of joy 1:44 Reason 1: The end of the desert generation's death decree 3:26 Reason 2: The daughters of Tzelafchad and the unification of the tribes 5:44 Reason 3: The ban on marrying into the tribe of Binyamin is lifted 6:26 Reason 4: Jeroboam's roadblocks to Jerusalem are removed 7:41 Reason 5: The Romans allow burial of Beitar's fallen 8:19 Reason 6: The last day of cutting wood for the Altar 9:33 The mystical reason — the full moon and the Jewish people 10:24 Parshat Eikev: what does the word "Eikev" really mean? 13:48 The Jewish people as one body 17:06 The Rambam: how one small mitzvah can tip the scales 20:32 The mystery of the mezuzah — one law mentioned twice 22:05 A story of exile: writing Torah commentary in ink made from herbs 23:43 Muza, marriage, and the masculine-feminine union 27:03 Masculine vs. feminine: which energy is greater? 28:30 Adam and Eve — the first marriage and its lesson 31:07 Cleaving to God: how your speech can create 34:03 Why the manna is called "affliction" — and its link to Shabbat candles 37:48 Three more reasons we light Shabbat candles 40:38 Q&A: Tisha B'Av's embers and the muted joy of Tu B'Av 42:40 A joke about the "optional" evening prayer 43:36 One more layer of the mezuzah's protection 🙏 If this shiur gave you a new way to look at the "small" mitzvot in your life, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone preparing for Shabbat. Comment below with which of the six reasons for Tu B'Av surprised you most! 📚 Sources discussed: Talmud (Taanit — six reasons for Tu B'Av), Bamidbar 27 (daughters of Tzelafchad), Sefer Shoftim (the tribe of Binyamin), Sefer Melachim (Jeroboam), Rashi on Devarim 7:12, Rambam (Hilchos Teshuva 3:4), the Shema (Devarim 6 and 11), Tanya, Zohar #TuBav #ParshasEikev #Mezuzah #ShabbatCandles #ChassidicThought #TorahStudy #JewishWisdom #RabbiGreenberg *Join our vibrant Torah learning community:* 🌐 *Website:* https://www.rabbigreenberg.com 📚 *"Jewish Wisdom for Modern Life" - Latest book:* https://a.co/d/6Sz88At ▶️ *YouTube:* https://www.youtube.com/RabbiHeschelGreenberg 📸 *Instagram:* https://www.instagram.com/rabbi_greenberg 🐦 *Twitter:* https://x.com/Rabbi_Greenberg 📘 *Facebook:* https://www.facebook.com/rabbihgreenberg 🎵 *TikTok:* https://www.tiktok.com/@rabbi_greenberg 💼 *LinkedIn:* https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabbihgreenberg