Parshas Eikev 5783
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 3, 2023
- 2 min read
למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה וכו' כימי השמים על הארין .. (יא-כא)
The Torah describes our reward as, “Heavenly Days upon the Earth.” What is meant by these words that we recite
every day in Krias Shema? How does one make his days on this earth “Heavenly”?
R’ Elya Lopian zt”l cites Chana, the mother of Shmuel Hanavi, as an example of one whose days upon this earth were truly “himmeldik.” When Chana was begging Hashem for a child, she said the following words: “Hashem, You created every part of my body for a reason. Eyes to see. Ears to hear. Hands to feel. Feet to walk. You have also given me the organs to give birth and nourish a child. Should these organs go to waste?” Hashem heard Chana’s heartfelt prayers and blessed her with a child who grew up to become the great Shmuel Hanavi.
R’ Elya writes that these words that Chana cried out are so powerful that any woman who wishes to bear children should say them words and her prayers will be answered, as were Chana’s. However, it’s not only what Chana said that was so powerful; it was also the message she was conveying. She cried out to Hashem, “You created every part of a human body for a reason, and what did I do with every part of my body? With my eyes, I was careful to see only good. With my ears, I only listened to holy words. With my hands I did acts of chessed and righteousness. With my feet I ran to do mitzvos! THEREFORE, since I used the parts of my body to do Your will, Hashem, please allow me now to give birth and nourish a child with the parts of MY body that YOU gave me!”
This is the סגולה- the secret to the success of Chana’s prayer to Hashem, and this is the meaning of living one’s days upon this earth in a “HEAVENLY” manner. By utilizing every part of our earthly bodies for good, for ratzon Hashem, the true purpose for which they were created, this is deemed a heavenly, spiritual life upon this physical earth.