The small gestures matter
We all understand intuitively that when it comes to nurturing and developing our most cherished relationships then it is the small gestures of love and care provided on a continual or regular basis that make the deepest impact.
In contrast grandiose gifts can sometimes be empty of authenticity, a one off assuagement of guilt feelings for not investing properly in a relationship.
A relationship is not something tangible and therefore not translatable into the material world which is why a present is much more about the quality of the thought and love and time that went into it then the physical value of it.
We can also apply this same thinking to our relationship with Hashem.
Parshat Ekev’s opening verse reads:
“And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them and perform, that the Lord, your God, will keep for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers”
The Hebrew word “Ekev” is translated as because but also means a “heel”
Rashi (1040-1105 France) citing an ancient Midrash explains:
“If you will heed the minor commandments which one [usually] tramples with his heels [i.e., which a person treats as being of minor importance].”
If we really want to nurture a relationship with Hashem then we must focus on the small things too.
It is our dedication to the minor matters that reflects are authentic dedication to living according to Hashem’s ways.
Whenever we are tempted to be lax on an matter in Judaism because we deem it “small”, the message of Moses’s in his parting speech is to double down and stick to our commitments because the small gestures to God reflect the true depth of our relationship.
Whenever it comes to love of another (man or God) the details really do matter!
Shabbat Shalom
PS this is one reason why Jewish custom is such an important aspect of Judaism and we are extremely careful not to abrogate customs unless there is very good reason to do so. Customs reflect the human impulse to reach out to God using our finite minds and ways.