This morning I came across a post from a few years ago in which Dr. Stephen Rabinowitz discusses the word eikev in this week's parsha. Below is an excerpt.
Korban Oni quotes the Gemara Avodah Zara 9a stating that the world was designed to last 6000 years. The first 2000 were without Torah, the next 2000 were with Torah, and the last 2000 are with Torah and the possibility of the arrival of Moshiach. The last 2000 years began 172 years (the gematria of eikev) after the destruction of the second Temple. This tells us that we are in the period in which we will hear the ikveisa d’Mishicha, the footsteps of Moshiach.
R. Avrohom Chaim of Zlotchov (d. 1816) in his sefer Orach L’Chaim, says the word ‘v’hoyo’ is a loshon of simcha. Therefore, v’hoyo, there will be a great simcha in shomayim, if eikev, during the ‘ikveisa d’Mishicha,’ when there will be great nisyonos and difficulties being a Jew, tishma’un, Klal Yisroel will heed the Torah and do the mitzvos.
Read more: http://www.gns.org/archives/1963
In response to a question I posted earlier this week about keeping the Sabbath, the Torah thought below provides one answer.
Midrash Rabbah records that, while Moshe lived in Pharaoh's palace as a young man, he convinced Pharaoh that slaves work more efficiently when they are given one day of rest each week. Pharaoh instructed Moshe to implement this idea, and Moshe arranged for Bnei Yisrael to have Shabbat as a day off.
At the end of the parashah we read that Pharaoh decreed (5:9), "Let the work be heavier upon the men and let them engage in it; and let them not pay attention to false words." Midrash Rabbah explains that Bnei Yisrael used to gather on Shabbat to read scrolls that had been passed down from their ancestors, in which it was written that they would be redeemed in the merit of Shabbat observance. Therefore Pharaoh proclaimed: Take away their day of rest so that they will not have time to dream of freedom.
R' Moshe Chaim Luzzato z"l (Ramchal; 1707-1747) observes that the yetzer hara uses the same strategy to distract a person from focusing on his task in this world. Man's task is to reflect upon every step he wishes to take and every action he wishes to perform and to ask himself: Will this step or action bring me closer to G-d or will it distance me from G-d? The yetzer hara knows that if man would merely think about his actions, he would certainly begin to regret his deeds, Ramchal writes. To prevent this, the yetzer hara makes sure that we are always busy with all types of activities and tasks that appear to be very pressing. (Mesilat Yesharim ch.2)
In this light, perhaps we can understand why Shabbat observance, in particular, brings the redemption closer, for it gives us the opportunity and the peace of mind to reflect on our purpose in the world and the need to become a nation that merits redemption.
http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5773/shemos.html?print=1
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