On the last day of Moshe’s life, he uttered the following words to the nation: “This mitzvah that I command you this day – is neither too wondrous for you nor too distant.  It is not in the heavens…nor is it across the sea…Rather the matter is very, very close to you – upon your lips and in your heart to perform it.”  (Nitzavim 30:11)

R. Avraham Ibn Ezra provides a profound insight into Moshe’s message.  The Torah is neither mysterious and incomprehensible nor overwhelmingly difficult to perform.  Rather, the mitzvot are within reach and accessible.  And the main purpose of all the mitzvot is that they be upon our lips and penetrate our hearts (shekol ha-mitzvot eekaram he-lev).

Ibn Ezra alludes to a danger that, precisely because most mitzvot require action – whether ritual or moral – one can easily become lost in the intricacies and details of the deed while failing to internalize its message.  In other words, we can become skilled practitioners of the mitzvot while our hearts remain unmoved and untouched.  Although a Torah way of life is primarily action-oriented, Ibn Ezra stresses that acts are mandated by G-d because they have the potential to stir our emotions and thoughts.  The goal of it all is that actions transform the human heart making us more mentchlich, more refined; and more sensitive to ethical and moral dimensions of what we do (or fail to do).

Of course, the main part of the Torah is concerned with deeds and not dogmas.  Actions taken to fulfill a mitzva are meaningful in and of themselves.  But the goal is not only to perform mitzva-actions but internal transformation – to be moved to perfect our character, thereby becoming better and more G-dly people.

In this season of teshuva, Ibn Ezra’s words have great relevance.  Are the mitzvot that we do a matter of unreflective routine?  Is the “internal transformation” happening for us?  How many times do we daven without consciously thinking about G-d throughout the entire process?  Do we find ourselves becoming more aware that, in truth, we are living in the presence of HaShem every moment of our lives, and that every thought, every word, and every action is revealed to Him?

May this be a year one of good health and meaningful growth for all of us.  May we all be zocheh to achieve genuine teshuva and to experience peace within our homes, community, and in Eretz Yisrael.