Achilles' Heel

What's the "Achilles' heel" of the Jewish people? Rashi comments that it's hubris. 

Let me explain. 

The word ekev in Hebrew has multiple meanings. It typically means heel. It is also a preposition, though, signifying causality: for example, in light of, or as a result of, or consequently - or summarily. Regardless of which preposition you choose, it means that as a result of A, you get B. In this week's parsha, in light of your observance of Hashem's tenets and ordinances, you will be heaped with blessing. If not, likewise warns Hashem, you will suffer the ill-fated consequences. The other preposition is similar; if you do such and such, at the end you will get the intended benefit or reward. 

Rashi finds a middle ground between the different approaches, and states that if you fulfill the mitzvot typically trampled upon, as a result you will summarily receive your due reward. 

The difficulty this poses, in my humble opinion, is that in any society, sociologically, there will be things that people prioritize less, and make short shrift of. It's inevitable. There will always be the things people deem less important, and very often, there is reason for that. 

Therefore, I'd like to suggest a different interpretation. Rashi uses the verb dash, which also means to winnow. It would seem to be that Rashi is saying that people often lack a certain self-awareness, even unknowingly, choosing that one commandment, or rabbinical ordinance is more important that another. That is something that is natural, but it could very well be, that unbeknownst to a person, that there is a certain touch of unconscious willfulness in that act, i.e. were the person to dig a little deeper, they would realize that on a hidden level they have an ulterior motive, an unstated objective or pretention that they perhaps know better, understand more than others, the rabbis, or God Himself. 

And it would seem that that may be the imperative shared here. Dig deeper. Ask yourself if there's something you unwittingly, even unconsciously relegated to second place, subordinated to other things with the misguided thinking that you know, and can know, better than others what is of supreme importance. And if each and every Jew were to do that, avers Rashi, there would be a more sensitized nation, apt and receptive to realizing Hashem's blessing. 

Shabbat shalom!