Midrash su Deuteronomio 11:13

(Deut. 27:9:) “Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, ‘Pay attention and listen.’” What is the meaning of pay attention (hasket) and listen? Be silent (has) and then break down (katet). Moses said to Israel, “Form [yourselves into] individual classes (kitot), and incline your heart to hear the words of Torah.” Another interpretation: He said to them, “Pound (katetu) your hearts and souls to hear the words of Torah.” [(Deut. 26:16:) “With all your heart.”] R. Eliezer ben Jacob says, “The text comes to warn the priests when they perform a service not to have two hearts, one in the presence of the Holy One and one for something else.” (Ibid., cont.:) “And with all your soul (nafsheka),” even though [someone] takes your life (nafshekha). On one occasion [the Romans]¹Although the Tanhuma identifies the persecution with the Greek kingdom, the mention of R. Aqiva suggests the persecution under Hadrian. decreed a religious persecution against Israel, in which they were not to occupy themselves with the Torah.²See Ber. 61b for a fuller version of this story. R. Aqiva and his colleagues proceeded to [ignore it and] occupy themselves with the Torah. When Pappus ben Judah found him, he said to him, “See here, rabbi, you are endangering yourself, when you transgress against a decree of the king.” R. Aqiva said to him, “Let me illustrate for you in a parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a fox. As he was walking near a river, he saw [some] fish there.³Ber. 61b explains that the fish were fleeing the nets of fishermen. He said to them, ‘Get yourselves to me, and I will hide you in the clefts of the rocks. Then you shall not be afraid.’ They said to him, ‘Are you the one that they say about you that you are the most clever of the animals? You are only a fool. All our lives have been [spent] only in the water. So would you tell us to walk onto the dry land? If we are afraid in the place of our life, all the more so [will we be afraid] in the place of our death!’ Similarly all the life of Israel exists only in the Torah, of which it is written (in Deut. 30:20), ‘for that is your life and your length of days’; yet you are saying, ‘You are endangering yourself?’” In a few days they arrested the both of them. Pappus said to him, “Fortunate are you, since you were arrested for the words of Torah. Woe to that Pappus, who was arrested for idle things.” [Subsequently] when they brought out R. Aqiva for execution, it was time to recite the Shema'. While they combed his flesh with combs of iron, he was calling out the recitation of the Shema'. About him David has said (in Ps. 17:14), “Of those who die by your hand, O Lord […] from the world (heled), their portion [is life].”⁴This interpretation of the verse is assumed by the midrash. R. Hanina bar Pappa said, “Do not read, ‘of those who die,’ but, ‘those who kill,’⁵In Hebrew the difference between the two renderings is a matter of how one vowels the written text. [because they kill themselves] for the sake of the Torah, which was given [by Your hand].” When people see them, they say, “They are full of rust (hulda), they have sins on their hand; that is the reason they were killed, and so they die from the world.” But they do not know that their portion is in eternal life and that everything good is being kept in store for them. It is so stated (ibid. cont.), “may You fill their belly with what You have kept in store for them.” And not only that, but they attain merit for their children after them.⁶As indicated by the rest of the verse. And because [the Children of] Israel lay down their lives for the Torah and for the sanctification of the name of the Holy One, blessed be He; for that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, made them into an entity and a blessing in the world, as stated (in Deut. 26:17), “Today you have had the Lord promise….” And just as Israel makes an entity in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, so does the Holy One, blessed be He, make them an entity, as stated (in vs. 18), “The Lord has proclaimed you today [to be for Him a treasured people…].” R. Joshua ben Levi said, “Just as the pestle ('eli) crushes, so is Israel going to crush four empires under its feet. It is so stated (in Deut. 26:19), ‘And to set you on high ('elyon)) over all the nations that He has made in praise, in name, and in honor.’”

We learn from these verses that the first part of the Shema (Deut. 6:4–9) does not mention a reward given in this world, while the second part does: And if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command thee this day … I will give the rain of your land in its season (Deut. 11:13). This reward is given to those who perform the commandments (contained in the Written Law) even though they neglect the study of Talmud.

This is what Scripture says: "Your oils yield a sweet fragrance" (Songs 1:3) the sages say: "there are five things that are metaphors for Torah: water, and wine, and honey, and milk, and oil. Water, as it says: "Ho, all who are thirsty, go to water" (Isaiah 55:1). Wine, as it says: "Come, eat my food, and drink the wine that I have mixed" (Proverbs 9:5). Honey and milk, as it says: "Honey and milk under your tongue" (Songs 4:11). Oil, form where? " Your name is like finest oil" (Songs 1:3). Just as like with oil, which begins bitter and ends sweet, so too the words of Torah: a person suffers in the beginning, but in the end it is sweet for them, as it is written "Though your beginning be constricted/painful, in the end you will grow very great" (Job 8:7). Another interpretation: just as oil lives forever (never spoils) so too the words of Torah never spoil. Just as oil gives light to the world so too the words of Torah give light to the world. Another interpretation: just as oil does not mix with other liquids, so too Israel cannot mix with idolaters. From where do we get this? Because it is written "I have separated you from the [other] peoples to be mine!" (Lev. 20:26). Another interpretation: Just as oil, even if you put it in many different liquids, it comes on top, so too Israel are higher than the idolaters, just as it is written "" (Deut. 28:1). Another interpretation: "and it will be, if you hear" (Deut. 11:13) - Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin says, in the name of Rabbi Levi: the Holy Blessed One said - if you (singular) listen to My mitzvot, I will listen to your (singular) prayers. Another interpretation: Rabbi Yehoshua says, in the name of Rabbi Nachman - everyone who comes to the synagogue and listens to words of Torah will merit to sit among sages in the world to come, as it is written "A ear that listens the directions of life will dwell among sages" (Prov. 15:31).