Heel of the Soul

Humans are among the few animals that step first on the heel when walking. Most mammals walk and run on the balls of their feet. Ungulates like horses and deer run and walk on their tiptoes.

Our time is denoted by the phrase, Akev Moshicai/Heel of Moshiach because the first part of the body to hit the earth is the heel of the foot. The human being is designated as Mahalech/Walker as opposed to the animals who run to catch food–the human being walks to a destination.

The heel is considered the lowest and most insensitive part of the body; it is taught in the Cabala the heel of the soul is affixed in the brain responsible for the constant unabated thinking that goes on inside our heads. One could assume that the soul of the animal comes in toe first–thus the essential difference of our kind.

The Talmud-Book of Metaphor mentions a few people who went beyond walking and were called Rutzim/Runners. The great Rabbi Akiva was a runner as the Talmud explains if you put Rabbi Akiva in one corner of the room to pray he would eventually end up at the other end from repeated bows and prostrations.

Few human beings ascend to the level of Runner, only those with dogged determination who never stop.