* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
1. This week’s Torah portion is Eikev, the third parasha in the book of Deuteronomy. In this parasha, Moshe Rabbeinu continues his farewell address to the nation of Israel. He speaks of the privilege of entering the land of Israel. Yet Moshe himself did not enjoy this privilege, something to ponder as we traverse our beautiful land during summer vacation.
2. Among the important items in this week’s parasha is the obligation to say grace after meals. As the verse reads: “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord your God.” We also take special note of the seven plant species indigenous to the land of Israel that amply provide all the sustenance we need — wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.
3. This parasha includes the second of the three paragraphs which make up the Shema Yisrael prayer, beginning: “And it shall be if you hearken to my commandments . . . ” The verses that follow contain the mitzvahs of tefillin and mezuzah as well as the reward for obeying God’s commandments.
4. On Shabbat, the haftarah from the book of Jeremiah that follows the Torah reading is the second of the seven haftarot of consolation between Tisha B’Av and Rosh Hashanah. This haftarah concludes with a comforting prophecy that we have witnessed come to pass with our own eyes: “For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song.”
5. Yesterday we observed Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av. A multitude of weddings are now taking place throughout the Jewish world. Mazal tov to everyone. Starting on the 15th of Av, the “Ketivah vechatimah tovah” blessing — may you be inscribed and sealed (in the book of life) — is already appropriately offered from one person to the next.
Caution: Prosperity Ahead
* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Every year, around Parashat Eikev, I am reminded of the time I stopped at a food stand in Manhattan and ordered a small cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice. The owner handed me an enormous cup of juice. “I asked for a small,” I said, but then he pointed out two cups even bigger than that one and said, “What I gave you was a small. Look, here are sizes medium and large!” It was then that I discovered that the cup that was considered “large” here in Israel will also be considered “small” in the United States. I have no doubt that in a few more years our “large” here in Israel will also be considered “small’!
The Book of Devarim describes the great danger of living in a prosperous society that offers people everything they desire and in “large” amounts. It’s challenging to live in poverty— but it’s also challenging to live in wealth. It’s very difficult to be hungry—but it’s not easy to be satiated. And today that challenge is perhaps more acute than ever.
Moshe Rabbeinu is worried that the “good life” might cause people to forget both their past and the direction in which they are meant to be heading. Here is his powerful warning from this week’s parasha:
“When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget the Lord your God, who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage…and you say to yourselves, ‘My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.’”
For thousands of years, Jews struggled with poverty and failure. Today, they face the challenge of wealth and success. It is important that we continue to hold onto our values even in comfortable circumstances, even when grasping that massive cup of orange juice.
Weekly portion in Hebrew:
