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Eikev (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

In this week’s Torah portion Eikev, Moses recounts the story of the breaking of the first tablets of the Ten Commandments – and the making of the second tablets which came to replace them.

But perhaps you are wondering: “What happened to that first set of Ten Commandments, the broken pieces of the ones which Moses shattered?” The Talmud teaches that “both the whole tablets and the fragments of the tablets were placed together in the Ark.” Why keep the broken pieces, now that God had provided us new ones?

Remember how those first tablets were broken. We broke the commandments and Moses broke the tablets which contained them. We repented and resolved to follow these commandments with all our hearts, and God made us new tablets to represent that commitment. There is a lesson here on the meaning of brokenness and repair – and on the ability within each of us to repair the brokenness of our selves and our world.

Parsha Eikev Summary:

Moses tells the Israelites that if they follow God’s laws, the nations who now dwell across the Jordan River will not harm them. (7:12–26) Moses reminds the people of the virtues of keeping God’s commandments. He also tells them that they will dispossess those who now live in the Land only because they are idolatrous, not because the Israelites are uncommonly virtuous. Thereupon, Moses reviews all of the trespasses of the Israelites against God. (8:1–10:11) Moses says that the Land of Israel will overflow with milk and honey if the people obey God’s commandments and teach them to their children. (10:12–11:25)

Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

“Remember all the way that Adonai led you in the wilderness these forty years” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

Can we imagine remembering everything that happened to us in the last 40 years? Try to remember what happened to you in the last 40 years? Hope we can be as thankful as the Israelites were, for the food we ate every day, for the clothes we wear, for our shoes, for all the miracles of every day!

Eikev Summary:
Moses tells the Israelites that if they follow God’s laws, the nations who now dwell across the Jordan River will not harm them. (7:12–26)
Moses reminds the people of the virtues of keeping God’s commandments. He also tells them that they will dispossess those who now live in the Land only because they are idolatrous, not because the Israelites are uncommonly virtuous. Thereupon, Moses reviews all of the trespasses of the Israelites against God. (8:1–10:11)
Moses says that the Land of Israel will overflow with milk and honey if the people obey God’s commandments and teach them to their children. (10:12–11:25)[And if You] Obey [These Rules]
Deuteronomy
7:12–11:25
And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, the Eternal your God will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers. – Deuteronomy 7:12