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Eikev – עֵקֶב (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

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

“You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that יהוה promised on oath to your fathers. Take care lest you forget your God יהוה and fail to keep the divine commandments, rules, and laws which I enjoin upon you today. If you do forget your God יהוה and follow other gods to serve them or bow down to them, I warn you this day that you shall certainly perish;” Deut 8:1, 8:11, 8:19

Parsha Eikev is my Bat Mitzvah Torah portion. I barely remember what I spoke about; the day was a blur. A few years ago, I asked my mom, “do you remember what I talked about at my Bat Mitzvah?” All we remembered was something involving reward and punishment. On the surface, we were correct. Examining reward vs. punishment or blessing vs. curses as an adult offers a deeper insight into these concepts. This text is about serving our highest good and the highest good of our community. If we uphold the best rules and regulations of our community (in Eikev’s case, God’s commandments), we will reap all of the benefits and blessings of fruitful and abundant life. If we make a misstep, forget God, forget our “highest good,” then we will face difficulty. Will we perish, as God clearly states in Torah? I do not think we will be struck down by lightening or by some physical form of God’s wrath, but I do believe that if we are in service of only our lowest selves, our sole ego and own wants and needs in the negation of others, we will face tremendous struggle. Only considering our immediate base wants and needs and ignoring our community’s more essential goals prevents us from building fruitful relationships. We become disconnected and solitary rather than connected and engaged. This week, consider how you might serve your highest purpose and the highest purpose of those around you.

Parsha Eikev – עֵקֶב Torah 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 – עֵקֶב

Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25)

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

Why did God choose the people of Israel? Are we special? Better? Wiser? Mightier?

The answer is NO. We are not better than any other Nation, as God explains it to Moses:

“Yet it was to your ancestors that Adonai our God was drawn (Lusted in the original Hebrew) in love for them, so that God chose you, their lineal descendants, from among all peoples—as is now the case” (Deuteronomy 10:15).

God fell in love with our ancestors, and love is a mystery, it does not always make sense. God explains that Israel is smaller than other Nations, and not that great, however, God has a crush on us, so we are chosen.

Parsha Eikev Torah 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 Why did God choose the people of Israel? Are we special? Better? Wiser? Mightier? The answer is NO. We are not better than any other Nation, as God explains it to Moses: “Yet it was to your ancestors that Adonai our God was drawn (Lusted in the original Hebrew) in love for them, so that God chose you, their lineal descendants, from among all peoples—as is now the case” (Deuteronomy 10:15). God fell in love with our ancestors, and love is a mystery, it does not always make sense. God explains that Israel is smaller than other Nations, and not that great, however God has a crush on us, so we are chosen. Eikev

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