Why God's Connection to the Jewish People Will Never Go Away

Parshat Eikev

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Last week’s Torah portion concluded with Moshe telling the people of what’s to happen when they enter the Promised Land. Owing to the terrible deeds of the inhabitants of the land, God had decided that the Children of Israel were to be His messengers in ridding the land of the immoral idolators who dwelled there.

Aside from giving specific instructions as to how different forms of idolatry were to be destroyed – as they have no place in God’s land – Moshe reminded the people that “it is not because you were greater in number than the other nations… for you are the smallest nation…” It is because this is what it means to be a people dedicated to holiness, a people chosen by God for a mission on this earth, to spread His name and to teach and model morality and monotheism. “It is because of God’s love for you, and on account of His keeping His promise that he made to your forefathers that he took you out of Egyptian bondage.” (7:4-9)

This week, we will read of Moshe telling the people of what’s to come when they cross the Jordan River and enter the land inhabited by populations much larger and stronger than them. “Don’t worry. God will pass before you as a consuming fire. He will drive them out and destroy them…” Then comes the warning:

“When God repulses them before you, do not say to yourselves, 'It was because of my virtue that God brought me to inherit this land.' It was because of the wickedness of these nations that God is driving them out before you. It was not because of your virtue and basic integrity that you are coming to inherit their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations whom God is driving out before you. It is also because God is keeping the word that He swore to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore, realize that it is not because of your virtue that God your Lord is giving you this land as an inheritance, since you are a very stubborn nation. Remember and never forget how you provoked God your Lord in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you came here, you have been rebelling against God. Even at Horeb you provoked God! And God was ready to display anger and destroy you.” (9:4-8) 

Were these two sentiments in different parts of the Torah, there would be no issue. But they are back to back, which essentially indicates – as they are part of the same speech – that Moshe was repeating himself. Was Moshe repeating himself? If yes, why? And if no, then what are we to take from the seeming repetition? 

One of the lessons I recall from a homiletics class I took in rabbinical school is to “tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and then summarize what you told them.” It’s an effective tool for helping people retain your message. Perhaps Moshe was utilizing the Homiletics Playbook to remind people about the promise made to the forefathers and their need to recognize why they were being helped, and to also realize why they may have otherwise been undeserving. In this way, repetition drives the message home.

On the other hand, if Moshe is not using that strategy, then there isn’t officially a repetition here. And Moshe has different points that are being made in these two narratives.

Which is why you should never trust a question like this, because until you see the big picture, the question is a distraction from the reality. When Parshat Va’etchanan ends, its concluding statement is another ringing endorsement for the need to observe and keep the commandments. The point being made there concludes, as the parsha which follows opens up a new conditional promise.

Parshat Eikev begins with the signature phrase of “Eikev Tish’m’oon” – on account of your listening to God, good things will happen. As Moshe’s monologue continues, he raises possibilities of the range of feelings and emotions the people may experience. “When you think of the numbers of enemies you must vanquish and the impossibility you face with such an endeavor, just remember what God did to Egypt.” (7:17-18)

More strikingly, Moshe warns of what will happen when things are going well for everyone, so well that they begin to forget why all the goodness comes about.

“Perhaps you’ll eat and be satisfied. And you’ll have lots of animals and money, and houses filled with everything you could possibly need. Your heart will be haughty and you’ll forget God Who took you out of Egypt, who gave you water from a rock, who fed you manna in the wilderness. You’ll say ‘It was all my strength that accomplished this…’” (8:11-18) 

Moshe concludes this section warning that if the Jewish people forget God, they will be lost and destroyed as well. And why? “Eikev lo tish’m’oon b’kol Hashem” – on account of your not listening to God. This language choice provides us with a very substantive bookend which closes the tale that began the parsha.

Apparently it is not so simple for the Jewish people to guarantee subservience to God. As much as the promises for good things to happen come, there is always the lingering chance that the people will turn in the wrong direction.

And that is not something anyone likes to hear. Because it IS deflating. And it IS depressing. And it does contribute to a helplessness and hopelessness of “why should I even try?”

The answer to the deflating question is, if I may quote the emperor from Star Wars, “Because it is your dessssstiny.”

And this is where Chapter 9 comes into the picture, and why it is not a repeat, as much as it is the answer to a different question. Moshe begins the chapter with the ubiquitous terms “Shema Yisrael” as if to remind the people what they are all about. It’s a nod to the famous verse in which we declare God’s Oneness. And in the context of pleas not to follow the ways of idolators, the hint isn’t even so subtle.

Then Moshe goes on to describe how things will go – big nations, giants, etc, but don’t let the depressing nature of the previous chapter hold you back. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a promise, there is a guarantee that despite the odds against us, things will turn out OK. And that stems from the promise made to the forefathers, and God’s love for the forefathers. Never forget that. 

What do we need to do to fulfill the mandate given to the people Moshe was addressing? It’s a very simple formula – keep the mitzvoth, remember your God, and remember that when all else seems to be failing, we will always maintain a connection to God because he loved our forefathers. It gives us what to live up to, but it also gives us hope, because we always have an ace in the hole, the connection that continues to exist between us and our Creator, no matter what challenges life sends our way.