A Relationship With the Almighty

Parshat Eikev

by Rabbi Avi Billet

In different places, yet sometimes in the same verse, the Torah emphasizes for us the need to see things (ראה) or to listen (שמע). Both of these senses allow us to absorb information, reach a kind of understanding of events and ideas, and draw our conclusions, in particular with respect to our relationship with God.

 It is hard to have a relationship with God, as we do not have the opportunity to see God, or develop the kind of bond that happens when two physical entities share a space and interact with one another. God isn’t physical, and His interactions with us, or ours with Him, aren’t the tangible type that we can point to and say “That brought us closer.” 

But we can ask a few simple questions or raise certain concerns to help us realize where our relationship with God is at, and where we can improve, should we want to. 

I don’t really know God. I can’t see God. I don’t have a relationship with Him. Do I do for Him? Does He do for me? 

Do we know God? 

Several times every day we say a pasuk from last week’s Torah portion “You shall know today and put in your heart that the Lord, He is God, in the heavens above and on the earth below. There is no other” (4:39). We also read in 7:9 that “You should know that the Lord is your God, Who keeps His covenant and kindness for those who observe His mitzvos.” In Eikev we read that “You should know that the Lord your God passes before you, a consuming fire, who will [rid the indigenous from the land].” (9:3) 

These tidbits give us an inkling as to Who God is, what He is looking out for, and His desires for us, His children.

How do we get to know God? We read the Torah. We see God’s role in the creation of the world, in the creation of humanity, in first assigning Avraham to go to a land God chose, who established a relationship for all time. How many promises does God fulfill because He loved Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov? Throughout the Bible we see the promises fulfilled for those who followed God, as well as consequences for those who did not follow God. 

 We have the opportunity to know God, as Avraham knew God, if we only read and study the Holy Book. 

  We can’t see God 

 Though we can’t see God, the Torah attests to many things that were seen, for which we are to have reminders of those events and the connection forged between God and us through those events (Exodus, Sea, Sinai, etc). These include mezuzahs, tefillin, tzitzis, every symbol and ritual that we utilize on holidays, as well as the events and services acknowledged and remembered in tefillah. 

 We can see God, if we only open our eyes. 

 Having a relationship with Him 

 There are people who want to have a closer relationship with a Rosh Yeshiva, or a great Rabbi who is world famous. Those great rabbis might not have the time or the ability to seek out a specific and direct relationship with each of their followers. However, if such a follower were to make a concerted effort, the chances of having that closer relationship will grow. 

 Each of us has the opportunity to develop a relationship with God. But it has to come from us. When we take every opportunity of connection with God seriously, we will feel a relationship with Him. 

 Shabbos is one way – when we shut out the noise of the hustle and bustle, and focus on the relationship with the Almighty. Rabbenu Bachaye on this parsha notes that Yom Kippur is also a gift. Many people feel quite close to God on Yom Kippur. That, by definition, is a relationship. We can ask ourselves “What have I done to enhance this relationship?” 

 Do I call Him when I visit? Do I thank Him for all the favors? For all the goodness? Do I acknowledge, when things go badly, that I got the message? Do I say brachos every time I eat – before and especially after? Do I take my davening time seriously? Or is it rote? Am I at least trying to slow down, to know and understand what I’m saying - a little better? Am I avoiding being hypocritical? Look at the bracha before Shema! See what we are saying… do we mean it? 

 If we have affirmative answers to these questions, we have a relationship with Him. 

  Do I do for Him? 

 The formula for doing what God wants is in our parsha 10:12-13. “And now Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you, if not to revere [Him], to walk in His ways, to love Him, to serve Him, with all your heart and soul. To observe His commandments and his laws that I am commanding you today.” 

 We can all always use improvement in these arenas, but if we are on the right track, then we are in a good place. A number of prophets also noted that what God wants of us is to look out for the widow and the orphan, the poor and the needy, to have a focus on chesed (doing for others), which is all far more important than focusing solely on service of God through prayer or sacrifices. 

 Does He do for me? 

The answer to this is contingent on how a person views the world. People who are true believers know what God does for them. Consider Who is behind the answer to the following questions (Hint: they all have the same answer): 

 Do I wake up in the morning? Can my body do many or all of the things we bless Him for in Asher Yatzar? Can I breathe? Does the blood flow? Can I chew? Can the body digest the food? Have I survived until today? Is there any joy in my life? Is there any nachas in my life? Is there pain and suffering (also part of life)? 

 In the end, it’s all about a mindset. What kind of Jewish life do I live? If it’s a culturally Jewish life, that’s fine. If it’s a minimalist observance life, that’s fine. If it’s an “I’ll show up when I want to” life, that’s fine. If it’s a “check box Jew” life – where I’m marking off on a list all the things I’ve done – that’s fine. If it’s a meaningful Jewish life, then it means that every thing I do in this life is infused with meaning, and is infused with God. 

 Do we live our lives with the realization – a choice – that we love God, as we are commanded to in these portions of the Torah, as certainly noted in the first two paragraphs of Shema? 

 If the answer is yes, we have a lot we can do to improve that relationship, even if we have a solid, fundamental base. It’s all in our hands.