Dear Friend,
This week we read the Torah portion “Eikev” (Deuteronomy
“Eikev” contains 6 positive
commandments (“do’s”) and 2 negative commandments (“do not’s”).
Moses describes the great
rewards awaiting the Jewish People when they settle in the Promised Land. The
people are exhorted not to fear the inhabitants of the Land, despite their
numerical advantage. The people are to remember G-d’s “track record” whenever
doubt creeps into their hearts.
The survival of our nation
through the ages against all odds is certainly a powerful testament to G-d’s
presence and involvement in the machinations of history. It behooves us to
contemplate this as once more we face a merciless onslaught of anti-Semitism
and terror.
The people are reminded that
they have already endured the test of privation and adversity in the
wilderness. This experience was to fortify them and to inculcate in the core of
their being the lesson that “not by bread alone will man live, but rather by
all that emanates from the mouth of G-d will man live.”
To a certain extent, poverty
and misery facilitate faith in G-d. Certainly, as the friends of Job could
testify, one has the option of blaming G-d. But ultimately, when navigating
between Scylla and Charybdis, reaching out to G-d seems very attractive.
The challenge of adversity,
as difficult as it may seem, pales in comparison with the test of wealth. After
describing the beauty, fertility and treasures of the Promised Land, Moses
adjures the people not to be lulled into a sense of complacency. “Take care
lest you forget G-d by not observing His commandments… lest you eat and be
satiated and build good houses… and everything you have will increase and your
heart will become haughty and you will forget your G-d who took you out of
Well-being can be a potent
anesthetic. One believes that one has no needs and is therefore invincible.
This leads to desensitization to the needs of others and, ultimately, to a
denial of reliance on the Omnipotent.
There is a story of a rabbi
who, during one particularly harsh East-European winter, wended his way around
town collecting money for firewood for poor widows and orphans. He approached
the mansion of one wealthy individual who was not famous for his generosity.
When the rabbi knocked the man opened his door and invited the rabbi in. The
rabbi began to tell the tales of woe without stepping in. The man again
requested that the rabbi enter. Again, the rabbi continued without moving, the
snow swirling about him blowing into the warm house. The man, by now shivering,
offered to give the rabbi a generous donation if only he would come in. He
acceded. Once inside, he explained that the man would not have been able to
give a meaningful donation in the warm comfort of his living room.
The challenge facing the
majority of contemporary Jewry is one of comfort. In
A similar challenge has
faced our brethren in the State of Israel. Many held the belief that the power
of the Israel Defense Force achieved victories which could be described as
nothing short of miraculous. Unfortunately today, we recognize that the most
powerful army in the
Only when we recognize that
success too is a G-d-given challenge, will we truly be successful in fulfilling
the purpose of our existence.
The HAFTARA (excerpt
from the prophets) this week is the second in a series of seven “Haftarot of Consolation”.
These are read between Tisha B’Av and Rosh Hashanah. This week we read from
Isaiah 49:14-51:3. The Haftara begins with
This vision appears to be
coming to fruition before our eyes. Today it is not easy to find housing in the
May we see the final
fulfillment of the conclusion of our Haftara soon: “For G-d will comfort
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Shabbat Shalom.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Baruch Price
