Eikev

📜 The Story

In parshat Eikev, Moshe continues speaking to the Children of Israel before they enter the Land. He tells them that if they keep the mitzvot and follow God's ways, they will receive great blessing, health, and peace in the Land of Israel. Moshe reminds them again and again how important it is to remember God, even when life becomes comfortable and good.

Moshe reminds the people of everything that happened in the desert over forty years. God fed them manna from heaven to teach them an important lesson, that bread alone does not give a person life, but everything that comes from God's word does. Moshe also reminds them of the sin of the golden calf and the breaking of the tablets, and how he prayed for God to forgive the people, until he finally received a second set of tablets.

This parsha contains an important passage we say every day, Vehaya im shamoa, the second paragraph of the Shema. It teaches us to love God with all our heart, to wear tefillin, and to place a mezuzah on the doorposts of our homes. This is one reason we still keep these mitzvot today.

Moshe describes the Land of Israel as a good and special land, a land of streams and water, a land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey. These are the famous seven species of the Land of Israel. Moshe also teaches the important verse, 'and you shall eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord your God,' which is the source of the mitzvah to say Birkat Hamazon after eating.

At the end of the parsha, Moshe warns the people not to serve idols and not to forget God, and promises that if they walk in the good path, God will fight for them and help them inherit the Land. The parsha teaches us that even when things go well for us, it is important to stay humble and remember who gave us everything.