Summary: Moses continues with his 2nd speech to the people which includes many themes. A reminder that if the people keep the covenant, God will protect the people and defeat their enemies when they enter the land of Canaan; if the people fail to keep the covenant and worship other Gods, they will be defeated by their enemies and exiled from the land; a call to the people to “circumcise their hearts”, renounce their stiff-necked ways and follow God’s commandments; finally, the second paragraph of the Shema appears. This paragraph is not in our Siddur (prayer book) because of the theology of reward and punishment.
Lesson: We Jews spend a lot of time remembering the past. We have entire Holidays that focus on remembering. At our Pesach seder we tell the story of slavery in Egypt. On Tisha B’av and Yom Hashoah we focus on the pain we’ve faced in our history. On Purim we celebrate how Esther stood up to the king and saved our people. There are so many examples!
As the people prepare the enter the Promised Land Moses spends a lot of time remembering. He reviews our history and the 40 years the Israelites spent wandering in the desert. However lest we think we Jews are entirely focused on the past, in our portion this week Moses wonders what it will be like once the people conquer the land. He is concerned that once we’ve defeated our enemies and life is comfortable our spiritual health will deteriorate. Moses presents the people with four guidelines to ensure that the Israelites remain a holy people.
Remember the hardships of the past. Departing Egypt and then for 40 years wandering in the desert, God was with you. Wherever you are, whatever you face, God will be with you.God is bringing you into a good land where you will lack for nothing. When you have eaten your fill, give thanks for the bounty you enjoy. Gratitude is an important virtue.Eventually the people will become comfortable and even wealthy. However we should never be haughty and forget God’s commandments. Even when our lives are secure, God’s commandments will continue to have meaning for us. When we enter the land and defeat our enemies, we should not say: “God had enabled me to occupy this land because of my virtues.” We should avoid arrogance and remain humble.
Even though as Jews we spend a lot of our time remembering the past, Moses’ concern for the future so many thousands of years ago remains valid for us today. As a people we no longer face existential threats. Wherever we are – in Milan or in Israel – we live a comfortable life. We should continue to heed Moses’ words and follow his four guidelines. In this way we will continue to ensure our spiritual health!
Shabbat shalom.
Rabb Don Goor