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Parshas Eikev

Pesukim: 111 [Siman:יעלא]

Haftorah: Yeshayahu 49:14-51:3

Rishon

1. The blessings received for guarding the Mitzvos:
   • If you adhere by the commands of Hashem, He will guard with you the covenant that he made with your forefathers.

• He will love you and bless you and multiply you.
• You will have many offspring, and the land will give off much produce. You will be blessed amongst all the nations.
• You and your animals will not be infertile.
• He will remove all illnesses from you and rather place them onto your enemies
• You will destroy all your enemies.

2. Moshe encourages Bnei Yisrael not to fear the nations of Canaan:
   • “If you tell yourself that the nations are too mighty and many to be destroyed, do not fear. Remember what Hashem did to Egypt, as He will do the same to those nations. He will send the wasp against them until no survivor remains. Do not fear them, as Hashem is amongst you. Hashem will annihilate them little by little and not quickly, lest the animals of the field increase.
   • Idolatry: Destroy their idols in fire. Don’t desire to take any of their ornaments of idolatry as it is an abomination of G-d. You shall loathe it and abominate it.”

3. Recounting the desert experience:
   • “Remember the entire 40-year journey in the desert where He challenged you to see if you would follow his word.
   • The Mun: Hashem gave you the Mun in the desert to test you and teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on the word of G-d.
   • Clothing: Your clothing did not wear out and your foot did not swell.”

4. The greatness of the promised land:
   • “The land Hashem is giving you contains water and springs. It is a land of wheat and barley and grapes, figs, rimon, olives and date-honey. It is a land of abundance of food. A land whose stones are iron and whose mountains contain copper.
   • Birchas Hamazon: You shall eat and be satiated and bless Hashem for the good land that He gave you.”

Sheiyni

5. Moshe warns Bnei Yisrael not to become accustomed to the luxuries and forsake Hashem:

• “Be careful that you do not forget Hashem by not keeping His commands. Perhaps you will eat and be satiated and have good houses built and settled, and have much gold and silver and you will become haughty and forget G-d who took you out of Egypt. You may tell yourself that your power and strength is what made you accomplish this and not Hashem. Remember that Hashem is the one who gives you strength to be successful.
• If you do forget Hashem and sway after idolatry, I am forewarning you today that you will be destroyed.”

6. Conquering the land:

• “Hear Israel, you are going today to the promised land which contains nations that are mightier than you, and have cities fortified to the heavens. You shall know today that Hashem your G-d is the one who will pass before you, and He will destroy them.”

Shelishi

• “Don’t tell yourselves that those nations are being destroyed before you because you are more righteous than them, and they were evil. This is not the case. Rather, it is due to their wickedness that they are being destroyed, and in order to upkeep Hashem’s promise to your forefathers. It is not due to your righteousness, as you are a stubborn nation.”

7. Moshe recounts in detail the sin of the Eigel:

• “Remember that you angered Hashem in the desert, and Hashem desired to destroy you. When I ascended the mountain to carry down the Luchos, I was there for 40 days and nights without eating or drinking. I was given the Luchos by Hashem and at the conclusion of the 40 days was told to descend back down as the nation has sinned and made an idol. Hashem said to me that the nation is stubborn and He wishes to destroy them and make a new and better nation from me. I descended the mountain with the Luchos and behold I saw that you sinned to Hashem. I took the two Luchos and threw them, breaking them in front of you. I then fell before Hashem another 40 days and nights, not eating or drinking, to plead for forgiveness for your sins. Hashem became enraged at Aaron and desired to destroy him, so I also prayed for him. I took the sinful calf and burnt it within fire and turned it into dust. I threw the dust in the valley/river that descended from the mountain.”
• Moshe recounts other rebelliousness: “Remember the provocation made in Taveira and Kivros Hataava. When Hashem sent you from Kadesh to go inherit the land, you replied with disbelief in His ability to do so.
• I prayed for you forty days and nights to rescind the decree of destruction against you. I asked G-d not to destroy His nation which He redeemed from Egypt, lest the nations say You took them out to murder them.”

Revi’i

8. Moshe recounts the giving of the 2^nd Luchos:

• “At that time Hashem told me to carve two new sets of stone just like the first ones, and ascend the mountain. I made an Aron of acacia-shittim wood and carved the stones and ascended the mountain. Hashem wrote on the Luchos the same words that were written on the first tablets and He gave them to me. I descended from the mountain and placed the Luchos in the Aron.”

9. Moshe recounts the travels:

• “We traveled to Moseirah and Aaron passed away and was buried there. Elazar, his son, became the priest in his place. From there we traveled to Gudgod, and from there to Yatvasah, a land of channels of water.
• At that time, Hashem set apart the Levites to carry the Aron and serve before Him, and bless in His name until this day. For this reason, the Levites do not have a portion with their brothers, as Hashem is their portion.
• I stood by the mountain for forty days and Hashem listened to me not to destroy you. Hashem told me to arise and go travel towards the promised land.”

Chamishi

10. Moshe commands Bnei Yisrael several Mitzvos:
    • “What does Hashem ask from you but to fear Him and follow His ways. To love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul. To guard His commands for your own benefit.
    • Everything in the heaven and earth belongs to Hashem and yet He chose you. Hashem loved our ancestors and hence chose us as His nation.
    • You shall remove the Arla of your hearts and not be stubborn, as Hashem is the great and mighty G-d who cannot be bribed and does justice for the widow and orphan.
    • One is to love the convert, as you too were converts in Egypt.
    • You shall fear and love Hashem, attach to Him and swear by Him.”
    • The miracles Hashem did for us: “He is your G-d who performed for you all the miracles that you witnessed. He brought you to Egypt with 70 souls and now you have become as abundant as the stars. You saw what He did to Egypt and how He smote them by the sea, and what He did for you in the desert. You saw what He did to Dasan and Aviram for whom the earth opened, and it swallowed them and their homes and tents.”
    • Moshe encourages Bnei Yisrael to guard the Mitzvos and hence solidify their stay in Eretz Yisrael and merit a long life in the land of milk and honey.

Shishi

11. The greatness of Eretz Yisrael:
    • “The land of Israel is unlike the land of Egypt from where you exited in which you had to irrigate the fields. This land that you will inherit is a land of mountains and valleys which drinks the waters of the heavens.
    • It is a land that Hashem seeks, and His eye is constantly watching over it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.”

12. The Parsha of Vehaya Im Shamoa:

• “If you adhere by all the commands, to love G-d and serve Him with all your heart and soul, then I will give you rain on time. You will gather your grain, wine, and oil. Your animals will be provided grass, and you will eat and be satiated.
• Beware, lest your hearts be seduced, and you sway after other gods and worship them. Hashem will get angry with you, and stop the rain, and growth of produce, from the good land that he gave you. You shall place these words on your heart and soul and you shall bind them to your hands and eyes. Teach them to your children and speak of them in your house, and on the road, and when you lie, and when you rise. Write them on the doorposts of your homes and gates so that I may increase your days in the promised land.”

Shevi’i

• “If you listen to Hashem, He will guard his covenant with you, and drive out all the mighty nations from the land, and your enemies will fear you.”