Parsha Eikev — War, Land, Gratitude & Fear

Parsha Eikev is the continuation of Moshe Rabeinu’s farewell and motivation speech. It starts with a list of lofty promises laced with fire and brimstone with what we today call politically incorrect statements about having no pity on the people and nations that God delivers to you.

The first thought that comes to mind is how we reconcile these harsh statements by God and reconcile or even term Religion as a vehicle for peace.

These paragraphs would most definitely fall foul of the “Community Standards” of Facebook

However, Moshe is relaying that in order to dwell securely in the land promised by God, you need to eradicate the local populations lest they be a thorn in your side, we see this pattern throughout history and by colonialism and the establishment of America, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America which are just a few examples. The history of mankind is tainted. Even Ben and Jerry who are leading BDS activities headquarters are situated on Indian Land illegally dispossessed. This is just a simple example of those who criticize Israel are not so pure themselves.

כׇּל־הַמִּצְוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת לְמַ֨עַן תִּֽחְי֜וּן וּרְבִיתֶ֗ם וּבָאתֶם֙ וִֽירִשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall faithfully observe all the Instruction that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that יהוה promised on oath to your fathers.

However, there is a certain rationale in these words. As we saw in wars and conquest — throughout history there was a no mercy policy, killing as we call civilians including children. We do not have to go back too far in history, with two world wars and many other wars since then leading up to the present to the war in Ukraine.

War is either a conquest of the land, economy, or ideas (Religion, Communism). We have what we call religious wars and Judaism. Judaism’s core belief is the belief in one God and the elimination of all other “Gods”, Idols, and pagan worship. And that is what the Taliban is doing in Afghanistan — imposing a strict religious war, code and regime.

However, we Jews today (aka Israel) practice tolerance, and care for our enemies. Yet, we are subject to rebuke by the Nations, called an Apartheid state, calls of BDS, and lies by our “Peace Partner” accusing us of creating 50 Holocausts.

As reported in Jerusalem post on 17 August 2018

At this stage, I want to pause.

The Jews came back to their land after two thousand years and have built a thriving state. Whatever and how the Arabs came to Israel, there exists today a big population who enjoy full rights. There also exist other people who not only want a state but want a Judenfrei state from the river to the sea. In other words — No Israel. One could argue that Jordan is a de facto state and that Kahana was right, the fact remains that there is a hostile nation of people living within and next to the state of Israel.

If we were to follow the Torah and God’s command, then we should our enemies no mercy. (Maybe, maybe this is our failure — being kind to our enemies and being too merciful)

Here is the solution- Judaism over time turned itself into a Religion of Peace, a moral standard for the world. It is time for a universal call of Pease as propagated in the vision of the Abrahamic Accords.

Let us go back to the Parsha

What follows are some very Zionistic Statements describing our connection to the Land of Israel. This is how the text appears in this order. We are commanded to walk in God’s ways and show reverence for God is bringing us to a good land.

שָׁ֣מַרְתָּ֔ אֶת־מִצְוֺ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לָלֶ֥כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֖יו וּלְיִרְאָ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃

Therefore, keep the commandments of your God יהוה: walk in God’s ways and show reverence.

י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ מְבִֽיאֲךָ֖ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ טוֹבָ֑ה אֶ֚רֶץ נַ֣חֲלֵי מָ֔יִם עֲיָנֹת֙ וּתְהֹמֹ֔ת יֹצְאִ֥ים בַּבִּקְעָ֖ה וּבָהָֽר׃

For your God יהוה is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill.

אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃

a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey.

אֶ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹ֤א בְמִסְכֵּנֻת֙ תֹּֽאכַל־בָּ֣הּ לֶ֔חֶם לֹֽא־תֶחְסַ֥ר כֹּ֖ל בָּ֑הּ אֶ֚רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲבָנֶ֣יהָ בַרְזֶ֔ל וּמֵהֲרָרֶ֖יהָ תַּחְצֹ֥ב נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃

a land where you may eat food without stint, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you can mine copper.

This section ends of the Mitzva to thank God — Have gratitude

. וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃

When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to your God יהוה for the good land given to you.

This mitzvah is part of “grace” after eating a meal.

Indeed, gratitude is the theme of Rabbi Saacks z”l in his commentary on this week’s Parsha.

https://www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/eikev/the-power-of-gratitude/

He writes “Though you don’t have to be religious to be grateful, there is something about belief in God as the creator of the universe, shaper of history and author of the laws of life that directs and facilitates our gratitude. It is hard to feel grateful to a universe that came into existence for no reason and is blind to us and our fate. It is precisely our faith in a personal God that gives force and focus to our thanks.”

I am left with many raw and conflicting thoughts here — War, no mercy, Land, Gratitude.

How do we reconcile this?

Searching for some answers, I looked at Rav Kook teachings as expounded by Rabbi Itzchak Evan-Shayish.

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/rav-kook-on-parshat-ekev-how-to-fear-hashem-fearlessly/

“In Parshat Ekev- Moshe Rabbeinu continues to recount the tumultuous history of Israel and the significant contribution of the Torah’s ‘mitzvot-commandments’ in directing Israel in the path of goodness and holiness. In one central passage Moshe summarizes the conclusion that we must draw from all this:

“And now, O Israel, what does HASHEM your ELOHIM request of you?

Only to fear HASHEM your ELOHIM , to walk in all His paths, to love Him, and to serve the HASHEM your ELOHIM with all your heart and soul, keeping HASHEM’s commandments and laws, which I am enjoining upon you today, for your own good.” (Dvarim 10:12)”

Here we have an innovative word introduced into the conversation- Fear. While war and fear are linked, fear can have a positive motivating factor in life — fear of losing your job or your marriage leads to harder work and improvement in relationships. Fear of Covid19, Climate disaster can lead to Innovation and a better world.

And we are commanded to have a fear of God. Yes, we need a healthy fear of God. One that turns that fear into creating a just society and world. One that recognizes that we should have gratitude for our life, nation, and the world bestowed by the world.

My prayer is that by using a combination of fear and gratitude, it can direct ourselves, Israel, and the world on the path of goodness and holiness.