Parshas Eikev
August 14th-15th, 1998, 23 Av, 5758

When it comes to quotable quotes, the Book of Devarim surely has no equal in the Chumash.  

Last week's parsha, for example, contains Shema Yisrael, and--immediately afterwards--the classic formulation to love G-d, "with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might"...not to mention a repetition of the 10 Commandments.   This week's parsha also contains many, uh...choice morsels of wisdom, including the observation that, "not on bread alone does man live." (8, 3)  (No pun intended.) 

Why exactly does Devarim contain so many memorable and inspiring "Torah aphorisms," if you will?

The answer would seem to lie in the special nature of the book: it is the record of  the discourses that Moshe delivered before the Children of Israel in the last weeks of his life, to prepare them to enter the Land of Israel; it's Everything They Needed to Know (or Be Reminded) About Judaism...but were too busy to ask.  Our Sages termed the book, appropriately, "Mishneh Torah," which means, "Review of the Torah."  (Devarim is still the word of G-d, however: Hashem commanded Moshe to inscribe his words in the Torah, so that they would become part of the Written Law.  See Artscroll Chumash, pp.938-39, quoting Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchek)  So, it's no wonder that it is replete with restatements of fundamentals.

Like this following one from our parsha, Eikev.   After recounting to the Jewish people the debacle of the Golden Calf, and, afterwards, his successful supplications before G-d on their behalf, Moshe declares:

"And now, O Israel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of You? Only to fear Hashem, your G-d, to go in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul.

To keep the mitzvos of Hashem and His decrees which I have commanded you today, for your own good."  (10, 12-13)

We are all moved by these stirring words, I'm sure.   But we may not realize just how comprehensive a formulation of G-d's expectations it is.

In the introduction of his classic work of ethics, Mesilas Yesharim (Path of the Just), Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzatto states that ALL of the aspects of perfection in the service of G-d are included in these two brief verses: fear of G-d, walking in His ways, love of G-d, wholeheartedness serving G-d, and performance of the mitzvos.  (The Vilna Gaon, 18th century colossus of Jewish scholarship and piety himself, is reported to have commented that Luzzatto
had the greatest understanding of Judaism possible for a human being to attain...so, we can probably trust Luzzatto's words!)  That's right, all of the essentials are right here.  Luzzatto then goes on to give succinct definitions of each of these aspects of divine service, which we'll paraphrase and expand on.

FEAR OF G-D

The plateau of the trait of fear of G-d, or yiras Hashem, is a feeling of awe before G-d, an awareness of one's own smallness and imperfection before the Creator.  There is ample opportunity to develop this awareness both by studying Torah--which, in its depth and breadth, is awesome--and by observing the grandeur of the natural world: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the entire world is full of His glory."   

It stands to reason that the more one works on having this awareness, on developing a palpable sense of Hashem's presence, the more meaningful prayer (and one's performance of mitzvos in general) will become.  And the more unreasonable, literally, it will be to commit sins;
intensely aware that Hashem is watching, one will, naturally, exercise deliberation in speech and behavior.  Luzzatto writes that at the very least, we should display this attitude during Torah study and prayer.

There does exist a lower level of yiras Hashem which, although not particularly fashionable in our day and age, should not be so quickly disregarded: simple fear of
punishment for one's sins.  It is a sign of our widespread secularization as a people that most Jews will look at you
funny if you even suggest such things; most are shocked to find out that there is, in our tradition, some concept of a "purgatory (Gehinnom)."  Fear, in this sense, is far from
the essence of our relationship with Hashem, but it can certainly help, at times, to keep us all in line.

And if we really want to serve G-d, we should employ whatever means are available!

WALKING IN HIS WAYS

We are commanded to model our character traits after Hashem.  As the Talmud puts it, "Just as He is gracious and merciful, so you should be gracious and merciful."
(Shabbos 133b)  All of one's actions should be praiseworthy, leading (Luzzatto writes) to "...the strengthening of Torah and furthering of brotherliness." (p. 11; Feldheim edition)

Not an easy process--to make ourselves compassionate people, to overcome our smallness.  

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, zt'l, great 19th century saint, remarked that it is easier to learn through the whole Talmud than to change one negative character trait!  It's work for a
lifetime, but it's what G-d expects.

LOVE

A person should feel an intense love for his Creator, so that he is moved to do actions that are pleasing to Him.  He should love G-d so much, Luzzatto writes, that it pains him to see others lacking this love; he will be inspired to help others attain it.

Generally considered a higher level of service than fear, or awe, ahavas Hashem   (love of G-d) is also a lifetime's effort.  Maimonidies writes that the best way to achieve it is to study and contemplate His wondrous works: the human body, the solar system, the diversity of life on earth.  Another way, of course, is through the study of Torah itself, where we learn so much about G-d's greatness.

WHOLE-HEARTEDNESS

One's heart should be complete in one's Judaism.   No grudging, half-hearted observance, no secret feelings of, "I wish I could be like the members of other nations." Complete and joyous acceptance of the yoke of Heaven is what we want to reach.

DOING ALL THE MITZVOS

The goal of Judaism is not just feeling holy; Judaism is, above all, a religion of actions, of doing.  Not mechanical observances, but a careful and inspired guarding of these commandments in all of their details, as in the phrase, "shomer mitzvos (guardian of the mitzvos)."  Moreover, to carry them out because G-d commanded them, and not
because they promote our own goals.  To carry out the mitzvos properly obviously requires thorough study of Torah...which is, itself, the most important mitzvah in its own right.
    
This is a demanding program for the Jewish people, no doubt, but one that is "for your own good," as the verse states.  For our own good: we benefit, in this world and the next.  May we all be inspired to delve into the words of Devarim, and to make the ideals they describe a guidepost in our lives.

GOOD SHABBOS!!

Insights Into Genesis
Insights Into Exodus

Rabbi Yosef Edelstein is Director of the Savannah Kollel/ Savannah Torah Education Project. Phone: 355-0157;
fax: 354-9923; e-mail address: Yosef18@aol.com

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