Sunday, August 14, 2022

D’var Eikev

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25


In the parsha for this coming week, Moses continues to address the gathered tribes as they prepare to cross the river Jordan into the promised land. He recounts events that happened in the desert, including the manna, the golden calf, and Aaron's death. Moses describes the blessings God will bestow upon the Israelites if they follow God’s law and the punishments they will encounter if they disobey.

One passage in particular stood out to me. In Deuteronomy 11:2, Moses says

וִֽידַעְתֶּם֮ הַיּוֹם֒ כִּ֣י ׀ לֹ֣א אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדְעוּ֙ וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־רָא֔וּ אֶת־מוּסַ֖ר ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם אֶת־גׇּדְל֕וֹ אֶת־יָדוֹ֙ הַחֲזָקָ֔ה וּזְרֹע֖וֹ הַנְּטוּיָֽה

Take thought this day that it was not your children, who neither experienced nor witnessed the lesson of your God - God’s majesty, mighty hand, and outstretched arm;

This stands in contrast to the line we say annually on Passover from Exodus 13:8:

הִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה ה' לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

You shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what God did for me when I went free from Egypt.’