Blog: Ari Enkin 18

Ekev

That’s right – at 231 lines, 1747 words, and 6865 letters, this week’s parsha, Ekev, makes for some great Torah to chew. (The stats are courtesy of OU’s Torah Tidbits http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5765/eikev65). Although not the longest parsha in the Torah, its Monday and Thursday morning excerpt makes it the longest weekday morning reading in the course of the regular parsha cycle.

As is most of the book of Devarim, Ekev too is one long lecture from Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe wastes no time and gets right down to business – you want a good life? Keep the Torah and its commandments.

Regarding the Canaanites – Moshe tells us not to fear them as Hashem will protect us militarily. Ditto on the Hizbullaites – they can cause us pain, but they cant defeat us.

The bounty of the Land is described in detail, particularly the fruits that the land of Israel is praised for. (Note: If faced with a variety of fruits, one should first eat and recite a blessing on the fruit(s) associated with the land of Israel – Golan Heights apples don’t count.)

Although Moshe does put a damper on this nation-wide gathering by reminding the Jews of their many acts of rebellion – the lashing is made a little more palatable by Hashem giving Moshe a second set of the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Moshe broke the first set of the Ten Commandments when he came down from the mountain and saw the Golden Calf Disco.

Moshe ends off this week’s edition of his last-will-and-testament by telling us that the only thing that God truly wants of us is to fear, love, and serve Him by keeping the mitzvot of the Torah. Note: Moshe gives a personal guarantee that keeping the Torah would assure [assist?] in military victory of our enemies!

Halacha Alert:

This week’s parsha contains the mitzvah of Birkat Hamazon – to recite the Grace after meals following a meal which included bread. The Birkat Hamazon and the twice daily Shema are the only prayers which are required of us by Torah law. Indeed, the rest of the siddur are rabbinical compositions. Yes, Birkat Hamazon is a ‘biggie’ and one would be well advised to make efforts in this area. If one finds the Birkat Hamazon too long or otherwise difficult to recite – speak to your LOR for guidance.

Dvar Torah:

"It shall come to pass that if you hearken to these judgments, and keep and do them, the L-rd your G-d will keep . . . and He will love and bless you." The warning to observe the commandments is in the plural, whereas the promise of reward is in the singular since it is different for each of us. (Torah Gems – Rav Aharon Yaakov Greenberg z’l)

TRIVIA:

Which is the *ONLY* West Bank Settlement that can only be entered and exited via "Israel proper"? (I.e. there is absolutely no access either to or from this settlement to anywhere in the West Bank)

THE ONLY TRUE ANSWER is the settlement of “Mevo Horon” but the settlement of “Negohot” would be an admissible answer as well.