This week's Torah reading

Eikev

If the Beney Yisrael are careful to observe even those `minor' mitsvot that are usually `trampled' underfoot, Moshe promises them that they will be the most blessed of the nations of the Earth. Moshe tells Beney Yisrael that they will conquer Erets Kena’an little by little, so that the land will not be overrun by wild animals in the hiatus before the Beney Yisrael are able to organize and settle the whole land. After again warning the Beney Yisrael to burn all carved idols of Canaanite gods, Moshe stresses that The Torah is indivisible and not open to partial observance. Moshe describes the Land of Israel as a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates, a land of oil-yielding olives and date-honey. Moshe cautions the Beney Yisrael not to become haughty and think that what they will have in Erets Yisrael is a result of their own powers or vigour; rather they must always remember that it was HaShem who gave them wealth and success. Nor did HaShem drive out the Canaanites because of the righteousness of the Beney Yisrael, but rather because of the sins of the Canaanites; for the road from Sinay has been a catalogue of large and small sins and rebellions against HaShem and Moshe. Moshe details the events after HaShem spoke the Ten Commandments at Sinay, culminating in his bringing down the second set of Tablets on Yom Kipur. Aharon's passing is recorded together with the elevation of the Levites to minister to HaShem. Moshe points out that the 70 souls that went down into Egypt have now become like the stars of the heaven for abundance. After specifying the great virtues of the Land of Israel, Moshe speaks the second paragraph of the Shema, which conceptualizes reward for keeping the mitsvot and penalty for not keeping them.

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