Parashas Eikev: Don't Forget Gd

Don't Forget Gd

At the heart of Parashat Eikev is one repeated message: Don't forget Gd.

The Jewish people are about to enter the Land of Israel. The daily miracles of the wilderness will no longer be visible. Life will become more ordinary, and Moshe knows that the greatest spiritual danger is not hardship, it is forgetting.

Moses speaks of what we need to do to keep Gd at the center of our lives.

First, remember Gd in history.

Remember the Exodus from Egypt. Remember the giving of the Torah. Remember the manna that fell from heaven. Remember the second Tablets after the sin of the Golden Calf. Remember how Gd protected and sustained the Jewish people throughout the wilderness.

Our past reminds us that Gd has always been with us, then and now.

Second, remember Gd through prayer and blessings.

Moshe commands us to bless Gd after we eat. Gratitude keeps Gd alive in our consciousness. Every blessing is an opportunity to acknowledge that everything we have comes from Gd.

Our prayers should also include a request for clarity, to recognize Gd's presence in our lives. Can we wholeheartedly pray that Gd help us fulfill what He asks of us: to love Him, to stand in awe of Him, to walk in His ways, and to serve Him with all our heart. Even our ability to love and fear Gd is itself a gift we can ask Him to help us cultivate.

Third, remember G-d through Torah and mitzvot.

Every mitzvah is an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Gd. Torah teaches us how to live with His presence and keeps Him at the center of our decisions and our lives.

Fourth, remember the gift of the Land of Israel.

The Land is not simply our homeland. It is the place of our covenant with Gd, a constant reminder that He keeps His promises and remains deeply connected to His  people. It is a place that Gd watches over and blesses. It is THE place where Heaven and Earth ‘kiss.’

Finally, Moshe teaches, "Not by bread alone does man live, but by everything that comes from the mouth of Gd."

Bread nourishes the body, but our souls are nourished by our relationship with Gd. Gd may not always reveal Himself through open miracles, but He is always present, sustaining us in ways we often fail to see.

The challenge of Parashat Eikev is to remember.

Remember Gd in our history and our present.

Remember Gd in our prayers and blessings.

Remember Gd through Torah and mitzvot.

Remember Gd in the gift of the Land of Israel.

And pray not only for what we need, but for the clarity to recognize His presence and for the capacity to love Him, fear Him, and walk in His ways.

May we never forget the One who never forgets us.

Much love

Elissa