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EIKEV “On the heels of"
20 AUG 2011
Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
Isaiah 49:14-51:3
Romans 8:31-39
Ekev
is the Hebrew word meaning, "on the heels of." We begin with a summary
of what occurred previously:
7:12 This shall be the Reward
7:18 Assurance is given that if we remember what GOD has
done for us and not fear the peoples that try to bring fear to us, then
GOD will protect us and bring fear upon our adversaries
8:1 The lesson we learn is that man does not live by
bread alone, rather by everything that emanates from the mouth of GOD
8:8 The Seven Species: wheat, barley, grape, fig,
pomegranate, olives and honey (dates), GOD tells us that we will lack
nothing
8:11 Warns us against the lure of prosperity.
9:1 Reminds us of the Exodus and the Tribulations we went
thru the wilderness in order to come to the Promised Land.
10:1 The command to Moses to build A Temporary Ark and
the Second Tablets of the law.
10:6 Aaron’s Death
10:12 GOD’s Reconciliation, “Now Israel, what does the
Lord your GOD ask of you? To fear HaShem your GOD, walk in all His ways
Chapter 11 Our firsthand knowledge of GOD’s miracles, the
great virtues of the land and finally we read of the second passage of
the Sh’ma ending with the promise that every place where the sole of our
feet touch if we observe His commandment (Even from the Wilderness all
the way to the Euphrates river), GOD will bless us and remove our
adversary
This weekend is the second of seven consolations before
the High Holy Days. This portion begins with the words “if you do obey
these rules and observe them carefully, the Lord your GOD will maintain
for you the covenant that He made on oath with your fathers.”
In Deuteronomy 7:12, the word if is used. In
Hebrew, the word literally means on the heels of or as
consequence of. In verse 13 Moses tells the people that the promises
that have been given to the patriarchs are also for them because GOD
loves them and favors them, as well.
These blessings are now to be received when they enter
the land after the long forty years of wanderings after Egypt. There are
some interesting words in Deuteronomy 7:13:
He will favor you and bless you and multiply you; He will
bless the issue of your womb and the produce of your soil, your new
grain and wine and oil, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your
flock, in the land that He swore to your fathers to assign to you.
Israel experienced the wrath of GOD when they allowed
themselves to be seduced by the Moabites (Numbers 25). Now they were
entering the Promised Land where they would be surrounded by pagan
worship. GOD said there would be no compromise, they were not to be
defiled by the sins of the Canaanites, so as not to jeopardize their
relationship with GOD and the blessings that He has for them.
Israel had to be a separated people if they were to be
used to bring a blessing to the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). The
question for us is the same as it was for the ancient Israelites. To be
faithful and maintain a separated position (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) we
must receive the blessings of grain, wine, calves and lambs instead of
worshiping the false idols. Then we can be a blessing to the whole world
by bringing the good news of our Redeemer. In that day, the strongholds
of the idols (our enemy), which keep our people from knowing GOD, will
be demolished (2 Corinthians 10:1-6).
Shavua Tov
Rabbi Z.
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