ON THE PARSHA
          Parshas Eikev

          by Dovid Lipman, Jerusalem


The World Of The Supernatural

     (11:12) "A land which Hashem your G-d examines, Hashem
your G-d's eyes are constantly on it..." The Ramban explains
that the Divine providence over each and is given over to a
special angel, seventy angels for the seventy lands of the
seventy nations, but the land of Israel is under only Hashem's
own direction - the practical difference being that in the
land of Israel prayers are more likely to change a decree,
since Hashem acts in a more directly involved way there.

A Time To Laugh

     (9:1) "...large, fortified cities in the sky." This
pasuk seems to hint to todays space program. The only
question is, do we take it to refer to space stations,
since only they should be called 'cities', or perhaps
it refers to the SDI program, as hinted to by 'fortified'?
Either way, the pasuk predicts that the Jews will
inherit these cities...

Worthy Of Note

     (10:17) "...who doesn't play favorites or take bribes."
After a long and lofty list of aspects of Hashem's greatness,
this seems most anticlimactic. Is the final majesty of His
ways - not to take bribes? In truth, however, that really
shows his total unity. We all take bribes - in a sense. We
really only value that which satisfies our needs. But why
should we value something or someone just because WE happen
to depend on it? But we are dependent beings, so that is
our nature. Anything which fills our needs becomes good and
important in our eyes. Hashem, who depends on no one, can
make judgements unbiased - and that IS impressive.

From the Gemara

     (8:8) Berachos 44a - These seven foods which are used
to praise the land of Israel require the special miniature
Grace After Meals as an after-blessing.
     (10:17) Yoma 49b - This special four-word praise of
Hashem was not used in its entirety in the time of the
destruction of the first Temple, when Hashem's greatness
was not being revealed, but it was reinstituted later for
our Shmoneh Esray, since as time passes, the fact that the
Jewish people continue to survive is itself a revelation
of the greatness of our Shepherd.
     (11:15) Berachos 40a - Since food for animals is
mentioned before the people eating, the halacha is derived
that one may not eat before feeding ones animals.

Rare And Unusual Words

     (9:7) "Zachor". Since the pasuk specifically says
separately not to forget, the Midrash learns, the word
must include mentioning out loud, and this meaning is
used to derive many mitzvos, like Kiddush and Parshas
Zachor.