Deuteronomy Eikev

Eikev
Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25

I. Summary

A. Eikev = (And it will come to pass) “on the heel of” (your hearkening to these rules). Moses’ second discourse focus = 2nd and 3rd commandments (no other god and no idols).

B. Moses tells the Israelites that if they obey God’s rules, God will favor and protect them. With God’s help, Israelites must destroy (“wipe them out”) and not fear conquered peoples. Israelites must also destroy conquered peoples’ idols lest Israelites “be ensnared thereby”. (7:12–26)

C. Moses reminds the people of the virtues of keeping God’s commandments and that they must maintain humility and know that their good fortune is due primarily to God, not their own power. He also tells Israelites that they will dispossess those who now live in the Promised Land only because those people are idolatrous but not because the Israelites are uncommonly virtuous. (8:1–9:5)

D. Moses reviews all the trespasses of the Israelites against God (Israelites being stiff-necked and golden calf … “as long as I have known you, you have been defiant toward the Eternal”). Moses describes in detail his own role as intermediary between God and the Israelites (Moses tooting his own horn = distinguishing aspect of Deuteronomy). Moses refers to Levitical function of maintaining Ark and cites function as reason for Levites not getting land. (9:6–10:11)

E. Moses repeats how God helped Israelites and urges them to obey God’s commandments and teach God’s laws to their children. Moses promises Israelites that if Israelites heed God’s words, they will have good crops, grassy fields for cattle in the Promised Land and have no reason to fear any other peoples. (10:12–11:25)

II. Commentary (Plaut, various websites, Jewish Study Bible and prior Hevreh discussions)

A. Second set of tablets = partnership with God and as metaphor for Reform Judaism - God inscribed the first set of tablets; but a mortal, Moses, carved the second. God specifically charged Moses to make the second tablets like the first, but Moses would guide the chisel. Human hands would now reflect God’s thoughts. This second set of commandments is a joint Divine-human project. Each of us decides, in effect, how we will love God through our actions. Reform Judaism recognizes the age-old impulse in Judaism not only to preserve ancient wisdom but also to apply mortal hands to its evolution. It is the second set of tablets that we are able to accept. The first set was imbued with so much perfection that it paralyzed us.

B. Grace after meals as an antidote for arrogance - In Deuteronomy 8:7-9, the Israelites are told that they will enjoy abundance and affluence. The next verse says "When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to Adonai your God for the good land that God has given you." (Deuteronomy 8:10). This is the foundation for Birkat Hamazon, the Grace after Meals. The blessing is an antidote to the arrogance that may arise from living in abundance.

C. Conditionality of Israelite possession of Canaan - Deut. 9:5 (“It is not because of your (Israelite) virtues … but it is because of their (Canaanite) wickedness”) implies that Israelites will possess Canaan only as long as they justify God’s trust. Does conditionality of God’s protection still exist? Are we the chosen people forever?

D. By bread alone – “… man does not live by bread alone …”(Deut. 8.3) = Israelite needs could be met by whatever means God chose v. traditional interpretation that man is not fulfilled by material things alone. Suggests one’s humility in face of God is as important as one’s actions.

E. Change in Moses’ attitude – Two big changes: 1) Moses’ attitude towards Israelites - In Exodus, Moses endures the Israelites' behavior somewhat stoically, dealing with each setback, interceding with God on the Israelites' behalf, and moving forward. By Deuteronomy, looking back on their behavior, Moses has had enough! Now Moses tells the story, and in the retelling, Moses finally takes the opportunity to chastise the Israelites (“as long as I have known you, you have been defiant towards the Eternal” … Deut. 9:24). Moses’ pessimism towards Israelites reinforced by his statement that God’s favor bestowed on Israelites not because of their merits but despite their moral failures (Deut. 9:6). 2) Moses’ perception of his own role - Moses tells Israelites how much he has had to do for them (Deut. 9:8 –10:10). Further, Moses says at 10:14-15 that “I will grant rain … I will provide grass…”, i.e. Moses now speaking directly on behalf of God. This puts Moses’ humility and modesty in question … significant in that Moses originally viewed as the most humble of men. Contra, Moses’ review of his life is simply part of his preparation for his own death and takes nothing away from his humility.

F. Reasons for Moses’ pessimism towards Israelites - To what extent is Moses’ pessimism about Israelites a result of a) Moses no longer being Israelite leader (sour grapes?), b) Moses not being allowed to enter Promised Land (sour grapes?) , c) Moses feeling he did not get proper recognition for everything he did (sour grapes?), d) past actions of Israelites (golden calf?), and e) current attitudes of Israelites (maybe not ready for Promised Land?)

G. Reiteration of wilderness story to first post-exilic generation v. first telling to second post-exilic generation – Usual interpretation suggests Moses was recapping wilderness story to remind Israelites of what happened; however, the generation entering Promised Land was born during wilderness experience so lived through only some of it. Their knowledge therefore relied on what they were told by prior generation that was transitioning from a slave mentality into a more evolved and independently thinking people. This transition had to impact (and warp) the Israelite perception of events. Accordingly, the recap of the wilderness experience by Moses (the Israelite leader chosen by God) was arguably a more objective version that 1) incorporated the lessons that God wanted to teach to the prior generation but which lessons may have been lost on the then-closed minds of the prior generation and 2) was being heard in full for the first time by the generation entering the Promised Land. Not only is there a concern that the next generation will fail to uphold the laws and statutes, but there is also a concern that the generation that actually left Egypt will fail to uphold them.

H. Tough love - God tried Israel by hardships in the wilderness (8:2-3) initially interpreted as Israel suffered because God, for love of Israel, willed it, i.e. if Israelites had to suffer to merit God choosing them, it was worth it. Chastisements of love subsequently rejected (God did not cause Holocaust for good of people). . (10:12–11:25)

III. Lessons for today

A. Take nothing for granted and be humble - Grace after meals (see IIB above) and (more generally) Moses’ retelling of Israelite history suggests that we not take anything for granted and remain humble. To attain holiness we must recognize that we do not accomplish things alone and that we always have to grasp the heels of others or of God. Attitudes as well as actions are important.

B. Bringing out our best - Sometimes it takes things to get their worst in order to bring out our best. In Deut 8:2) Moses tells the people that all the difficulties they have experienced traveling through the desert were a test from God to bring out their inner potential. We too can look at any difficulties in life as a way to discover more about ourselves and to grow.

C. True confidence - True confidence is the courage that comes with knowing we are doing what is ethically right. In Deut 7:21, God tells the people they need not fear even stronger-looking enemies since Israelites are doing what God asked of them. We can tap into that confidence to accomplish great things.
(Revised 8/9/09)