This week’s parshah, Eikev, is filled with blessings yet also contains many verses of rebuke. It begins with HaShem’s blessings for the Jewish nation and the blessings for the Holy Land and its inhabitants. In the first passage of the Torah reading, it speaks about the mitzvah of Birkat HaMazon, the blessing after eating: “You shall eat, be sated, and bless God.” From this, our Sages derive, “If it is a mitzvah to thank HaShem and bless Him after eating, how much more so should we recite blessings prior to our consumption of food!”
Rebbe Nachman thus teaches, “By reciting the Birkat HaMazon, we reveal HaShem in the world!” This is based on a Midrash that our Patriarch Avraham would feed all passersby. When they finished eating, he would teach them to thank HaShem, Who provided that food.
Rebbe Nachman’s teaching is meant to inform us of the power of our blessings. By the very fact that we are blessing HaShem, it is testimony that we recognize HaShem and make His presence known in the world. This is a tremendous power vested in each of us! We have the ability—by virtue of our recognition of God—to make Him known to others! We can make it happen.
The rebuke Moshe gives to the Jews is somewhat a review of the wrongful deeds we committed during our sojourn in the desert. Yet, as the passage plays out, we find Moshe explaining that prayers are very effective and that, though we committed some very serious sins, we can always return to HaShem! This is because God is Infinite, and thus it stands to reason that His Compassion and Mercy are also Infinite. Therefore, no matter how low we might have sunk, HaShem can, and will, accept our prayers and efforts to return to Him.
Have a great Shabbos!
