Judaism613 - Parsha

בס"ד

Parshas Eikev 5786

The Present: It’s a Gift

“Hear, O Israel: Today you cross the Jordan to come and drive out nations that are greater and mightier than you, cities that are great and fortified up to the heavens; a great and lofty people, children of giants, that you knew and of whom you have heard: ‘Who can stand up against the children of a giant?’” (Devarim 9:1-2)

The Chasam Sofer raises a glaring question: Why would Moshe Rabbeinu choose this exact, critical moment—right before Bnei Yisrael enter Eretz Yisrael—to remind them of the ferocious, giant enemies awaiting them?

After all, was it not this precise fear that caused our ancestors to doubt Hashem during the incident of the spies, resulting in nearly forty years of wandering in the wilderness? Why bring up terrifying warnings instead of simply reassuring the people that Hashem will grant them victory?

Lessons from the Wilderness

The Chasam Sofer answers that a person is not always aware of their own spiritual vulnerabilities. Throughout our journey in the desert, Hashem provided total, supernatural care:

The Clouds of Glory shielded us from external dangers and harsh weather.
Our clothes and shoes never wore out or degraded over forty years.
The Manna fell fresh outside our tents every single morning.

Yet, there was a profound test built into the manna: whatever portion was left over at the end of the day would spoil before dawn. Because the manna was our sole source of food, every single night Bnei Yisrael went to sleep facing potential starvation if Hashem chose not to bring it again the next morning.

Developing the unshakeable bitachon (trust) that our daily bread would be renewed each morning was one of the greatest spiritual challenges in the desert. It took forty full years to internalize that pure level of faith.

The New Test of Eretz Yisrael: Entering the Land presented a completely different, subtle threat to our bitachon. In Eretz Yisrael, the people would become experienced farmers. Crops harvested at the end of the day could be safely stored in barns without rotting. They would go to sleep knowing tomorrow's food was already sitting in storage.

With a physical safety net readily available, a person can easily forget the True Source of sustenance, attributing their security instead to personal agricultural expertise and financial savvy.

Overcoming “Kochi V’Otzem Yadi”

To prevent Bnei Yisrael from falling into the fatal trap of saying, “My power and the might of my hand have made me all this wealth” (Devarim 8:17), an even higher level of bitachon was required in the Land than in the desert.

Chazal remind us that while Hashem grants us the ability and strength to wage war (8:18), human nature tempts us to attribute victory to a brilliant strategic plan or tactical superiority.

It was specifically for this reason that Moshe reminded the nation of the terrifying power of the giants. He highlighted an enemy that, without Hashem’s constant divine intervention, would easily crush us no matter how well-prepared or determined we might be.

Just as forty years of manna taught us that Hashem sustains us daily, our modern struggles teach us the exact same truth. We may be brilliant, organized, and energetic, but without Hashem’s continual involvement, life’s challenges would easily overwhelm us.