Torah: Devarim (Deuteronomy) 7:12 – 11:25; Haftarah: Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 49:14 – 51:3
Man Does Not Live by Bread Alone
In this Parashah Moshe continues encouraging the Nation to trust in God for the conquest of the Promised Land and for receiving blessings in every aspect of their lives.
“All the commandments which I command you this day you shall take care to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers. You shall remember the entire road on which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments, or not. He humbled you, and let you hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live. Your garment did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell, these forty years. You shall also consider in your heart, that, as a man discipline his son, so the LORD your God disciplined you. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. For the LORD your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey. A land where you shall eat bread without poverty, you shall not lack any thing in it... When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you” Devarim 8:1-10.
In a sense, this passage defines the purpose of man on earth, that is, to have a relationship with God. “Man does not live by bread alone,” writes Moshe. Man was created as a spiritual being; he cannot live only for, or with, the material world. He also needs a spiritual component. God redeemed the Israelis from their Egyptian bondage and He provided for their physical as well for their spiritual nourishment. He fed them the bread from heaven, manna (the bread of angels as noted in Psalm 78:25), He gave them water from the rock, their garment did not deteriorate, nor their foot swelled for forty years. But God also provided for their spiritual needs by giving them the Torah — which is likened to bread, as in spiritual nourishment.
What God requires of man is to love Him, to serve Him, and to keep His Commandments. Moshe enjoins the people to keep God's commandments no fewer than seven times in this Parashah: "you shall be careful to do" (8:1); "you shall keep" (8:6); "to keep the LORD's commandments" (10:13); "always keep His commandments" (11:1); "keep every commandment" (11:8); "listen obediently to My commandments" (11:13); "keep this commandment" (11:22), because, indeed, will come a time when men will move away from God's commandments and passionately declare that God is dead and that man can live by the physical bread alone. It will come a time when God will send a famine in the land — as prophesied in Amos 8:11 — “’Behold, the days come,’ says Adonai the LORD, ‘That I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.’” Therefore, man is urged to give as much attention to his spiritual needs as he does for his physical ones. Moshe warns Israel to be aware least it allows the forthcoming prosperity and security to blind her to the identity of the source of her blessing, God.
In the wilderness God supplied all their needs, but as to test their faith, that is, subjecting them to the uncertainty of not having any reserves of food, He gave them double on Friday and none on Shabbat. Thus God was testing their faith by making them trust Him that there will be manna awaiting them Sunday morning. Similarly, God took us out of the bondage of sin, and He is providing for our physical as well as spiritual needs but once-in-a-while He is testing us. There are some believers who say, should I be tithing (10% would be just right) first to God when I need new clothes for my children, or when I have unpaid bills, or when I need to pay tuition, rent, buy food or take care that I have enough saved up for my future, for my retirement? That is exactly the challenge to our faith. When we give to God - that is, to various ministries dedicated to the work of God - of our excess and are still assured that we can afford all the things we need or desire in life, how is our faith challenged? Do we trust in God that the “manna” will await for us tomorrow? And if so, why do we toil for our physical needs more than for the spiritual ones?
Are the good things that the modern life offers us make us forget that we cannot do anything apart from God? Are the secular voices of the radio, Internet, and TV, proclaiming that God is dead, that we made scientific discoveries in which we do not need God, or that “I did it my way and I have no regrets,” louder that God’s voice who says, “I created you as a spiritual being and you cannot live by bread alone”? Are we spending more time listening to those voices than reading the word of God? We need to check our priorities. We need to hunger and thirst for His righteousness, for the word of God who says: “Godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content” I Timothy 6:6-8.
The wisest man that ever lived, King Shlomo, wrote down wise instructions for us to be guided even in our modern life: "Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him... Two things I have asked of You; Don't deny me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me; lest I be full, deny You, and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the Name of my God.” Mishlei (Proverbs) 30:5-9
The good things of the world are provided for man's enjoyment, thus man shall be moved to praise God for His grateful heart. Giving thanks and praising God after enjoying physical as well as spiritual food should come from an overflowing heart. A reverent and humble recognition of the Author of our sustenance and gratitude to Him would prevent our obedience to Him to become weary. Praised and blessed be His name for all that He gives us.
Shabbat joy, peace, and blessings! Shabbat Shalom!
