5784/2024

This week’s Parashah covers a wide range of different Mitzvot from the different types of offerings that farmers have to give to the Kohanim and Leviim, to the Brachot and Klalot of Har Gerizim and Har Eival. Many times throughout the Parashah the Torah mentions that we should follow these commandments. One such of these example comes at the very end of the Parashah, “וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֗ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵי֙ הַבְּרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֔את וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן תַּשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ אֵ֖ת כָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן” “Therefore observe faithfully all the terms of this covenant, that you may succeed in all that you undertake”(Devarim 29:8). The end of this Pasuk is the most troubling, what does it mean that you may succeed in all that you do. How could it be that if we follow the Mitzvot we are guaranteed to 100% succeed in everything that we do?

The Seforno brings an explanation that we will be successful in what we do on this earth and that our mission to be worthy of Olam Habah will be successful. Additionally, it is brought down in the Gemara in Avodah Zarah (19b) that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi holds that anyone who is engaged with Torah study will have his property dealings be successful. Unlike the Seforno’s and Rabbi Yehoshua’s opinion on the success being something that we can feel and understand, Dovid HaMelech brings a different perspective in Tehilim: “וְֽהָיָ֗ה כְּעֵץ֮ שָׁתוּל עַֽל־פַּלְגֵ֫י־מָ֥יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר פִּרְי֨וֹ ׀ יִתֵּ֬ן בְּעִתּ֗וֹ וְעָלֵ֥הוּ לֹֽא־יִבּ֑וֹל וְכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יַצְלִֽיחַ" He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season. Whose foliage never fades, and whatever it produces thrives”(1:3). It compares a person who follows the Torah to a tree next to a river, in which it thrives no matter what it produces.

To take that idea one step further, we as Jews are like these trees, and we are sustained by this river of Torah. We need the Torah to survive and be successful. Furthermore, the Pasuk says that whatever it produces will thrive, implying good fruit along with bad fruit.

This idea can be applied to our own lives as well. Hashem gives us this river of Torah that gives us life and sustains us, but we don’t control how that Torah affects our lives. Will we have good events happen to us or will seemingly bad and unwanted things happen to us? However our lives play out, we can learn that no matter what endeavors we take on, and if they appear to be successful or failures, we know that Hashem is deciding what happens and that all that comes from our Torah observant lives is for the good. Shabbat Shalom!