Parshat Eikev: The Source of our Sustenance

Among the many deep facets of this week’s parshah, there’s an idea that is worth noting. In the Talmud (a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history) we find a discussion concerning Rosh Hashannah. An opinion in the Talmud states that Rosh Hashannah is designated as the new year for judgement; meaning, that at the beginning of the year (on Rosh Hashannah) heavenly judgement is already issued regarding what will occur in the (upcoming) year’s end. The Talmud brings a verse from the Torah to solidify its statement:

“…from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.” [Deutoronomy: 11: 12]

The Talmud understands this verse to mean that Hashem (God) will decide, from the year’s onset, what will befall the whole world (*See footnote*) throughout the entire year until its end.

The above verse is actually quoted from our week’s Torah portion, and if one were to examine it a bit closer (note that the Talmud only quoted half of the verse) a serious question may arise.

The verse reads in full:

“[Israel is] a land that Hashem, your God, seeks out; the eyes of Hashem, your God, are always upon it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.” [ibid.]

As can be seen, the verse is talking about how God’s supervision over the land of Israel is constant, ongoing throughout the entire year. So the obvious question is: Why is this verse the source for judgement on Rosh Hashannah for the entire world? Furthermore, the verse appears to have nothing to do with the concept of Rosh Hashannah or judgement what so ever!

A possible answer to this question is that the heavenly decree that is issued forth for the entire world on Rosh Hashannah is dependant upon Israel’s status. If, for instance, the land of Israel isn’t in its proper state and is not holding on a sufficient level of holiness, the entire world will suffer. The holiness that is imbued within our source of nourishment will be tainted if the land of Israel is lacking in spiritual completion.

This is in fact why the blessings we recite after eating include a considerable section involving a relationship to the land of Israel and the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. After eating, at one point we’ll recite thanks to Hashem for providing us with the food we just consumed, but then all of a sudden we find ourselves asking God to rebuild Jerusalem! What does rebuilding Jerusalem have to do with what we just ate!?

According to what we’re discussing, it’s because the Holy Temple (which was of course in Jerusalem) housed God’s providence in this natural world. Meaning, the Temple was the channel for spirituality to become manifest in the physicality of this world. Our Rabbis tell us that the actual point where heaven and earth meet is found within the Kodesh Hakedoshim (literally the “holiest of holies”, the most sacred room of the Temple, and in fact the most sacred room on earth). Therefore, Jerusalem and the Temple represent the ultimate idea of the fusion between physical and spiritual in this world.

However, without our Temple, this fusion is greatly hindered. The once bound opposites of Heaven and Earth have now become undone and are drastically separate within this world, longing to be brought back together. Therefore, our purpose is to sanctify this world as much as we can in order to bring the Humpty-Dumpty of spirituality and physicality “back together again”. Now we can understand that after eating, which is just about the most physical thing we ever do, we beg Hashem to return Jerusalem, to return that spiritual element that brings Godliness and life to the food we eat everyday.

This is a fundamental idea in Judaism, and truly gives meaning to the after-blessings recited after our meals. May we merit to push ourselves as much as possible to merge physical with spiritual and live to see the rebuilding of the Holy Temple.

Good Shabbos,

NZL


*There may be a mistaken notion that Rosh Hashannah is the New Year for the Jews; this is wrong! Rosh Hashannah is indeed the day that God created the world, so it therefore represents the New Year for the entire world and for all the nations that dwell within it. Rosh Hashannah can be called the “Jewish” New Year only because it is the days that we, as Jews, believe the world was created. In fact, exactly six months after Rosh Hashannah is the 1st of Nissan (the month that Passover falls in) which is the real “New Year for the Jews” but that lies beyond the scope of the essay.