IN A NUTSHELL
In Ekev, Moshe continues his speech to the Israelites, preparing them for life in the land of Israel and for a future without him as their leader. He reminds them of the general rules of the covenant (the responsibilities that they have towards God and that God has towards them, as it is written in the Torah), and what it means to be a chosen nation in a promised land.
If they keep the covenant, they will be blessed, both with material things (such as wealth and financial security) as well as spiritual blessings. But they must not forget God’s loving-kindness and think that their success is because of their own efforts or because they are righteous. Moshe reminds them of all the times they made mistakes and sinned as a people during the wilderness years, including the Golden Calf, the Koraḥ rebellion, and other similar stories. He reminds them, too, of God’s forgiveness. Remembering their history, they must love and respect God and teach their children to do the same. This entire set of beliefs is summarised in what we call the second paragraph of the Shema (Devarim 11:13–21), which is found in the parasha. The clear message to the people is that Israel’s fate depends on Israel’s faith.
QUESTION TO PONDER
Why do you think Moshe wanted to remind the Israelites of all these details again?