Toward the opening of this week’s passage,
we find the verse that is customarily held to be the basis for reciting birkat hamazon – the traditional
blessing after meals:
For the Lord your
God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and
fountains issuing from plain and hill; a land of wheat and barley, of vines,
figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; a land where you may
eat food without stint, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are
iron and from whose hills you can mine copper. When you have eaten your fill,
give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you (Deuteronomy
8:7-10, JPS translation).
Usually we pay most attention only to the
last line – v’achalta v’savata uveyrachta
et Adonai elohekha – “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord
your God…” If this were only to indicate our obligation to recite thanks for
our dietary sustenance, our understanding is insufficient; the paragraph refers
to ALL the bounty of the Promised Land – natural resources, nourishing foods,
precious metals – that is, the entire range of what we need to flourish and
succeed. This in mind, we should read the passage as “when you have *consumed*
your fill,” as consumption is much broader than eating alone. Consequently,
this also broadens our responsibility to express gratitude for what we have. It
is not merely following meals that we give thanks; it is for each and every
time we “consume,” make use of, that which is provided for us. Imagine – an even
greater prompt to utter praise for the things we have and what we do with them.
Soon after, recounting Moses’ need to
create a second set of tablets (the Ten Commandments) following the Israelites’
episode with the golden calf, the text goes on:
And now, O Israel,
what does the Lord you God demand of you? Only this: to revere the Lord your
God, to walk only in His paths, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your god
with all your heart and soul, keeping the Lord’s commandments and laws, which I
enjoin upon you today, for your good (Deut. 10:12-13).
Only
this?!?!?
Well, at least this easy listing is meant for our good. Modern commentator
Jeffrey Tigay suggests that “’And now’” means ‘Now, then.’ In other words, ‘Your
history of rebellion shows that you lack the following qualities, to which you
must dedicate yourselves in the future’” (JPS Torah Commentary – Deuteronomy,
p. 107).
So how do we begin (or continue) to tackle
this “mere” listing of virtues that enable us to overcome our past foibles? The
answer is already given in the earlier part of the text: by always cultivating
an “attitude of gratitude”, in giving thanks for what we have, our ability to
use them for good, and our opportunity to share our advantage with those around
us.
And now, it remains our turn.
Thirty
years ago this week, I entered as a freshman at the American University.
Following yet another summer as a camp counselor, I hopped in the car with mom
and dad to drive from Boston to DC. I don’t remember much about the trip,
except we stopped in Brooklyn to visit my grandmother who was in the hospital
(and then dad showed me the location of the family bakery – building still
intact – at Coney Island and O). We made our way to the nation’s capitol, and stayed
overnight in nearby suburban Virginia. We spent time with my aunt Enid, visiting
her son Tommy who lived and worked locally, and spent an eve celebrating her
birthday at a French dinner-burlesque show (only slightly awkward for an
eighteen year-old with his parents). Of course most important was finally
moving onto campus, finding my way to my room in Letts Hall, the dorm – oops, I
mean “residence hall” – that I would call home for my first three years at
school. 
Mixing
and mingling with the other new and returning students, I was introduced to one
fellow freshman whose friendship I cannot overemphasize to this day. Scott and
I met as (myopic yet) wide-eyed newbies at the introductory meeting led by the
RA on our floor. We hit it off right away, and now seem to have accomplished a
great majority of life’s deeds together: from intramural soccer and softball
and student activities to movie nights with Armand’s Pizza and pining over
girls, and yes even successfully navigating our course work – I had a friend
and partner through the ups and downs of college life. We’ve shared holidays
and family time, both as young adult sons in our families of origin as well as being
husbands and fathers ourselves. Scott schlepped to Minnesota for our wedding at
the end of one very cold December; I had the privilege of officiating at his
wedding another memorable weekend in Erie, PA. We’ve visited and shared,
watched (and marveled) as we became parents, and our children continue to grow…
And
yes, that week we met, also coincided with Scott’s birthday – which he’ll again
celebrate this week. So we celebrate 30 years since first meeting that fateful
day at AU – I wish you all the best now and always. Happy
birthday Scotty – you’ll always be Senor Smoke.
