Torah: De 7:12-11:25Haftarah: Is 49:14-51:3 Brit Chadesha: Jo 14:21; Lu 1:55, 70-75; Ro 8:31-39, 11:26-32Psalms: 46, 100, 142Gospels: Acts 8, 9,10

Ekev - עקב : Because"

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Fun Facts about Ekev

• 46th of 54 portions

• 3rd of 11 in Devarim

• Written on 232 lines in a Torah

• 14th in overall length, it’s 3rd largest in Devarim

• Ekev contains 8 of the 613 mitzvot; 6 positive and 2 prohibitions;

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How is the Haftarah like Ekev?

• Isa 51:3, “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.”

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How did YHVH develop faith in people who did not know Him?

• De 8:4, “Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.”

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Why would God help them and then chasten them?

• De 8:5-6, “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. 6Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.”

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What are these agricultural products commonly referred to as?

• De 8:8, “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey;”

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Why do we say the blessing before a meal?

• De 8:10, “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.”

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Does Israel deserve to live in the land?

• De 9:4, “Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee. 5Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

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How do we circumcise our heart?

• De 10:16, “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”

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Summary

• Moshe reminds them that success is “because” we keep the commandments

• Moshe rebukes the 1st generation for its failings: golden calf, rebellion, slander of the spies, angering YHVH with complaints

• He reminds them they did not survive by the manna (bread) alone, but by all that YHVH provided: by every word that proceeds from the mouth of YHVH

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Summary

• Moshe describes the land they are about to enter

• Moshe commands them to destroy the idols of the land’s former inhabitants

• Moshe adds more insight to the Sh’ma and points to the resurrection of the dead in the Messianic Age.