Two news stories captured my attention this week. One has been the Tokyo Olympics and watching the successes of Canada, The United States, and Israel (the three countries for which I will either watch or record for watching later). Related to these Olympics has been the Covid Pandemic, the rise in cases in Japan, athletes who are unable to compete because they have tested positive, and the rapid spread of the Delta Variant among those who have not received a vaccine. Of course, this rapid spread, this 4th wave, is not confined to unvaccinated in Japan, the variant is the cause of the rapid increase of Covid cases in Israel, throughout Europe, and especially in parts of the U.S. where vaccination rates are extremely low, including states such as Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Florida. The Delta Variant is the cause of new cases here in Canada as well, and even though over 50% of the population is fully vaccinated, that still leaves tens of millions of people at risk.
This week’s Parsha is Eikev. Here, in his second discourse, Moshe explains to the new generation how the second set of tablets that contains the Aseret Dibrot came into being. He explains how God forgave their parents for their idolatrous behavior in regards to the Eigel Zahav (Golden Calf), and all B’nai Yisroel needs only to refrain from Idolatry, serve God, worship God, and the nation will be rewarded with water, grass, and quality lives. Moshe also reminds B’nai Yisroel that they have nothing to fear when they enter Canaan and conquer the land even though they may be outnumbered because God has already demonstrated that he will protect his people. He did so during the Yetziat Mitzrayim (Exodus), and as long as B’nai Yisroel keeps its side of the B’rit, God will continue to protect his people. This protection includes a guarantee that there will be a satisfactory harvest, and that B’nai Yisroel will always have enough to eat. The Jewish people re-iterate this promise and this guarantee whenever it prays since it is the second paragraph of the “Shmah” and it is found in Parsha Eikev, (11:13-21).
As Moshe speaks to B’nei Yisroel, he begins the Parsha by explaining the rewards that will result if they fulfill their side of the covenant. V’Shamar HaShem Elokecha Lecha Et HaBrit V’ Et HaChesed Asher Nishba Elokecha - Your God will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your ancestors. He will love you and bless you and multiply you, and he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your Land; your grain, your wine, and your oil...You will be the most blessed of all the peoples; there will be no infertile male or infertile female among you or your animals. V’Hasir HaShem Mimcha Kol Cholei V’Chol Madvei Mitzrayim HaRa’im Asher Yadata Lo Yasimam Bach U’Ntanam B’Chol Sonecha - Hashem will remove from you every illness; and all the bad maladies of Egypt that you knew - He will not put them upon you, but will put them upon your foes (Deut. 7:12-15). If we read this literally, the reward for observance, on a national level is that the Jewish people won’t suffer from sickness, infertility etc. We know that even Israel has suffered from Covid and Israel is suffering from this Delta variant just like other nations. So how do we understand Moshe’s understanding of the reward that awaits the people if they observe God’s covenant? Perhaps the key is the phrase, Madvei Mitzrayim HaRa’im Asher Yadata - and all the bad maladies of Egypt that you knew. In the Talmudic Tractate Baba Metzia (107b): Rav said this is the Evil Eye, Shmuel said Wind bring about sickness. The Talmudic sages understood the sickness to be spiritual, not necessarily literal.
When Moshe explains the rewards for observing the covenant, he doesn’t focus upon the individual. He speaks aspirationally. He recognizes that Mitzrayim, from the word Tzar, means “narrow”. Egypt was a spiritually “narrow” and confining place, a place of physical confinement, slavery. However, it was also a place of spiritual confinement, unenlightened, a place of idolatry. For Moshe, observing God’s covenant means spiritual enlightenment and being close to God. No, the continued spread of Covid is not spiritual. It is real. It is evident while watching the Olympics and seeing all the empty seats in each arena. It is evident when watching the news. We know that we have the capacity to diminish its spread, and prevent serious illness. However, as we continue to hesitate, as we continue to not refute science, as we continue to politicize. As time goes on, it seems that hesitancy, refuting science, and politicization reflect a spiritual shortcoming, that we refuse knowledge, that we are bogged down with conspiracy, and that we are still enslaved by ignorance.
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