Reply To: YWN Coffee Room Nightly D’Var Torah

L’Illuy Nishmas my father R’Shlomo Wolf bn. Yehuda Leib haLevi

Ki Savo

The last posuk in the parsha states: You Shall observe the words of this covenant, so that you will succeed in all that you do

The following is a thought that I had on this posuk (note: usually I share my thoughts with a few people before I put them to the test of wide distribution, however, this time, I did not have time to do so… feel free to tell me if this does not seem like emes):

After the listing of all the curses a person can become despondent and wonder how they ever have a chance. The Yetzer HaRa comes along and tells a person, listen, you messed up already, look at all the curses that are heading in your direction, there is no hope anymore. The Y’H has many tools, but one of the most powerful tools is depression. Once a person falls into depression and despairs of having a chance at succeeding, they give up.

This can happen in all areas in life: spiritual and physical health, marriage, children, livelihood, etc. A person meets with resistance in these areas and essentially the Y’H sees an opening and jumps in attempting to wreak havoc on the emotional health of the intended victim. As soon as the person feels a sense of utter hopelessness they start losing their connection (closeness) to HaShem, which is the ultimate goal of the Yetzer HaRa.

Immediately before the posuk the Torah tells us a little history: We were in Egypt, we saw great signs and wonders, we wandered for 40 years, we had clothing and food requirements taken care of, we even won battles against fierce enemies. Look at all that HaShem has done for us even when things seemed to be impossible! He was/is with us, he looked/looks out for us and he helped/helps us in every step and aspect of our life.

If things are not going the way we think they should be going or if one falls short a person may begin to feel despondent and perhaps even forget that HaShem continues to guide and provide for us and most regrettably a person might think that HaShem has given up on them.

So first we have several posukim about what HaShem did for us, and then, once we can see and understand and appreciate that we are not in this alone, we are told the secret to success: observe the words of the covenant. The person who has fallen short in one area or another, may think: yes, but I fell short so this success doesn’t apply to me. To that person we can respond that the same eternal covenant that the posuk refers to, HaShem in His mercy, included the opportunity to repent and move forward, so there is no need to despair.

Every Elul as we prepare for judgment, we read this posuk that comes to tell us the path to success. Follow this covenant, the eternal Torah, know that HaShem is with you every step and you are never too far to return and you will succeed and being as the covenant is eternal, so too the success be eternal.

The lesson that I take out of this is:

HaShem in his abundant love for us is always with us, no matter where we are spiritually, physically and equally as important emotionally. If we have fallen in any of these areas, We can always call out in heartfelt prayer to help us with the cure. We are never to far removed to seek HaShem. Even if we are confined in the prison known as depression with the Y’H as the warden, we still are not to far away to cry to HaShem to release us.

K’Siva v’Chasima Tova