Reply To: Short & Sweet

Eikev: Making Do

The Gemora tells us that the מלאכים asked Hashem: How can you favor the Jews if you’ve written about Yourself (in this week’s Parsha) אשר לא ישא פנים ולא יקח שוחד? Hashem answers them: How can I not favor the Jews, I wrote in my Torah (also in this week’s Parsha) that they should say ברכת המזון when they are full, and they go so far as to say it even if they only eat a כזית.

R’ Shimon Schwab explains that it is relatively easy to be thankful to Hashem when we are full and have everything that we need. But it is far more impressive to be thanking Hashem when all we have is the bare minimum, only a כזית of bread. The fact that the Jewish people are still thankful to Hashem even when things are tough is what makes us find favor in His eyes.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום