Everything Will Be Blessed - Parashat Eikev

0:04Now, in this parashah, we see that Moshe Rabbeinu continues and he says, "Ve'hayah eikev tishme'un et ha-mishpatim ha-eleh u-shemartem va-asitem otam ve-shamar Hashem Elokecha lecha et ha-brit ve-et ha-chesed asher nishba la'avotecha." "This shall be the reward when you hearken to these ordinances and you observe and perform them. Hashem your God will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers." See, we see that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is promising us an enormous amount of blessings. He says that He's gonna bless not only your kids, the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your land, your grain, and your wine. Meaning, that not only are you gonna be blessed with children, but you'll be blessed with the means to feed them. You'll be blessed with a solid business where you're not going to have to worry about how to survive. Even the food that you eat is going to taste good. People don't think this is very much a big deal.

1:09What do you mean? If my mom cooks good food, it's food. It's good food. What more can you ask for? No. Our Rabbi Yehoyakim, alav hashalom, says that he knew a guy who was a multimillionaire, who owned a very fancy wedding hall. And one day he comes to his wedding hall. There was an event that he was invited to, and he sees this event was catered by the best chef in the country. He sees, you know, you go to some of these events, there's like five stories of food, and no one's there yet. He goes to the owner and says, "Why don't you have some? It looks delicious, and you look hungry, no?" "Why don't you have some?" He goes, "No, no, I can't." "Because why?" You don't want to eat meat? Okay, so you have the parve option over there." He goes, "No, no." "I can't," he says. "Okay, so have this," the other person suggests. "No, I can't," he responds again. "Okay, this." The conversation continues with the person offering alternatives, but each time the response is the same, "I can't," indicating a persistent reason that prevents him from participating in what is being offered. Why not? Why can't you have any of this stuff?" He says, "I'm sick. I have diabetes, I have this, I have cholesterol, I have every disease in the book. So I could see this food, but I can't eat it." I have diabetes, I have this, I have cholesterol, I have every disease in the book. So I can see this food, but I can't eat it. Even the food tasting good in your mouth is something we often take for granted, and we shouldn't. It's a blessing in its own. Now HaKadosh Baruch Hu says to us that if we follow these commandments, the reward is this: He'll bless us to no end. Now, He quickly goes and wants to ensure we understand that this is after we follow the commandments.

2:20It's a blessing in its own right. Now, HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, Blessed be He) says to us that if we follow these commandments, the reward is this: that He'll bless us to no end. Now, He quickly goes on, and He wants to make sure that we understand that this is only after we follow the commandments. And one of the commandments includes not to follow the goyim. Not to act like them, not to look like them, not to want to be like them. You should not aspire to become a baseball player. You should not aspire to become some, uh, I don't know, some, uh, philosopher for the goyim, or some newscaster on CNN. You should not aspire to be like them. But most importantly, you should not have a mind like them. You should not aspire to become some, uh, I don't know, some, uh, philosopher for the goyim, or some newscaster on CNN. You should not aspire to be like them. But most importantly, you should not have a mind like them. What's a mind like a goy? What's a mind like a goy? The average person goes to work.

3:24You have eight billion people in the world. With the exception of most of the children, the rest of them work. The rest of the people work. Some have both the mother and the father that work; for others, it's just the father. But most likely, everybody works to some extent or has worked in their life. Now, the mind of a goy, what does it think? What does it think? It thinks that I'm gonna go to work. I'm gonna work for Coca-Cola. I'm gonna work for UPS, or maybe a big company, a small company, or even something local like a laundromat. I'm gonna work for, uh, you know, Mars. I'm gonna work for whoever. Some company, some big company, or small company, or the laundromat, or whatever. And the customer is going to buy something, and therefore I'm going to sell him something, and I'm going to make a profit, and that's it. So I'm relying on the customer. Or I'm relying on my boss paying me the check on time every two weeks. I'm relying on the boss. He gives me a check every two weeks. So, I am relying on my boss. I'm relying on the customer. I'm relying on the economy. They turn on the TV in the morning, especially in Western society.

4:30First thing in the morning, every person who makes a few shekels turns on CNBC, turns on the news. He wants to see what's the market doing. Why? Because all of a sudden, he became an economist. "Oh, the, uh, the GDP is up, the GDP is down. Oh, no. Oh yeah. Oh yeah." They're celebrating. It's nine o'clock in the morning. Tomorrow they're gonna do the whole thing all over again. Every day is a new announcement. The cars, uh, they sold too many cars, too few cars, too many houses, too few houses. Unemployment's up, unemployment's down. All types of statistics just to get your nerves up right before you start the day. The cars, uh, they sold too many cars, too few cars, too many houses, too few houses. Unemployment's up, unemployment's down. All types of statistics just to get your nerves up right before you start the day. And everybody becomes an economist and they say, "Why? Why are you, why are you so worried?" Oh, the economy is down, the economy is up, the economy is all these different things." So what does it mean? They rely on the economy. They rely on the economy. They think, "No, my business is down this year." They rely on the economy. They rely on the economy. They think, "No, my business is down this year." I can't give tzedakah." "Oh, why not?" "Ah, you know, business is down. The economy, you know, this, this, this, uh, Trump is terrible, this Obama is terrible. Some president. So he's relying on the president too. The economy, you know, this, this, this, uh, Trump is terrible, this Obama is terrible. This or some president. So he's relying on the president too.

5:29He's relying on the politicians. He's relying on the economy. He's relying on all types of things that go into his head. He puts on the radio on the way to work, doesn't put on a shiur Torah. What does he put on? He puts on the radio to make sure that the 10:10 news or 11:30 Bloomberg, or one of those channels, is going to tell him how his day is going to go. Why? Because they're the economy, they're the news. He's relying on all these people. Now, even though this is the vast majority of people, especially in Western society—I'm here to tell you that according to the Torah, you can check yourself. According to the Torah, if that's your mindset, that is the mindset of a goy. Now, I don't mean like a righteous goy such as Iyov (Job). Iyov was a tzadik. He was a navi. He was a navi. Job spoke to Hashem. Job spoke. None of us are speaking to Hashem. He's, we speak, but he doesn't answer. Iyov (Job), Hashem spoke to him and wrote a whole sefer for him. But I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about a goy, a no-good goy, one that you wouldn't even invite to a bar mitzvah party. Thinking that CNBC statistics or Bloomberg, all of these statistics, the economy, the customer, the boss, or anybody else is in control of your destiny, unfortunately, Rabotai Yekarim, is a very, very bad idea for a Jew. Why?

6:55Because HaKadosh Baruch Hu told one of His favorite prophets, Yirmiyahu, something about those people. In chapter 17, verse number 5, HaKadosh Baruch Hu says to Yirmiyahu to tell the people, "Thus saith Hashem, 'Cursed is the man who trusts in people and makes flesh and blood his strength and turns his heart away from Hashem.'" He says, "Anyone that trusts in people to give them their sustenance," to give them anything in the world, "you trust in people, you trust in the customer, you trust in the economics, you trust in the dollar bill, you trust in anything like that," HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, "I'm personally cursing you." Why?

7:57"You trusted in somebody other than me." And then he continues, "He will be like a lone tree in the desert and will not see when goodness comes. It dwells in parched lands in the wilderness, in a salty, uninhabited land." He says, "Not only is he cursed personally, but this person will never see a good day in his life." All the good that's there, the beautiful land, the mountains, the fresh air, the delicious food, all the good in the world—he's never going to enjoy it. Why? "He trusts in people instead of Me." Now, which one of us here woke up in the morning and actually knew that, wait a minute, I may be bringing curses on myself? The reality is most people don't. But that's what we want. Why? Because Rabotai Yekarim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu did not suggest for us to trust in Him, He commanded us to trust in Him. Because, Rabotai Yekarim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu did not suggest for us to trust in Him; He commanded us to trust in Him. If we don't trust in Him, we are trusting people who are flesh and blood just like us, and it's only a matter of time before that fails. When you trust HaKadosh Baruch Hu, you can literally have everything, enjoy everything, and receive blessing from everything. That's why He follows with the next verse: "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem; then Hashem will be his security."

9:28He will be like a tree planted near water which spreads out its roots along the brook and does not see when heat comes, whose foliage is ever fresh. It will not worry in a year of drought and will not stop producing fruit." He says, "Not only is trusting HaKadosh Baruch Hu and having confidence in HaKadosh Baruch Hu good for you, as far as HaShem is giving you a blessing," but he's telling you you're actually going to receive the blessing just because you trusted in HaShem. Just because you said, somebody asks you, "What are you doing?" "Oh, I'm doing such and such. I'm going to a meeting." , I'm gonna close this deal. , I'm gonna buy this house. , I'm gonna get this job. I'm going to close this. I'm going to do this. But you really believe it. Now you're just saying it 'cause it's like a figure of speech. You really believe that everything is in the power of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. You're just fulfilling the mitzvah of hishtadlut, meaning you're trying your best effort.

10:32Why? Because Adam HaRishon messed up, so we're obligated to have a little bit of emunah. How much emunah? Depending on how much emunah you have. But the point is that we try something. I'm gonna go to the job interview. I'm gonna go to the interview. Hopefully, I get it. I'm going to buy this investment. Hopefully, it works out. Hashem, well, Hashem's gonna take care of whether it works out or not. I'm going to sell this product - I'm going to decide to buy this little tchotchke. I'm going to try to sell it on the internet. Hopefully, people buy it, and you know, Hashem decides whether they're going to buy it or not. But when does a person officially get this curse? 'Cause this would mean that almost everybody's cursed. That's not the case. When does somebody officially receive this curse, and when does somebody officially receive the blessing? When? Because you see, many people are blessed; many people are not, you know, they’re not cursed. When is the official... He trusts in people and makes flesh and blood his strength and turns his heart away from Hashem. When does the curse officially come to full force on a person? When he trusts in people, which leads him to go away from Hashem.

11:40What is that like? Let's say you work for a company. You've been at this company for five, ten years. You believe wholeheartedly you deserve a promotion, but you've been skipped over a few times. The guy that barely knows how to speak got the promotion. The woman that wears a mini skirt, she got the promotion. You believe full-heartedly that you deserve a promotion, but you've been skipped over a few times. The guy who barely knows how to speak, he got the promotion. The woman who wears a mini skirt, she got the promotion. Everybody else got the promotion; you didn't get anything. One day, your supervisor says, "Hey, Steve. Do you want to get a promotion?" What are you getting now, $20 an hour? For 10 years? Ah, I think you should be getting at least 50, 60. "Yes, how do—what do I do?" "You know what? I got something for you. I got something for you... is what you do. Tonight, the boss is having a party at his house. He's having a party at his house. He's got a big house, a mansion. Come to the house. Talk to the boss a few times, bring a nice bottle of wine, you know, one of those nice wines. Bring it there. "I'll talk to the boss for you, and you'll get the promotion." He goes, "Why? You're going to do this for me?" He responds, "Yeah, for sure." And you go, "Wait a minute, hold on." Jewish alert goes on. What kind of party is this? If you're a Jew, you have to think, what kind of party is this? So let's say you asked, "What kind of party is this?" He says, "Oh, a party, you know, with the girls, the boys, dancing, shmanscing, you know." He goes, "What, he's not a religious Jew?" He goes, "I'm not a religious Jew." He goes, "The last time the guy spelled 'religion' was maybe in kindergarten."

12:55What are you talking about, religious Jew? This guy is going to have, uh, every mention of tzniut in the world come to the house. What are you talking about, religion?" "But come, come to the house." "No, come here. You could already by Monday be making $60 an hour. Didn't you just have a child? Didn't you just get married? Didn't you... what, don't you need the money? Or do you not need the money?" "No, no, I need the money, I need the money." What did he do? What did he do? You have $20 an hour right now. There's no chance in the world for you to get the promotion, logically. on Monday, you could get $60. Why? By going to Gehinnom just to visit for a little bit. HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, "You go to that party; you are cursed officially, full force. Even if you get the $60, it'll only go for medical bills." By going to Gehinom just to visit for a little bit. HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, "You go to that party, you are cursed officially, full force. Even if you get the $60, it'll only go for medical bills." Even if you get the $60, you'll never enjoy a single penny out of it. Why? Because that move that you made distanced you further from me. You stepped on me to go because you trusted in man." It's not just trusting in man, that's bad enough, but you got away from me. You thought that the only way for you to get the $60 is if you say, "Hashem, let me put you on hold for a couple of days, only a few hours, Hashem."

14:09I love you, but just tomorrow, I'm going to go to minyan. I'll do, I'll do a Tachanun. I'll do two Tachanunim, Hashem. In the morning, one with everybody, one after. I'll stay extra. I'll say the tefillot, I'll read, I'll finish another masechet. Don't worry, Hashem, You and I, we're like this. I just need to get the $60, Hashem. You didn't do it for me. Hashem, You didn't do it for me, so I'm helping You out. Hashem, I'm helping You out. If You were going to do it for me, I wouldn't go. So Hashem, let's make a deal. You either send me a message right now and tell me, "Ah, you got the promotion; we're not going to the party." If there's no message within the next five minutes, I'm going to the party." Arur ha'adam. That person is cursed. Why? Hashem says, "You trusted in a man instead of Me, and that trust led you away from Me." Rabotai, this is a day-to-day test that the older ones among us have encountered many times; the younger ones are going to encounter it much more.

15:09But you are encountering it every single day. Every day, you are giving at least one test, or else there's no point to your day. Every day, somebody's going to call you and ask you to come to a place that you know you shouldn't go, or a place you should go. Somebody calls you and says, "Yeah, do you want to come play basketball?" "Where?" "Oh, you know, in that schoolyard with all those people you're not really supposed to be friends with, and..." You know you're not supposed to go. No, but you have, your yetzer hatov says, "No, wait a minute, if I go to the basketball game, then I can't go to the shiur Torah. But basketball is so much more fun than this guy yelling at me for two hours. What should I do?" Should I go to the shiur Torah? It's a mitzvah. Yeah, but you know what, Hashem? I'll watch it live on Facebook. I'll go to the basketball, have a good time, and then I'll watch it on Facebook. What? Then, I'll watch it on YouTube, b'ezrat Hashem. I'll watch it on YouTube. I'll watch it at home. I'll watch it live on Facebook. I'll go to the basketball game, have a good time, and then I'll watch it on Facebook. What? It's a mitzvah, no? Arur ha'adam. A person like that is cursed. Why? HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, "Not only did you trust another person, which is bad enough, but you distanced yourself from Me." This is a day-to-day test that a person who wants to get close to HaKadosh Baruch Hu has to literally and actively seek out.

16:22Look for that test. That should be the mission of every Jew. "Ah, that's the test." You got the phone call? "Ah, that's the test. What am I gonna do now? That's the test." That's the point of the whole day. You got it, you found out - that's the test. That's the point of the whole day. What are you going to do now? Are you going to pass the test or fail the test? And that, Rabotai Yekarim, should be the point of all our questions and all of the things that we do. We are meant to be a light unto the nations, not to follow their misguided practices. Remember, every Jew has to remember that he's a Jew and she's a Jew. We don't celebrate non-Jewish holidays, even if they seem harmless. It's a zilzul, disrespect to the Torah, and could lead to chillul Hashem, desecration of God's name. Stick to our holy Torah and our own yomim tovim. That's the path of a true Yid.