Eikev means “reward” or, literally, “because.” Eikev begins with Moses telling the Jewish people that they will experience great blessings—health, abundant produce, prosperity, and fertility—when they follow all of the commandments that God established in the Torah. With the help of God, all of their enemies would be completely conquered.

After admonishing the Israelites to obey God’s commands, Moses began to describe all of their experiences in the desert, including the tests and trials they went through, as well as the miracles they experienced. Despite the tests and trials they endured during their forty years of wandering, their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell, and God provided manna for food. Moses wanted to emphasize that all of this had been provided by God.

Moses goes on to tell the people that in order to teach them to keep His commandments, God disciplines them as a loving parent disciplines his child.

Moses reminded the people to give thanks to God continually for the bounty He provided. They were getting ready to enter a bountiful Land, and they were told to be careful not to put their faith in themselves, but to maintain their faith in God. Everything they had was from God. They were never to presume that by their own hand they would enjoy the fruits of the Land.

Two meaningful lessons that can be derived from this Torah portion are trust and thankfulness.