Compassion for the Undeserving
And you shall remember all the way which Hashem your G-d led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments, or not. And He afflicted you, and caused you to suffer hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that He might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Hashem does man live. (Sefer Devarim 8:2-3)
- The test of the wilderness
Parshat Ekev continues Moshe's final address to Bnai Yisrael. The parasha includes two sets of passages that seem to completely contradict one another. In the above passages Moshe reflects upon the nation's experience in the wilderness and its meaning. What was the purpose of forty years of tedious wandering? Did it have an objective?
In the above passages, Moshe responds. Indeed, it had a very important purpose. The wilderness experience was an extended test of Bnai Yisrael. It evaluated the nation's commitment to the commandments. It assessed whether Bnai Yisrael could be expected to observe the commandments in the Land of Israel.
The implication of Moshe's comments is that Bnai Yisrael passed this test. Now, the nation is poised to enter the land and to possess it. They have come to this point and have this opportunity because they have proven themselves over the course of their forty year journey in the wilderness.
Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations, Hashem your G-d does drive them out from before you, and that He may establish the word which Hashem swore unto your fathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaakov. (Sefer Devarim 9:5)
- Bnai Yisrael did not deserve the Land of Israel
In the above passages Moshe tells the people that they do not deserve the wonderful gift they are about to receive – the Land of Israel. They will not possess the land as a consequence of their own merits and righteousness. They will possess it because of the commitments that Hashem made to their patriarchs. The nations in the land will be dispossessed because of their wickedness. Moshe then proceeds to enumerate the various grave sins that Bnai Yisrael committed in the wilderness. He speaks at length of the sin of the Egel – the Golden Calf. He mentions various other failings. His message is that Bnai Yisrael have not earned and do not deserves this wonderful gift.
There emerges a contradiction in Moshe's fundamental message. He first tells the nation that they have been tested and proven worthy to enter and possess the Land of Israel. He then tells them that in no sense are they worthy of this gift. They have repeatedly failed Hashem and proven unfaithful. Nonetheless, they will possess the land because of Hashem׳s commitment to the forefathers and because of the wickedness of those nations that now occupy it.
All the commandment which I command you this day you shall observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Hashem swore unto your fathers. (Sefer Devarim 8:1)
- The wilderness experience and its cognitive impact
The starting point in addressing this problem is a closer analysis of Moshe's discussion of the test of the wilderness. What is the context of this discussion? In the above passage, Moshe urges this generation that will enter and possess the Land of Israel to scrupulously observe all of the commandments of the Torah. He explains that their experience in the Land of Israel will be a function of the consistency of their observance. If they are faithful to the Torah, then they will enjoy all of the blessings of the Land.
In this context, Moshe reviews with them the significance of the wilderness experience. Hashem beckoned them to follow Him into this desolate expanse. This was an enormous trial. They entered the wilderness with no idea of how they would survive in this hostile environment. Hashem did provide for them with mun – manna. This food was strange to them. They were not familiar with it, nor had they ever heard of it. Could this meager, strange food sustain them? Could it sustain them for years and years? They did not know. But they followed Hashem and placed their faith in Him.
How is Moshe's description of this wilderness experience related to his admonition to observe the commandments in the Land of Israel? Nachmanides explains that Moshe told the people that their future in the Land of Israel would not be determined by natural phenomena but by metaphysical realities. Success and failure would not be secured or lost through the material endeavors of the people but through Hashem's providence. This providence would, in turn, be secured through their faithfulness to the Torah.[1]
In short, Moshe asked the people to embrace a revolutionary view of reality. Success and failure in the Land of Israel would not be determined by material causality. It would be determined by a metaphysical or spiritual system of causality.
Nachmanides continues to explain that Moshe understood that this perspective differs from the way in which we naturally view our world. He reminded Bnai Yisrael that indeed, in the wilderness, they had accepted this revolutionary perspective on reality. There, they had experienced and become accustomed to an existence that was unsustainable through natural cause and effect. Instead, they were sustained miraculously in response to their faith in Hashem. Moshe was urging the people to remain mindful of the lesson of the wilderness and retain the wilderness cognitive perspective when they entered the Land of Israel.[2]
It emerges that the wilderness experience was not really a test. Rather, it was a challenge designed to reorient the people's understanding of reality. It was an extended exercise designed to nurture within Bnai Yisrael an understanding of Hashem's role in their lives and their future. The cultivation of this cognitive perspective was a prerequisite for their entry into the Land of Israel.
Now, we can return to our original question. Moshe explains that the wilderness experience was a challenge presented to the nation as a prerequisite to entering the Land of Israel. The nation is about to be led by Hashem into to the land. Apparently, they have met the challenge. However, Moshe also tells Bnai Yisrael that they do not merit this wonderful opportunity. They have sinned gravely and are unworthy of the Land of Israel. Instead, they will possess the land because of the wickedness of its inhabitants and the virtue of the patriarchs.
And you shall love Hashem your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (Sefer Devarim 6:5)
- Teaching the undeserving student
An illustration will help us understand the resolution of this contradiction. Maimonides explains that included in the mitzvah of loving Hashem is the obligation to teach others of Him. He explains that one who truly loves Hashem will feel compelled to share his knowledge and understanding of Hashem and His ways with others.[3]
Maimonides’ comments have enormous implications. He is asserting that the teacher engages with students in response to an internal drive and compulsion to share with others his knowledge. This compulsive need is not a response to the worthiness of the student. The student may be unworthy of the teacher’s invaluable gift of wisdom. Nonetheless, the teacher is uncontrollably driven to impart his wisdom. The ultimate example of this paradigm is our forefather Avraham. He, alone, was the teacher and mentor of his generation. His students were idolators. They did not deserve Avraham's compassion or his commitment to their advancement. His love of Hashem compelled him to reach out and to reform the lost members of his generation.
- Hashem nurtured the nation without consideration of its merits
Moshe is telling the people that they do not deserve the Land of Israel. It is not because of their merits that they will possess it. However, in order to posses the land and prosper upon it, they needed to be reoriented. They needed to replace their superficial materialistic view of reality with a more fundamental understanding. They must appreciate that their destiny will be determined by Hashem in response to their faithfulness. Hashem led them into the wilderness in order to achieve this reorientation. Ultimately, despite their many sins and failures, this cognitive reorientation has been achieved. Because of the wilderness exercise, the nation is fit to enter the land.
In other words, Moshe is distinguishing between two different issues. One issue is the preparedness of the nation for the experience of possessing the Land of Israel. The nation has succeeded in the trial of the wilderness. Bnai Yisrael has acquired the cognitive foundation necessary to prosper in the land. The other issue is whether – however well prepared – Bnai Yisrael deserve the gift of the Land of Israel. Moshe’s response to this issue is that they do not deserve to be given this opportunity.
[1] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Devarim 8:1.
[2] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Devarim 8:1.
[3] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvat Aseh 3.