1. Responding to Tragedy and Loss
The class today is dedicated to the memory and benefit of the soul of Michal Freidel, Bassel Yezzer, and Shulamit, Michelle Cable, whose untimely passing has left a deep pain for her family and our entire community. Even those who did not know Michelle personally feel the loss through their connection to her family and the broader community. When faced with tragedy, people respond in various ways—some become angry at God, questioning why such things happen. While we may seek answers, even if we had a perfect explanation for suffering, it would not lessen our pain or make the loss any easier to bear. Instead, our responsibility is to feel another’s pain deeply and turn that feeling into positive action: memorializing the person through good deeds, chesed—acts of kindness, Torah study, and prayer. This is how we perpetuate their memory and transform pain into something meaningful.2. The Theme of Tests in Parshas Ekev
This week’s Parsha, Ekev—the third portion in Devarim—addresses the concept of challenges and tests. Moshe Rabbeinu gathers Bnei Yisrael before his passing, recounting their history together: forty years in the desert following their exodus from Egypt. He urges them to cling to Hashem and reviews both their triumphs and failures as part of his final message. In chapter eight (and possibly nine), Moshe tells the people that every commandment must be kept so that they may live and prosper in the land promised to their forefathers. He reminds them how Hashem led them through forty years in the desert—not as a direct route to Eretz Yisrael but as a period of affliction and testing “to know what is in your heart.” The Torah describes how Hashem afflicted them by letting them go hungry before feeding them manna—the miraculous bread from heaven.3. Understanding Divine Testing: Why Are We Tested?
The Torah states explicitly that Hashem led Bnei Yisrael through hardship “to afflict you, to test you.” But why does God need to test us? The answer lies in human potential: when challenged, we are forced to dig deeper within ourselves, revealing inner strengths and abilities that would otherwise remain hidden. A test brings out new capacities—qualities we may not have known existed within us—preparing us for future challenges. Before entering Eretz Yisrael, Bnei Yisrael needed this process of growth so they could meet the demands ahead with maturity and resilience.4. The Nature of Tests: Poverty and Wealth
Tests can come in many forms—not only through hardship or deprivation but also through abundance. Sometimes being given too much leads a person to self-indulgence or arrogance; both poverty and wealth are tests of character. When one is poor or struggling, the challenge is not to fall into despair or bitterness; when one is wealthy or successful, the challenge is not to become self-centered or forgetful of others’ needs.5. The Manna as Both Affliction and Blessing
A central question arises from these verses: how was manna—the miraculous food from heaven—an affliction? On a simple level, it seems that first Bnei Yisrael were hungry and then fed with manna, but the Talmud reads these verses differently: the manna itself was an affliction because it did not fully satisfy them. Despite its miraculous qualities—it tasted like anything desired, came with jewels according to some sources, was fully absorbed by the body with no waste—the people still felt unsatisfied after eating it. The Talmud offers two explanations: First, satisfaction comes when a person knows where their next meal will come from (pitoy besaloi). Since Bnei Yisrael received fresh manna daily with nothing left over for tomorrow, they always felt uncertain about future sustenance—even after eating their fill. Second, true satisfaction often requires seeing one’s food; although manna tasted like any food imaginable, it did not look like those foods—so eating it left them wanting more on a sensory level.6. Spirituality Versus Physical Satisfaction
If manna was so wondrous—tasting like anything desired—why didn’t it satisfy? The answer lies in its spiritual nature: manna, being godly food from heaven rather than earthly produce, lacked physical limitations but also lacked tangible qualities humans need for full satisfaction. Human beings require ownership—a sense of grasping something real—to feel contentment. Because manna was spiritual sustenance beyond normal human experience, it could not be fully internalized or appreciated by its recipients. This teaches us that sometimes Hashem’s blessings are so abundant or spiritual that they exceed our capacity to receive them comfortably within our limitations. To truly benefit from such blessings requires humility—letting go of ego—and openness to receiving what Hashem gives without trying to confine it within our own boundaries.7. Overcoming Tests: Humility in Wealth and Strength in Hardship
How does one overcome these tests? For wealth or success—the Torah warns against arrogance (“my strength and the might of my hand have accumulated this wealth”). The antidote is constant remembrance that all success comes from Hashem; attributing achievements solely to oneself leads only to haughtiness and spiritual downfall. For poverty or hardship (which can mean any kind of struggle—not just financial), there is a risk of despair or depression—a sense of worthlessness or brokenness when things do not go well. This too is a test: maintaining faith that Hashem remains good even when His ways are hidden from us is essential for overcoming adversity without losing hope or purpose.8. Transforming Pain Into Positive Action
Ultimately, whether facing abundance or deprivation, our task is not merely emotional sensitivity but action—translating care into deeds of kindness (chesed) and Torah study on behalf of those we mourn or support. By doing so today—in memory of Michal Freidel basel Yezzer v’Shulamis (Michelle Cable)—we channel grief into positive energy for her soul’s elevation and bring merit upon her family. May Hashem comfort all mourners among us swiftly with the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu—the righteous redeemer—and wipe away every tear from every face. Amen.