A Thought on Parshas Eikev

"...ki lo al lechem levado yichyeh ha'adam ki al kol motza pi HaShem..." (8:3) "...not by bread alone man lives but by all that comes from the mouth of HaShem... After the Torah reminds us that the challenge of surviving on manna in the wilderness was to teach us that "man does not live on bread alone", our verse says that it is not the bread that assures survival but rather it is "all that comes from the mouth of HaShem" upon which man survives. I have never known how to understand this verse. I would have thought that the verse might have said "man does not exist on bread alone; man exists because HaShem wills him to exist." The term "all that comes from the mouth of HaShem" sounds difficult, not to mention the anthropomorphic reference of a Divine "mouth." Fortunately for me, the Gan tackles this for us. Firstly, he understands that the "living" or surviving of the verse refers to both our mortal existence and to our afterlife. Secondly, he understands that "all that comes from the mouth" refers to precisely that which does come from HaShem's "mouth": HaShem spoke to the Jewish people and commanded us to observe His mitzvos and chukim -- the laws and the statutes. This is what "comes from HaShem's mouth." What is it that assures that we Jews will be taken care of in this life, and will survive? It is living Jewish lives - abiding completely with that which HaShem has told us in spoken form. It is adhering to His word entirely - the laws, the morality, the ethical conduct, the integrity, the kiddush Shem Shomayim, the individual, social and communal commitments, the spiritual devotion - that are our catalysts for hashgacha pratis, the caring and devoted love of HaShem. In the same way, it is our dedication to every and all of HaShem's expectations of us that will lead to the eternity of our souls, life in this existence and in the next life. Hence, it is not the bread we eat, but it is living by the words of HaShem, which are our key to being sustained in this life and in our having a share in eternity. So, I finally have a "pshat" - an understanding of the verse. Another gift from the Gan. Good Shabbos. D Fox The Gan was written by 13th century Rabbeinu Aharon ben Yosi haCohen, Baal Tosfos More pirushim presented by Rabbi Dr. Dovid Fox at http://thoughtonparsha.blogspot.com/