5787/2026
This week’s Parashah, Parashat Ha’azinu, contains Moshe Rabbeinu’s poem that he told Bnei Yisrael before his death. During his speech, Moshe speaks of the great things Hashem will bestow upon the Jews in the future. We will live in Eretz Yisrael, and eat fruits that are quick to ripen. There will be an abundance of milk, sheep, wheat, and wine (Devarim 32:13-14). The next Pasuk, however, warns of what the result of this comfort can be: “VaYishman Yeshurun VaYivat… VaYitosh Elokah Asahu VayNabel Tzur Yeshu’ato”, “Yeshurun became fat and kicked…They forsook God their Maker, and degraded the Rock of their Salvation” (32:15). As a result of all the comfort and luxury that Hashem blessed us with, we forgot Hashem and rebelled against Him. This Pasuk echoes what Moshe Rabbeinu tells us earlier in Sefer Devarim, in Parashat Eikev. Moshe warns the Jews that if they eat and become full, build big houses, and become wealthy, perhaps they will become haughty and forget Hashem. “V’Ram Levavcha V’Shachachta Et Hashem Elokecha”(8:14). Commenting on this Pasuk, the Ibn Ezra writes that the Jews will become haughty and forget that they were lowly slaves in Egypt, and forget the pain and the hunger in the desert that Hashem sustained them through. Meaning, the comfort that they achieve will cause them to forget the struggles of the past. Hashem also tells Moshe this in Parashat VaYeilech. Hashem says that He will bring the Jews to Eretz Yisrael, “V’Achal V’Sava V’Dashen U’Fanah El Elohim Acherim”, “They will eat and become full and fat, and turn to other gods” (31:20). The theme is clear: Comfort and satiety cause us to rebel against Hashem.
The danger of luxury that Moshe was warning about must be taken extremely seriously. The effects of this comfort are appalling: Forgetting and disgracing Hashem, and even violating Avodah Zarah! One might think that since these effects are so severe, one should be as distanced as possible from luxury or comfort. However, that is not the case. The Netziv explains that the Pasuk in Ha’azinu is detailing the effects of excessive luxury as a progression that leads oneself away from Hashem. First it starts off as “VaYishman Yeshurun VaYivat” . You become overly comfortable, and you start veering from the actions fit for Yeshurun, the Jews. You stop being Mitdabek BaHashem - clinging to Hashem, and forgo Ameilut BaTorah - toiling in Torah. Then “Avita”. You become thick. You stop recognizing that you have a Chovah to serve Hashem as a Jew. The Pasuk continues that “Kasita”. Your eyes become covered in fat, that you don’t even recognize that you have responsibilities as a human. It becomes worse and worse until you don’t even recognize any gratitude towards Hashem. The Netziv is demonstrating that the effects of this luxury do not come all at once. Rather, they come gradually.
This explanation can shed light as to how to avoid the potential negative effects of luxury. One should not “play it safe” and live a life without any comfort. The Netziv is demonstrating that the results of too much comfort progress into worse and worse levels. If one is careful to not have too much luxury, that is how he can be successful. The Pasuk went from “Shamanta” to “Avita” to “Kasita”. From fat to thick to covered. The worse the luxury is, the worse the results are. Additionally, the more steeped one is in the comforts of this world, the more he will want and the worse the effects will become.
As we are in the midst of the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah, we must put our best foot forward to do Teshuvah - returning to Hashem. We don’t want to, Chas VeShalom, distance ourselves further from Hashem. Therefore, it is crucial that we take Moshe and Hashem’s warning to heart, as it is as relevant today as it was when it was stated. By being mindful of our luxuries and how we relate to them, we can use them as tools to serve Hashem rather than dangers that can distract us from Him.