Parshas Ekev 5785 - The Source of Success

In this week’s parsha, Moshe addresses the nation on the brink of entering the Land of Israel:

“Hear, O Israel, today you cross the Jordan, to come and drive out nations that are greater and mightier than you, cities that are great and fortified up to the heavens… But you know that today that Hashem your G-d – He crosses before you, a consuming fire: He will destroy them and He will subjugate them before you. (Devarim 9:1-3).

Moshe tells the people that despite the might of the nations, who are stronger than the Jews and have seemingly impenetrable fortified cities, Hashem will fight for them and enable them to drive them out of the land.

Rashi notes a subtle detail: the Torah says these nations are greater and mightier “than you”—implying that the Jews themselves were also strong, though not as strong as their opponents. Why emphasize Israel’s strength at all? If Hashem is fighting for them, even the weak could be victorious.

Rav Moshe Feinstein, ZT”L explains that without this point, one might think Hashem only aids the weak. However, the strong people would attribute their victories to their own strength and believe that they did not need Hashem to fight for them. Consequently, the Torah tells us that no matter how strong the Jewish people are, they could not conquer the Canaanites without Hashem’s backing

We see that Moshe was concerned that many of the people felt that they were strong enough to defeat the Canaanites on their own and did not need Hashem’s help. Therefore, Moshe had to emphasize to them that their self-confidence was misplaced. Without Hashem, they could not win.

Still, why was Moshe worried? After forty years of miraculous care—liberation from Egypt, sustenance in the wilderness, protection from dangers—it might seem unthinkable that they would forget Hashem’s role.

Rav Henoch Leibowitz, ZT”L, explains that people naturally tend to believe that when they are successful, it is because of their own efforts and abilities, as the Torah tells us: “You may say in your heart, ‘My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth!’” (Id. 8:17). Left unchecked, this attitude leads to haughtiness and the denial of G-d (see Sotah 4b).

Moshe knew that unless the people consciously reflected on their victories and their survival in the desert as gifts from Hashem, they would fall back on their natural sentiments and then mistakenly conclude that their own strength had brought them success and that they could defeat the Canaanites on their own.

We, too, tend to claim credit for our accomplishments—career milestones, personal achievements, even daily successes—without recognizing the countless factors beyond our control. The Torah tells us that the way to prevent oneself from making this mistake is deliberate reflection: noticing the circumstances, opportunities, and “coincidences” that aligned for us to succeed. When we see Hashem’s hashgacha, we should be able to overcome our natural tendencies and thereby express gratitude and joy to Hashem that He enabled us to succeed.