Parshas Ki Savo - Success and Complacency

The Torah tells us:

“And when you came to this place, Sichon, king of Cheshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, came out against us for battle, and we struck them. We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to Reuven, to Gad, and to half the tribe of Menashe.” (Devarim 29:6–7).

Moshe here reminds the Jewish people of their battles against Sichon and Og, their victories over these powerful kings, and the subsequent settlement of their lands by the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe.

However, the Torah's wording is striking. If Moshe's purpose is to remind the people of Hashem's providence and assistance in enabling them to defeat and conquer these kingdoms, why does Moshe say simply, “When you came to this place”? There is no explicit reference to Hashem bringing them there or granting them victory. Why does Moshe describe these events in a manner that appears to focus solely on the actions of the Jewish people?

Rashi says that “now that you see yourselves with greatness and honor, don’t become haughty and rebel against Hashem.”

Rashi understands that Moshe deliberately left Hashem out to give the Bnai Yisroel mussar, warning the Jewish people against the danger of pride and complacency. After conquering Sichon and Og, they might begin to feel powerful and successful and forget their dependence on Hashem. This parallels Moshe's earlier warning:

“And your heart will become haughty, and you will forget Hashem, your G-d, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”(Devarim 8:14)

The danger of success is that a person can gradually begin to view his accomplishments as entirely the result of his own strength and ability. The Torah's description—“When you came to this place”—can almost sound as though the Jewish people arrived, fought, conquered, and divided the land entirely through their own efforts.

Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l, finds this warning particularly striking. The Jewish people had just witnessed Hashem's assistance in their victories over Sichon and Og. Moreover, they were about to enter the Land of Israel, where they would need Hashem's help even more as they confronted powerful nations occupying the land. Why, at this very moment, did Moshe need to warn them not to forget Hashem?

Rav Moshe explains that this reflects a fundamental aspect of human nature. When things are going well, the yetzer hara can convince us that they will continue to go well indefinitely. Intellectually, a person may recognize that his success depends upon Hashem. Emotionally, however, he may begin to feel secure and self-sufficient, as though he is in control of his own destiny.

Success can therefore create a dangerous sense of complacency. The Jewish people had defeated Sichon and Og, but those victories were not a reason to relax. On the contrary, they were about to face even greater challenges. They needed to recognize that their past success did not guarantee future success and that they would continue to need Hashem's assistance as they entered the Land of Israel.

Rav Moshe explains that the same danger can affect anyone who experiences success in life. For example, a young man and woman who have successfully overcome the challenges of finding a spouse and getting married may feel that they have finally reached a point of security and happiness. Yet the beginning of a marriage is also the beginning of a new stage of life, with new responsibilities and challenges. A successful marriage requires continued effort, wisdom, patience—and certainly  Hashem’s help.

The same is true of every accomplishment in life. A successful business, good health, financial security, a happy family, or any other blessing can tempt a person to assume that the future will simply continue as the present. But none of us controls what tomorrow will bring. Every day, and every new stage of life, requires Hashem's continued blessing.

This is particularly relevant during the month of Elul. We blow the shofar each day to awaken ourselves from spiritual complacency. The shofar reminds us not to assume that the coming year will automatically resemble the past year. It calls upon us to recognize our dependence upon Hashem, examine our lives, and return to Him through teshuvah.

We should be grateful for the blessings and successes that Hashem has given us, but we should never take His continued blessing for granted. Just as Moshe warned the Jewish people before they embarked upon the conquest of the Land of Israel, we should recognize our complete dependence upon Hashem. When we strengthen our relationship with Him, and seek His assistance in the year ahead, we can be zocheh to a new year filled with berachah, peace, and health for all the Jewish people.