"You might say to yourself, my might and the power of my
hand have gained me this wealth." Deuteronomy 8:17
Moses warned the Israelites that upon entering Canaan and inheriting a prosperous and fertile land "flowing
with milk and honey," they should not think that they made themselves wealthy. Rather, they should always be aware that their
land was a Divine Gift.
For that generation, the challenge was not too difficult, because as Moses had pointed out to them earlier,
they had personally experienced forty years of miraculous survival in the desert wilderness, fed by the daily manna and watered
by a spring which accompanied them on their journeys. With such obvious manifestations of divine wonders, they would not be
likely to ascribe any future success to their own strength and cunning.
Today, however, we tend to think that the world operates purely by natural laws and that man can determine
his own fate and fortune. Thus, Moses' message was intended for us even more than for his generation. Surely we are required
to work, for the Torah itself states that Yahveh will bless the work of "our hands" (Deuteronomy 14:29), but we should not
lose sight of the fact that Yahveh’s blessings, not brains or sweat, ultimately determines our fortune.
The only difference between today and Moses' time is that then, Yahveh’s Hand was manifest everywhere
but today it is concealed. Remember:
Even though you may work hard, the results of your efforts are determined by Yahveh.
