השמר לך פן תשכח את ה' אלקיך לבלתי שמר מצותיו ומשפטיו וחקתיו אשר אנכי מצוך היום ... (ח-יא)
MASHAL: A young couple from chutz l’aretz (outside of Israel) lived a simple life. Their apartment was not elaborate and their car was not flashy. They could not afford more.
But then the day came and the young man finally came into a nice bundle of money. He was thrilled and decided that it was time to treat himself to a nice luxury car. However, his wife disagreed and felt that it would make the neighbors jealous and they didn’t need to incur the enmity of their friends. It became a touchy subject and the young man decided to ask a shaila.
On a trip to Eretz Yisroel, he traveled to Bnei Brak and came to the home of R’ Aharon Leib Steinman shlit’a. He waited patiently as the gabbai explained to the Rav that this man was here at the insistence of his wife who was worried that if they bought a new luxury car, he would be the envy of his neighbors. R’ Aharon Leib looked at the young man for a long minute and finally asked him, “Tell me, have you mastered all of Shas yet?”
“No,” the man said, as he laughed uneasily. “If so,” said R’ Aharon Leib, “what is there to be jealous of?”
NIMSHAL: Moshe addresses the Jewish Nation and elaborates on all the good Hashem intends to give them when they follow His ways. In the very next statement, he issues a stern warning on the ills of haughtiness and jealousy. He decries those who partake of the good he has received and rather than thank Hashem, he takes the credit all for himself. He believes that Hashem did not send him this bounty, but that it was the strength of his hand - and thus, he is within his rights to live as he pleases. To this, Moshe warns: “I bear witness against you this day, that you will surely perish.”
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