Why Gratitude Protects Your Soul: A Lesson from Parashat Eikev

"You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to attain wealth, in order to establish His covenant that He swore to your forefathers, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 8:18)

Why does the Torah once again warn us to remember God? Had it not already cautioned us against forgetting Him in the preceding verses?

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that these two warnings are not identical. The earlier verses command us simply not to forget God. Here, however, the Torah reveals how to ensure that we never do.

The Secret to Remembering God

The key, explains the Ohr HaChaim, is learning to recognize that every blessing we enjoy comes from God.

A person should constantly reflect on all the good in his life and realize that it is a gift from the Creator. This awareness awakens gratitude and strengthens the recognition that God lovingly watches over every aspect of our lives.

The more a person acknowledges God's kindness, the more naturally he remembers the One who continually provides for him.

The Yetzer Hara's First Strategy

The evil inclination knows exactly where to begin its attack.

It does not usually tempt a person into major sins immediately. Instead, its first strategy is far more subtle. It causes a person to forget that every blessing comes from God.

Once that awareness fades, the door is opened. When a person no longer recognizes the Creator's hand in his life, it becomes much easier for the yetzer hara to lead him into spiritual failure.

The Ohr HaChaim writes: "A person must focus on the good that he has and recognize that it came from God. This awareness continually awakens him to recognize his Creator and His providence over him. The very first strategy of the evil inclination is to make a person forget this truth, and through this it gains entry to destroy him."

Forgetting God's Kindness Leads to Forgetting God

This understanding sheds light on the next verse: "And it shall be, if you surely forget..."

Why does the Torah use the doubled expression, "if you surely forget"? The Ohr HaChaim explains that the repetition describes a progression.

If a person first forgets that God is the source of every blessing he enjoys, the inevitable consequence is that he will eventually forget God Himself.

The decline does not stop with forgetfulness in the heart or mind. If left unchecked, it can continue until a person distances himself from God through his actions, ultimately following false beliefs and even idolatry.

For this reason, the Torah immediately continues by warning against serving other gods. The descent begins with something that appears insignificant: forgetting to recognize God's kindness, but it can end with abandoning Him altogether.

Gratitude Is a Safeguard for the Soul

The Ohr HaChaim concludes with a powerful lesson.

Remembering that every blessing comes from God is not merely an inspiring thought, but one of the greatest safeguards of a person's spiritual life. When we consciously recognize God's kindness each day, we strengthen our relationship with Him and protect ourselves from the subtle strategies of the yetzer hara.

When that awareness disappears, the evil inclination gradually pulls a person from one spiritual level to the next, leading him farther and farther away from his Creator.

The Torah therefore teaches that gratitude is far more than good manners; it is one of the strongest foundations of serving God.

By remembering the Giver behind every gift, we ensure that we never lose sight of the greatest gift of all — a living relationship with Him.