Two-Line Torah: Ekev 5776–Milk and Honey

Milk and honey. These are the words in the Torah portion this week as Moses describes the Holy Land to the Israelite people, as they stand on the threshold of their next home after 40 years in the wilderness.

These words also describe the promise and hope of a new way of life. They represent a future of abundance and blessing – but also hard work. Milk and honey are not produce but products that require labor and technology to create. This Israelite generation will need to work together in new ways, to grow their budding civilization.
 

At this moment our students are also on the threshold of entering a promise land, a new way of life. College offers them promise, hope, and can be a world of milk and honey. The question for us, as their teachers and guides is how will we work with them to harvest that fruit, build our communities, and realize that potential.

Jeffrey Stombaugh is Rabbinic Education Intern at Hillel at USC.