דברים, פרק ו׳, פסוק י״ב

Human nature often leads to spiritual complacency exactly when life is filled with material success. The sharp shift from poverty and hardship to wealth and peace carries a deep risk: a person might sink into physical desires and forget the true source of their blessings. To prevent this, a powerful warning serves as a mental anchor, requiring people to use the memory of their painful past to awaken gratitude in their bright future. When individuals easily receive good things and live comfortably, they can easily be pulled by their urges and forget their Creator [ספורנו, בכור שור].

To stop this from happening, a person must remember their days of poverty specifically while enjoying abundance. Thinking about difficult times while experiencing good times makes the greatness of God's kindness clear, motivating a person to thank Him and serve Him faithfully [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. Beyond just the dangers of wealth, this serves as a broad rule for everyone, warning them never to let any situation or moment cause them to forget God [העמק דבר].

The danger of forgetting becomes even more serious when considering the risk of idol worship. During the conquest of the land, the Israelites were temporarily allowed to eat the food of the local nations, which was normally forbidden to them. Because of this special permission, there was a real fear that they might mistakenly think the strict ban on serving other gods was also temporarily lifted. Therefore, a severe warning was necessary to keep them focused [דברי דוד].

Reflecting on the specific nature of their past enslavement highlights the massive gap between their history and their destiny. They were moving from a reality of slavery, where they owned no cities or homes, into a land filled with every good thing [אבן עזרא, רבנו בחיי]. Furthermore, the primary approach among commentators is that the Israelites in Egypt were never slaves to regular Egyptian citizens. Instead, they were the direct slaves of the king alone [שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, חזקוני, מזרחי]. This historical detail holds a deep spiritual lesson about avoiding idol worship. Just as the Israelites in Egypt were controlled only by the supreme human ruler and not by his servants, so too in their freedom they must submit to and serve God alone. They must never direct their worship toward any secondary powers or heavenly forces that merely act as His servants [דברי דוד].