Rabbi Debbie Stiel

Rabbi Debbie Stiel serves Temple Beth Sholom in Topeka, KS.

Live on Bread, But Not on Bread Alone

D'Var Torah By: Cantor Elizabeth Sacks

In Parashat Eikev, we read: “A human being does not live on bread alone…” ( Deut. 8:3). Found on inspirational posters, T-shirts, and in the titles of a great many cookbooks, this short statement constitutes one of the most well-known phrases from Eikev and from the Book of Deuteronomy as a whole. The phrase has come to mean that mere physical sustenance is not sufficient for a life of fulfillment; rather, people need and desire spiritual and cultural nourishment as well. Many Jewish commentaries have noted that, in context, this phrase actually insinuates close to the opposite of our conventional understanding; rather, that human beings can survive on things other than bread.