Wouldn't you worry about who was going to protect everything?
That's exactly the question the Israelites had. The Sifrei Devarim, a legal midrash on the Book of Deuteronomy, brings this up in connection with the verse, "Your terror and your fear will the L-rd your G-d place on the face of all the land" (Deuteronomy 11:25). Why is this verse even here? Well, it's tied to another command: "Three times a year shall appear each of your males in the presence of the L-rd your G-d in the place that He chooses" (Deuteronomy 16:16).
The Israelites might have thought, "When we go up to bow down, who will protect our land for us?" A valid concern. But God, blessed be He, reassured them. He told them to go up, promising, "I will guard what is yours." This promise is echoed in Exodus 34:24, "And no man will desire your land when you go up to appear before the L-rd your G-d three times in the year." If no one even desires your land, why would they bother trying to take anything? The Sifrei Devarim takes it a step further: If it's not desirable in his eyes, why would he come to take his property and his beasts? And, even more than that, the nations are afraid of you! As it is written: "Your terror and your fear..."
The Sifrei Devarim illustrates this point with a story from the Book of Kings (II Kings 5:17). Remember Na'aman, the Aramean general with leprosy who was healed by the prophet Elisha? After being cured, Na'aman asked Elisha, "Will there not be given to your servant two mules' burden of earth?" He wanted to take soil from the Land of Israel back home with him!
The Sifrei Devarim draws a powerful conclusion: if Na'aman was afraid to take even earth from Eretz Yisrael without permission, how much more so would he be afraid to steal property and livestock! The fear and awe inspired by the Israelites, when they were following God's will, acted as a shield.
That’s the intent, the Sifrei Devarim explains, of "Your terror and your fear will the L-rd your G-d place on the face of all the land where you tread."
The text then asks, "When did He speak thus?" and answers by quoting Exodus 23:27: "My fear will I send before you, and I shall confound all the people to whom you come." God's promise wasn't just about physical protection; it was about instilling a sense of awe and fear in the hearts of Israel's enemies.
So, what does this all mean for us? Maybe it's a reminder that when we dedicate ourselves to something higher, something beyond our immediate concerns, we're not left vulnerable. Perhaps there's a divine protection that comes into play, a sense of awe and respect that surrounds us. It's not just about physical safety, but about the power of faith and dedication to inspire something bigger than ourselves.