It wasn't just about piety and prayer, although those were certainly important. Our tradition also hints at a time of incredible abundance, almost… decadent.
Sifrei Devarim, in its commentary on Deuteronomy 32:14, paints a picture using verses from across the Hebrew Bible. It's not just giving us a grocery list, but evoking entire eras and their particular flavors.
The verse itself says, "Cream from the herd and milk from the flock." Sifrei Devarim immediately connects this to the reign of King Solomon. Remember him? The wise king, the builder of the First Temple? Well, apparently he also knew how to throw a feast. The text references I Kings 5:3, which details Solomon's daily provisions: "ten fattened oxen, twenty oxen from the pasture, and a hundred sheep." Can you imagine? This wasn't just sustenance; it was a display of wealth and prosperity.
Then the verse continues, "with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan and he-goats." Now, Sifrei Devarim jumps forward to the time of the ten tribes, referencing Amos 6:4: "eating the fattened sheep of the flock and calves from inside the stall." This passage from Amos is actually a condemnation. The prophet is criticizing the Israelites for their luxurious lifestyle while ignoring the suffering of the poor. So, it’s a bit of a complicated picture here. Opulence, yes, but also a warning about potential excess and moral decay.
"With wheat (as fat as) the fat of kidneys," the verse continues. We circle back to Solomon! Again, Sifrei Devarim links this to I Kings 5:2, "And Solomon's provision for one day was, etc." The "etc." here is doing a lot of work, implying a level of extravagance that's almost beyond description. It suggests the grain wasn't just plentiful but of the highest quality.
Finally, "and the blood of the grape did you drink (as choice) wine." And, wouldn't you know it, we return to the ten tribes! Sifrei Devarim points us to Amos 6:6, "who drink wine out of bowls." Again, the prophet's words carry a sting. It wasn’t just wine; it was excessive, careless consumption.
So, what are we to make of all this? Is Sifrei Devarim simply giving us a historical menu? I don't think so. It's juxtaposing different periods in Israelite history, highlighting both the blessings of abundance and the dangers of indulgence. It's suggesting that material wealth, like the cream from the herd and the choice wine, can be a gift or a curse, depending on how we use it.
Perhaps the lesson here is that true prosperity isn't just about overflowing tables, but about balance, responsibility, and remembering those less fortunate. The challenge, then, is to create a "good life" that nourishes not only ourselves but also the world around us. A life as rich as Solomon's table, but as righteous as the prophets demanded.