Shalom and thank you for your question! The passages you are referring to are the continuation of the ‘V’Ahavta’ prayer you mention, which is the continuation of the ‘Shema’ prayer, which is the most central prayer in the Jewish tradition! Over the centuries, countless Jews victimized by anti-semites or under various threats of death have died with the words of the ‘Shema’ on their lips. The prayer is said regularly at least twice a day, and forms the basic tenet of Jewish belief. It translates as ‘Hear O Israel (the Jewish people,) the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one! “
This, as does everything in the Torah, (the Jewish law and teaching,) has a plain meaning and deeper and deeper levels of meaning. What does it mean then, and why is it so central?
The plain meaning is that there is only one G-d. Among the deeper meanings is that the whole created universe is part of G-d, part of the Divine energy that created and constantly recreates the world. We ourselves, our bodies and our souls, are a part of that and have no separate existence. Everything that exists is part of the Divine will and wisdom.
The passages you quote come from Deuteronomy 13 – 21, and describe the positive results for the Jewish people, when we keep the commandments of the Torah, and it seems to imply that if we do so, everything will go right for us.
Actually, it is not so simple unfortunately.
On the brighter side, we definitely are promised reward for keeping the Mizvot, (the commandments of the Torah.) The true reward however, is spiritual bliss in the afterlife and in the time when the Moshiach is fully revealed, the Temple, (Beit HaMikdash,) is rebuilt, and we experience total Redemption from the constraints of the physical world as we know it now, and we have a totally spiritual eternal life.
The passages we are discussing indeed promise good things in the physical realm, but the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shneerson, explains that the purpose of these good things is only to enable us to live in such a way that we can serve G-d by learning His Torah and keeping His commandments unfettered by too much worry over matters of physical sustenance. These promises are the means and not the end.
So a person experiencing financial or other challenges can and should turn to G-d and say, with trust, Dear G-d, You say Yourself that we need these things in order to serve you well and happily, so I trust that you will come through for me!
The more sincere you are about trying to serve G-d according to His instructions, and doing so happily, which is part of Torah also, and the more you truly trust, the more likely you are to access these blessings.
Nevertheless, we also must believe that everything G-d does is good, including trials and tribulations.
There are also the Seven Noahide laws for those who are not Jewish.
Wishing you all the best!
