Sh'lah on the Torah

Shlah Archives

Parshat Ki Tavo The following translation by Mr. Eliyahu Munk is an excerpt from the book Shney Luchot HaBrit -- the Sh'lah "Vehaya ki tavo el ha'aretz"-"And it will be when you come to the Land". This paragraph is interpreted in the Midrash Hane-elam (part of the Zohar) as referring to the World to Come. The Tzror Hamor copied extensively from that Midrash on 26, 5. Rashi also points out that the passage contains our thanks to G-d who, in His kindness, has already saved us at the beginning of our national history when we were merely a single family. We must learn from it to give thanks to G-d for all our achievements whenever they occur. "Hayom hazeh Hashem Elokechah mitzavechah"-"On this day, G-d, your Lord commands you". Rashi explains that the commandments should appear to us as if they had only been made on that very day. Rashi adopts the same approach when explaining in 27, 9: "Keep silence, and hear O Israel, this day you have become a people to the Lord your G-d." Rashi writes: "You should consider each day as the one on which you entered into the covenant with G-d." This is a very important rule, which, when practiced, helps us to perform G-d's commandments with eagerness, as one performs a task newly assigned. It helps not to treat Torah as something that we are so familiar with that we fall into the habit of neglecting its demands. The Ari zal explains 28, 47: "because you did not serve the Lord your G-d in joy and with a glad heart when you enjoyed everything in abundance," in a similar vein. G-d teaches us that performance of His commandments must be accompanied by a greater joy than the joy one feels for all the material blessings G-d has bestowed on one. It is not enough merely to serve the Lord and obey His commandments. We must do so joyfully. You have affirmed this day that the Lord is your G-d, that you will walk in His ways, that you will observe His laws and commandments and rules, and that you will obey Him. And the Lord has affirmed this day that you are, as He promised you, His treasured people who shall observe all His commandments, and that He will set you, in fame and renown and glory, high above all the nations that He has made; and that you shall be, as He promised, a holy people to the Lord your G-d. Who amongst us can read the above three verses without being deeply moved and inspired to cleave to G-d who has chosen us the Jewish nation as His people. Clearly, the "threefold thread" will not easily be broken and will serve as an ongoing reminder for you. We are linked to G-d through the covenant; we have also received the Torah on pains of an oath. This is the background to all the verses (25, 15-26) in which curses are called down on all those who fail to honour this commitment. It is why these verses were also recited in the guise of blessings such as: "Blessed the man who did not make an idol, etc." (cf. Rashi). At first glance we may be puzzled why the Torah chose to spell out the various curses whereas it only implied the blessings? Normal practice would have dictated the opposite! After all, the Torah usually prefers to stress the positive! The Torah here intended that it should be accepted on oath. Hence the people had to be sworn what not to do. The very fact that the chapter concludes (28,69) with: "These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel, etc." shows that the list of "cursed be, etc." is an essential part of this presentation. The curses and blessings between them have combined to keep us and to assure us of a future when a surfeit of physical and spiritual light will be the beacon leading us out of our exile, when the guilt of Zion will have been expiated. In the final verse of our portion: "Observe therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may make all that you do prosper," this message is stressed once more.

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