Blessings and Curses

Found 25 Search results

1. Exile, the Land in Desolation and the Land Lying Fallow

   Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

   There is a lack of balance in the Tokhaha (Rebuke) between the curses and blessings. Why are there more blessings than curses? Is this not a contradiction to Hazal's statement, "The measure of good is greater than the measure of calamity"? This article will explore the structure of the Tokhaha, and attempt to understand the relationship between the blessings and curses.

2. The Covenant of Arvot Moav

   Parashat Ki Tavo

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   Why is the covenant of Arvot Moav necessary, in addition to the covenant at Sinai? What is the relationship between these two covenants, and the third covenant after Bnei Yisrael have entered the Promised Land?

3. The Covenant on Both Sides of the Jordan

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   This article examines the relationship between two covenants: the covenant of the blessing and the curse, and the covenant of Gerizim and Eval.

4. "Great Stones" and "Whole Stones"

   Parashat Ki Tavo

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   Moshe commands Bnei Yisrael to erect large stones and write the Torah upon them when they have entered into the Promised Land. He also commands them to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings on an altar. How does the Torah link the two commandments? What is the significance of writing the Torah on stones? Did Joshua perform the commands exactly as the Torah describes them?

5. The Structure and Significance of the Opening Verses

   Dr. Mordechai Sabato

   Parshat Re’eh opens the Covenant of Arvot Mo’av, which is concluded with blessings and curses. Brit of Arvot Mo’av – a collection of statutes and judgements - is a completion of the Ten Commandments in Horev. The observance of mitzvot entails a blessing and a curse, and the blessing and the curse are part of the conditions of the land.

6. Israel's Return and God's Return (Audio)

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman | 12 minutes

   Why is parashat Nitzavim juxtaposed to a lengthy section of curses? Our parasha is a direct continuation of last parsha’s covenant, albeit providing another aspect. A novel element—teshuva—is presented here, even though it apparently deviates from the legal norms of a total and eternal commitment expressed in the forging of a covenant.

7. Israel as Eden

   Rabbi Alex Israel | 35 minutes

   How do we relate to the content of the “Tohekha”? How do the blessings and curses relate to one another? Aided by various commentators, we look at different possibilities. Some comments by Rashi and Ramban lead us to think about a symbolic ideal of life in the Land of Israel as a reflection of the Garden of Eden, and we can then see the Tohekha in our parsha as part of a larger structure of messages in Vayikra.

8. The Torah's Response to Calamity

   Rabbi Yair Kahn

   The end of the tokhacha - the section of Parshat Behukotai describing the curses that will befall Israel if they do not follow God's laws - contains curses far harsher than what seems justified. What is the explanation for this, and what does this tell us about the true purpose of divine punishment?

9. The Torah's Response to Calamity (Audio)

   Rabbi Yair Kahn | 15 minutes

   The end of the tokheha - the section of Parshat Behukotai describing the curses that will befall Israel if they do not follow God's laws - contains curses far harsher than what seems justified. What is the explanation for this, and what does this tell us about the true purpose of divine punishment?

10. The Harmony of Shemitta

    Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish

    How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

11. The Harmony of Shemitta (Audio)

    Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish | 13 minutes

    How does the seemingly anti-climactic final chapter of Parshat Bechukotai fit into the larger context of Sefer Vayikra? By examining the end of the book we can notice that Chapter 27 concludes the book of Vayikra by weaving together the two main themes of the book: (a) the sanctity derived from the indwelling divine Presence, symbolized and embodied by the Sanctuary, and (b) the sanctity of the Israelite individual and community, embodied in all walks of life, but achieving its chief expression in the way in which Israel realizes the sanctities of space and time.

12. I Will Bless Those Who Bless You [audio]

    Rabbi Yair Kahn | 14 minutes

    What is the deeper meaning of Bil'am's narrative arc, and how is this connected to the role of blessings and curses in the Torah?

13. The Blessing and the Curse, and the List of the "Cursed"

    Rabbi Amnon Bazak

    What were  the "blessing" and "curse" that were given on Mt. Gerizim? Are they the list of "cursed" mentioned at the beginning of Parshat Ki-Tavo, or the rebuke and rewards listed at the end? What is the relationship between these two similar passages? Does the obligation for observing the commandments arise only from the reward received for observing them and the punishment for their desecration?

14. The Covenant of Moav

    Rabbi Yair Kahn

    What are the fundamental ideas that underpin the blessing and curse sections of Parashat Ki Tavo, and how can we make organizational sense of these sections in light of these ideas? By exploring these questions we learn about the relationship between God and Israel and its sanctity and holiness, and the importance that the Torah places on economic prosperity, but only as a means to enable Israel to realize its destiny as a holy people and an earthly representative of malkhut Hashem.

15. The Covenant of Moav (Audio)

    Rabbi Yair Kahn | 13 minutes

    What are the fundamental ideas that underpin the blessing and curse sections of Parashat Ki Tavo, and how can we make organizational sense of these sections in light of these ideas? By exploring these questions we learn about the relationship between God and Israel and its sanctity and holiness, and the importance that the Torah places on economic prosperity, but only as a means to enable Israel to realize its destiny as a holy people and an earthly representative of malkhut Hashem.

16. Those Who Curse Avraham

    Rabbi David Silverberg

17. Cursing the Cursers or Showing Them the Light?

    Reuven Weiser

18. A Blessing of Turning to God

    Rabbi David Silverberg

19. Erev Shabbat Parshat Ki Tavo - Short Thoughts

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 5 minutes

    We take a look at the ceremony of  the bessings and curses to take place at Mounts Gerizim and Eval, and consider the significance of having separate mountains for blessings vs. curses. 

20. Erev Shabbat Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelekh - Short Thoughts

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 7 minutes

    As in Ki Tavo, Parashat Nitzavim contains a brit of sorts as well as a tochecha (rebuke) of sorts. Commentators point out that there is a significant difference in that Nitzavim has an abrupt shift from the previous parshiyyot -from  second person plural to second person singular. What does this mean? One may be highlighting the role of the individual - but which parsha does this?

21. Yehoshua Perek 8

    Jesse Salem | 31 minutes

    Yehoshua perek 8 describes the second attempt at capturing the city of Ai, and the ceremony of the blessings and curses on the mountains of Gerizim and Eval as commanded by Moshe in Sefer Dvarim. 

     

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com

22. Behar-Bechukotai: God Will Not Be Repulsed

    Rabbi David Silverberg

23. Ki Tavo - Curses

    Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 minutes

    Parashat Ki Tavo contains part of the Tokhekha (the Rebuke and warning of retribution of Bnei Yisrael do not keep the Torah). We also read of the blessings and curses at Mount Gerizim and Eival. Though mitzvot come with potential for reward, there is also the idea of punishment. The rebuke and recital of the curses at Mount Eival remind us that the covenant demands commitment - through easy and through difficult times. 

     

     

24. Can There Be a Third Destruction? A Reading of the Curses in Light of Ramban’s Commentary

    Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun

    Ramban’s commentary on the Torah features systematically historical exegesis. We shall examine a few citations that demonstrate this point and then focus more closely on the curses in our parasha and their implications for us.  

    Ramban presents his unique exegetical approach: the rebuke in Vayikra is a prophecy concerning the destruction of the First Temple, while the rebuke in Devarim foretells the destruction of the Second Temple.  The most important implication of Ramban’s interpretation is that there can be no third destruction. After the ingathering of the exiles described in Parashat Nitzavim, there may be terrible suffering – as foretold in the song of Haazinu – but there is no room for a third destruction, as the Torah offers no third set of curses.

25. Ramban on Behar Bechukotai

    Rabbi Ezra Bick | 32 minutes

    In this shiur, we will focus on the blessings and the curses of the Rebuke section at the end of Vayikra: if people will do good, God will get rid of the wild animals in the land. Ramban quotes a midrash to discuss the meaning of limiting or eradicating wild animals from the land. Why does he focus on a miraculous description? It transmits a message that the nature of sin invites death – by wild animals, in this case.

    In the Ramban's view, there is a relationship between land, creation and sin – our surroundings reflect our spiritual state.