Dear Friends,
This week’s Torah portion is very difficult, but ends better.
Our parashah, called Ki Tavo, includes what is known as the Toch’ch’cha - the Reproach. In this section, the Torah spits forth over 50 verses of terrible curses and recriminations which will befall the people of Israel should we fail to heed God’s commands. This pestilence included the failure of rain and of crops, our suffering horrific siege before our enemies, severe pestilence and disease, hunger so terrible that parents are reduced to cannibalizing their children, and more.
With these awful curses, no wonder that it was not uncommon for shul-goers to avoid synagogue, or decline aliyot when the Toch’ch’chah was recited.
Yet, immediately following this section (Deut. 28:15-68), there is a brief summary in which Moses reviews what had been spoken. Interestingly, the summary commences with this little phrase, “Moses called out to the entire Jewish people…” (Deuteronomy 29:1)
Following the terror of the Toch’ch’chah, one might naturally overlook this little introduction to the summary. Yet, the Or HaChayim commentary, an 18th century Italian explanation, offers a pleasant message from our introduction. Or HaChayim writes: “Even though Moses had been addressing the whole Jewish people up until now also, he gathered the women and the children as well as the proselytes to prepare them for renewed acceptance of the covenant which is the subject of Parshat Nitzavim“ (the next Torah portion).
The commentary offers a classic nechemta - a consolation to soften a difficult text. It reminds the reader that the entire community has the opportunity to renew the covenant after the recitation of the awful curses. It stresses that Moses did not allow a single soul to be excluded from that renewal. And, it further stresses the need for spiritual preparation - to turn from curses to blessings.
In these last weeks leading to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are standing as did the community in that earlier day. Ben Attar’s nechemta finds ready ears among us. Irrespective of how our last year was, we stand on the cusp of a spiritual renewal. Everyone of us is included, and each of us can use these remaining days to prepare, ponder, reflect and renew.
Thus, “Moses called out to the entire Jewish people…”
We are being called… away from curses, and on to blessing!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
This week’s Torah portion is very difficult, but ends better.
Our parashah, called Ki Tavo, includes what is known as the Toch’ch’cha - the Reproach. In this section, the Torah spits forth over 50 verses of terrible curses and recriminations which will befall the people of Israel should we fail to heed God’s commands. This pestilence included the failure of rain and of crops, our suffering horrific siege before our enemies, severe pestilence and disease, hunger so terrible that parents are reduced to cannibalizing their children, and more.
With these awful curses, no wonder that it was not uncommon for shul-goers to avoid synagogue, or decline aliyot when the Toch’ch’chah was recited.
Yet, immediately following this section (Deut. 28:15-68), there is a brief summary in which Moses reviews what had been spoken. Interestingly, the summary commences with this little phrase, “Moses called out to the entire Jewish people…” (Deuteronomy 29:1)
Following the terror of the Toch’ch’chah, one might naturally overlook this little introduction to the summary. Yet, the Or HaChayim commentary, an 18th century Italian explanation, offers a pleasant message from our introduction. Or HaChayim writes: “Even though Moses had been addressing the whole Jewish people up until now also, he gathered the women and the children as well as the proselytes to prepare them for renewed acceptance of the covenant which is the subject of Parshat Nitzavim“ (the next Torah portion).
The commentary offers a classic nechemta - a consolation to soften a difficult text. It reminds the reader that the entire community has the opportunity to renew the covenant after the recitation of the awful curses. It stresses that Moses did not allow a single soul to be excluded from that renewal. And, it further stresses the need for spiritual preparation - to turn from curses to blessings.
In these last weeks leading to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are standing as did the community in that earlier day. Ben Attar’s nechemta finds ready ears among us. Irrespective of how our last year was, we stand on the cusp of a spiritual renewal. Everyone of us is included, and each of us can use these remaining days to prepare, ponder, reflect and renew.
Thus, “Moses called out to the entire Jewish people…”
We are being called… away from curses, and on to blessing!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
