Parashat Ki Tavo

(D'varim 26:1-2 "And it shall be, when thou art come in unto ha'aretz which Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee for a nachalah, and possessest it, and dwellest therein, That thou shalt take of the reshit kol pri ha'adamah which thou shalt bring of thy land that Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which Hashem Eloheicha shall choose to place Shmo there.")

The Jew's gift of his Bikkurim, to the Kohen symbolizes that he dedicates everything he has to the service of HaShem. For a Jew to say that his every accomplishment no matter how much sweat he invested in it is a gift from HaKadosh Baruch Hu, is one of the goals of creation.

It is interesting to note that while the law of bikkurim stressed that the very first fruit to ripen be consecrated, there was no minimum quantity required. One grape or one fig could technically fulfill the letter of the law. How does this apply to us today? We all have our priorities. Some things are important; others are secondary. Some things are luxuries; others are necessities. Somewhere on the scale is our religious observance. Exactly what position on our "scales" does Judaism occupy? Bikurim is the first fruit. Before the Jew took care of his personal desires, he discharged his obligations to G-d. How much bikurim he gave was not important so long as it was his first. This could be understood in a parable about three people.

"One talmid studied Torah 16 hours a day, Another talmid only 15 minutes, and the third talmid did not study Torah at all. Which two are closer to each other? Quantity is not the primary consideration. Even 15 minutes a day devoted to Torah study makes one a talmid chacham, but those few minutes must have top priority, and then they are true bikurim."

The author of Avnei Nazer noted that one fulfills the giving of the first fruits for Hashem's sake, he not only brings the first mature "fruits" from the ground, he also his own produce - fruit from the womb. We must, during our children's early years, instill holiness in them through thorough Torah education, bringing them closer to G-d. When this is done, we are blessed with sons are daughters who are blessings to their parents and the entire Jewish people.

At first glance, it would seem that the mitzva of bringing the bikkurim (first fruits) to the Temple belongs to the category of mitzvot of "reishit" (first) – a

category which includes teruma, terumat ma'aser, challa, the first fleece, the firstborn of animals, the redemption of firstborn children, etc. The commentators who offer reasons for the mitzvot – e.g. Rambam (Moreh Nevukhim III:39) and Sefer Ha-Chinukh (mitzva 91) - agree on a common reason for all these mitzvot: the offering of the "first" of everything that one has represents one's recognition of the fact that G-d is Master of ALL our possessions, and that He is the source of our bounty.

However, the mitzva of bikkurim (D'varim 25:1-11 and elsewhere) is unique among the mitzvot of "reishit" owing to a few of its important details, and we must seek an understanding of this particular mitzva that addresses these details:

1. The mitzva of bringing bikkurim is accompanied in our parasha by another mitzva, the "bikkurim declaration." When bringing the bikkurim, one is obligated to recite the formulation stipulated in verses 3 and 5-10. The other "first" mitzvot have no requirement for any accompanying declaration (other than the "vidui ma'asrot," recited "at the end of three years").

2. The first fruits must be brought to the Temple: they are a 'mincha' offering. In fact, Chazal teach that "the bikkurim are brought only before the Temple (i.e., when the Temple stands)." The other "first" mitzvot applying to the individual have no such connection with the Temple. (Although ma'aser sheni and the firstborn of pure animals are brought to Jerusalem, the obligation of this mitzva is not cancelled in the absence of the Temple.)

3. The obligation of bikkurim applies to the "seven species" of Eretz Yisrael (Mishna Bikkurim 1:3). In this it is different from the terumot and ma'asrot which, by Torah law, apply to grain, wine and oil, and which are extended by rabbinical law to include all produce from the land (according to the opinion of most of the Rishonim). The obligation of bikkurim is not extended by Chazal any further than the seven species. The obligation of bringing bikkurim of the seven species is not even an absolute requirement, as is the case in terumot and ma'asrot: bikkurim are brought only from produce of the choicest quality (Mishna, ibid.; Rambam, Bikkurim 2:3).

4. The obligation of bringing the first fruits applies to the owner of the land in which the fruits were grown. Thus, someone who buys one tree in a field that belongs to someone else does not bring bikkurim, since the land is not his (Mishna Bikkurim 1:6). Similarly, leaseholders and tenants do not bring bikkurim (ibid, mishna 2). The other "first" mitzvot pertaining to agricultural

produce apply to fruit that grows in Eretz Yisrael, no matter who the land belongs to.

In verses 5-9, the bearer of the bikkurim reviews the history from the period of the forefathers up until the inheritance of the land. This review is characterized by the fact that the bearer of the bikkurim speaks of Israel in the first person plural: "They were evil towards us... and we cried... and He took us out... and He gave us," unlike the declaration in verse 3, in which he speaks in the first person singular: "I declare... I have come." At the conclusion of his historical review the bearer of the bikkurim returns once again, in verse 10, to the present, and speaks again in the first person singular: "And now, behold, I HAVE BROUGHT the first of the fruits of the land which G-D HAS GIVEN TO ME."

The content and structure of the historical speech in verses 5-9 is reminiscent of another speech, which we have discussed in the past: that of G-d at the beginning of parashat Va'era. The similarity between the two is not coincidental: G-d's speech represents His undertaking to fulfill that which He promised to the forefathers: that their descendants would be taken out from the Egyptian slavery, that they would be brought to the land and that He would give it to them. The speech by the bearer of the bikkurim is the human confirmation made by the descendants, testifying to the fact that HaShem has fulfilled His promise to the forefathers: He indeed took their descendants out of Egypt, brought them to the land and gave it to them.

Let us analyze the structure of this declaration and see what we may learn from it. The speech is comprised of two equal parts, with verse 7 serving as a central axis between them.

Part 1:

(5) "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and dwelled there few in number, and became there a great, mighty and populous nation.

(6) And the Egyptians were evil towards us and afflicted us, and placed upon us hard labor."

PIVOTAL AXIS:

(7) "And we cried to Hashem, the G-d of our fathers, and G-d heard our voices and saw our affliction and our labor and our oppression."

Part 2:

(8) "And G-d took us out of Egypt, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and with wonders.

(9) And He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey."

What distinguishes each half from the other? The answer is quite obvious: the first half describes HUMAN ACTION – HaShem is not mentioned in this half. The second half describes DIVINE ACTION: the exodus from Egypt, G-d's leading of Israel "to this place," and His giving it to them.

What is the meaning of the absence of G-d's name from the first half of the speech? The first half describes the historical events as being of the type in which G-d's presence is hidden, where even Israel do not perceive His hand. The descent of Ya'akov and his family to Egypt and what happens there to his descendants, both for the good (the miraculous multiplicity) and for the bad (slavery and affliction), represent the realization of G-d's decree as made explicit in the "brit bein ha-betarim," but HaShem did not reveal Himself to His nation throughout that long period.

This break comes to a halt in the "central axis" of the speech: the turning point takes place when Israel are at their lowest point: "And we cried to Hashem, the G-d of our fathers." In the wake of Bnei Yisrael's cry to G-d, "G-d heard our voices and saw our affliction." In the central axis of the speech we see a mutual relationship being established between G-d and Israel: the "hester panim" (hiding of G-d's face) is over, but the execution of the necessary action is not yet described here. It is only in the second half that G-d's awesome historical act is revealed, redeeming His nation from Egypt and bringing them to the land for an inheritance. Thus the central axis of verse 7 is the outgrowth of verse 6 in the first half – it is the affliction and hard labor that give rise to the cry to G-d – and this in turn is the cause of verse 8 in the second half – when G-d hears the cry and sees the affliction, that gives rise to His historical action: "And HaShem took us out of Egypt..."

There is a clear contrasting chiastic structure in this speech, of the form A-B-C-B-A. Verse 5 opens the speech with the wanderings of the forefathers in

Canaan and their descent to Egypt; verse 9 concludes the speech with their descendants being brought from Egypt back to Canaan. Verse 6 describes the Egyptians' cruel mistreatment of the Israelites; verse 8, in contrast, describes G-d's removal of His people from Egypt and his punishment of their oppressors.

The background to the entire speech is undoubtedly the brit bein ha-betarim which HaKadosh Baruch Hu made with Avraham (the "covenant between the pieces," Bereishit ch. 15). There are clear linguistic and thematic connections between the two. The significance of the "bikkurim declaration" is therefore recognition and gratitude for G-d's having fulfilled the covenant He made with Avraham. Therefore, the section of the Pesach Haggada which expounds the "bikkurim declaration" is preceded by the following:

"Blessed is He who keeps His promise to Israel, Blessed be He. For the Holy One calculated what He would do in the end, as He said to Avraham our father in the brit bein ha-betarim..."

Why was it specifically bikkurim, of all the "first gifts," that were chosen to serve as the vehicle for our gratitude to God for the gift of the land? The bikkurim combine two qualities which are not found together in the other "first" gifts brought from the produce of the land, and it is these qualities that make this mitzva special.

Firstly, the bikkurim are brought from the seven species which are the epitome of the praise of Eretz Yisrael. Secondly, the farmer has a special affection of the fruits that are the first to ripen; he awaits their appearance with great excitement. Yishayahu (28:4) describes the anticipation:

(Yishayahu 28:4 "Like the first ripe fig before summer which, when one sees it, he swallows it up while it is still in his hand.")

But the Israelite farmer does not treat his first fruit, the joy of his heart, in this way:

(Mishna Bikkurim 3:1 "A person goes down to his field and sees a fig that has ripened, a cluster of grapes that has ripened or a pomegranate that has

ripened – he ties a thread around them and says, 'Behold, these are bikkurim!'")

The bikkurim of the seven species with which Eretz Yisrael is blessed are therefore the essence of the praise and beauty of the land, and bringing them to the Temple as a 'mincha' offering to G-d expresses most appropriately our gratitude to Him for having given us a beautiful land that gives forth its fruit with such generosity.

This answers the third question we asked at the outset: Why do we bring bikkurim only from the seven species? In light of this, we can also explain that other laws that are unique to the mitzva of bikkurim:

1) The "bikkurim declaration" is meant to clarify the special reason for the mitzva of bringing bikkurim, which is unlike the reason for the other "first" mitzvot.

2) The crux of the reason for the mitzva of bikkurim, which is an expression of gratitude to G-d for the gift of the land, lies not in the fact that it represents one of the twenty-four gifts given to the kohen, but rather in the fact that it is a 'MINCHA' TO HASHEM Who gives the land. The kohanim consume the bikkurim in the same way as they have the merit of consuming other offerings brought to the Temple. For this reason, the mitzva depends on the existence of the Temple. The destruction of the Temple was a (temporary) disruption of G-d's gift of the land to Israel. When this halt occurs, the mitzva of bikkurim cannot continue.

3) Even when Israel dwell the land and the Temple stands, the obligation of bringing bikkurim applies only to the person who brings them from his own portion of the land. Ownership of the fruits is not in itself sufficient reason for the obligation; the owner of the fruit needs to be a partner in Israel's inheritance of the land. If the fruits grew on land which was not his own, then they do not provide sufficient basis for his gratitude for the gift of the land.

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(D'varim 26:3 "And thou shalt go unto the kohen that shall be in those yamim, and say unto him, I declare today unto Hashem Eloheicha, that I am come unto the country which Hashem swore unto Avoteinu to give us.")

The Torah records "HaShem your G-d," a term that implies a special relationship between G-d and the Kohen, as if he were a king or a prophet as found in (Yehoshua 1:9, 1Shmuel 12:19, 15:15). The Torah requires one to show such respect to the Kohen, even though he may be much inferior to his predecessors. The Bikkurim should be seen as a gift to G-d, and the Kohen as His representative.

Rebbe Y'shua Ha'Netzer was also appointed by HaShem as a Kohen Ha'Gadol after the order of Malkitzedek:

(Ivrim 5:1 "or every Kohen Gadol taken from among Bnei Adam is ordained for men for the avodas kodesh of Hashem, that he may offer both minchot (gifts) and zevakhim (sacrifices) for chatta'im (sins).)

(Ivrim 5:5 "So also Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach did not seize kavod for himself to become a Kohen Gadol, but the One having said to him, "BENI ATAH, ANI HAYOM YELIDTICHA," ("My Son you are; Today I have become your Father." TEHILLIM 2:7)

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(D'varim 26:11 "And thou shalt rejoice in kol hatov which Hashem Eloheicha hath given unto thee, and unto thine bais, thou, and the Levi, and the ger that is among you.")

This is a mitzvah. We are obligated to feel joy with what we are given by Hashem. Why do we need a directive to rejoice, since we should automatically be happy when we have good things? Man's nature is to constantly want more than he presently has.

(Kohelet Rabbah "He who has 100 wants 200")

Our moments of joy are mixed with sadness over what we lack. Therefore, the Torah commands us to rejoice over what we have, to strive to feel a joy that is complete. As Pirke Avot teaches, a wealthy person is one who feels joy with his/her

lot. And as we will see, joy itself must be our main element in servering Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

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(D'varim 26: 12-14 "When thou hast made an end of tithing kol ma'aser (all the tithe) of thine tevu'at bashanah hashelishit (increase in the third year), which is the Shnat HaMa'aser (Year of Tithing), and hast given it unto the Levi, the ger, the yatom (orphan), and the almanah, that they may eat within thy she'arim, and be filled; Then thou shalt say before Hashem Eloheicha, I have brought away HaKodesh (the Holy) out of mine bais, and also have given them unto the Levi, and unto the ger, to the yatom (orphan), and to the almanah, according to all Thy mitzvot which Thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed Thy mitzvot, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away whatever thereof while I was tameh, nor given thereof for the dead; but I have given heed to the voice of Hashem Elohai, and have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me.")

Tithes must be taken from crops, according to a 3 year cycle. Every year, the first tithe is given to the Levite; during the first and second years, "masser sheni", the second tithe, is taken. It a degree of sanctity and must be eaten in Jerusalem. During the third year, instead of the second tithe, a tithe known as "maaser ani", the tithe of the poor, is taken. This cycles is repeated every 3 years, with the exception of the Shemittah, and Yovel years, when no tithes are required. In the first two years of the cycle, both the Levite's tithe and maaser sheni are separated, but in the third year, maaser sheni is omitted, and replaced by the tithe of the poor.

The Levites are entitled to their gift, because they gave up a share of the Land to devote themselves to G-d's service. The second tithe is enjoyed by the farmer and his family. But the tithe for the poor has a special status because it symbolizes Jewish generosity and concern for the less fortunate.

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(D'varim 26:15 "Look down from Thy me'on kadosh (holy dwelling place), from Shomayim, and bless Thy people Yisroel, and ha'adamah which Thou hast given us, as Thou didst swear unto Avoteinu, Eretz zavat cholov udevash.")

This verse is the only exception to the rule that the word " הׁש�קיפה / hashekifa " in scripture denotes careful examination to determine that punishment is appropriate. But when Jews give to the poor, the Midot of Judgment is transformed into the Midot of Mercy. As Or HaChaim notes:

"Holy Abode & Heaven refer to two kinds of blessing: The first is the spirit of purity that G-d infuses into people, and the second is the temporal blessing of prosperity. This explains also the verse's later reference to Israel and the ground"

Rebbe Yochanan Ben Zakai had a dream on the night after Yom Kippur, that his nephew was destines to lose seven hundred dinars that year. Rebbe Yochanan therefore hounded his nephew all year long for donations to a number of charitable endeavors. By the year's end, Rebbe Yochanan had extracted 683 dinars in charitable donations from his nephew. On the eve of Yom Kippur, a Roman tax collector appeared on the nephew's doorstep and demanded the sum of seventeen dinars in back taxes. The nephew and his family trembled even after the tax collector left, worried that they were now under the close inspection of Caesar's cruel occupation government.

When they expressed their fears to their righteous uncle, Rebbe Yochanan, he said, 'Don't worry! The seventeen dinars is all that you are liable, you won't have to pay and agora more!' 'How do you know?' questioned the skeptical nephew. 'Do you have connections with the tax authorities, or maybe you're a prophet?'

'I have no connections to the authorities, nor am I a prophet or the son of a prophet. Yet, I do have connections with the supreme ruler...HaShem! At the beginning of this year, He showed me how much you stood to lose, 700 dinars. I almost succeeded in extracting the entire sum from you for tzedakkah. But, since you still owed seventeen dinars, the tax collector served as a messenger to complete your predestined loss! If you hadn't previously donated the 683 dinars to tzedakkah, then you'd have lost the entire 700 dinars to tax collectors and other cruel messengers, receiving only grief in return. But since you now have the merit of tzedakkah, you'll see blessings and success in everything you do!'

'Dear Uncle,' cried the nephew and his family, embarrassed by all the time and effort their righteous uncle exerted in their behalf all year long, 'why did'nt you explain that to us in the beginning of the year? If we knew that the financial loss was preordained, and that tzedakkah is a substitute for penalty, we'd have gadly given the entire sum to tzedakkah!' 'I wanted you to give tzedakkah with no ulterior motive,' replied Rebbe Yochanan ben Zakkai, "and not just to save yourselves from a Heavenly edict.' The nephew and family thanked him, and committed themselves to give as much tzedakkah as they could possibly afford, having learned the power of this lofty mitzvah.

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(D'varim 27:11-14 "And thou shalt rejoice in kol hatov which Hashem Eloheicha hath given unto thee, and unto thine bais, thou, and the Levi, and the ger that is among you. When thou hast made an end of tithing kol ma'aser (all the tithe) of thine tevu'at bashanah hashelishit (increase in the third year), which is the Shnat HaMa'aser (Year of Tithing), and hast given it unto the Levi, the ger, the yatom (orphan), and the almanah, that they may eat within thy she'arim, and be filled; Then thou shalt say before Hashem Eloheicha, I have brought away HaKodesh (the Holy) out of mine bais, and also have given them unto the Levi, and unto the ger, to the yatom (orphan), and to the almanah, according to all Thy mitzvot which Thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed Thy mitzvot, neither have I forgotten them. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away whatever thereof while I was tameh, nor given thereof for the dead; but I have given heed to the voice of Hashem Elohai, and have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me.")

The acceptance of the Law was to be ratified by the Twelve Tribes as follows: six Tribes were to stand on Mt. Gerizim, representing the blessings; the other six Tribes were to stand on Mt. Eival, representing the curses. The Levi'im was to stand in the valley between the mountains and proclaim curses on those who performed the following sins (and blessings on those avoided them):

1. idolatry;2. dishonoring one's parents;3. removing a neighbor's boundary lines;4. misleading the blind;5. acting unjustly towards the stranger, widow or orphan;6. behaving in an immoral fashion;7. murdering someone in secret;8. taking a bribe to give false testimony in a case involving capital punishment; and9. failing to observe the commandments in general.

The Tribes were to respond to each blessing and curse with "Amen" ("truth").

Immediately following these instructions, Moshe adds the fact that the large stones are to be to set up at a place known as Har Eival (27:4), and that in addition to the monumental stones covered in plaster, upon which "this Torah"

is inscribed, the Children of Israel should construct an altar (27:4). Upon the altar the Children of Israel should "offer burnt offerings" (27:4) and "sacrifice peace offerings" (27:5). They should "eat" and "rejoice before the Lord." In sum, the Children of Israel are commanded to engage in a complex ceremony, what we may tentatively term the "Ceremony of the Stones." The instructions for the ceremony seem to consist of three distinct elements. First and foremost, the ceremony is meant to take place in a particular setting, in a particular time and place: the day the people cross the Jordan River/at Har Eival (27:1,4). Second, the ceremony involves the erecting of "large stones" covered in plaster upon which the Torah is written down. Finally, the ceremony involves an altar and sacrifices to G-d.

At first glance, this formulation raises an obvious difficulty. Throughout Sefer Devarim, Har Eival is paired with its regular partner, Har Gerizim. In fact, almost immediately after the segment delineating the instructions for the Ceremony of the Stones (27:1-8), the Torah elaborates the details of the "blessing and curse" ceremony first mentioned in Devarim 26:19 and meant to take place at Har Gerizim and Har Eival (27:11-26). According to Devarim 11:30, these mountains are located "near Eilonei Moreh." But this seems to be a different locale altogether than what could be reached within one day of crossing the Jordan. Bereishit 12:6 identifies Eilon Moreh as Shekhem, a city and location found on the Samarian mountain ridge. In other words, the setting of the Ceremony of the Stones seems to contain an internal contradiction. On the one hand, the ceremony is meant to take place immediately, on the very day the Israelites cross the Jordan. On the other hand, it is meant to take place at Har Eival/Har Gerizim/Shekhem, a location found in the mountains, far more than one day's march for the large camp of the Children of Israel.

Apparently, Moshe's reference to "the day you cross the Jordan" with which he opens his instructions for the ceremony (27:2) is not meant to be taken literally. It is intended as no more than a metaphor, as another way of saying "when." In point of fact, the ceremony is meant to take place upon reaching Har Eival, somewhere in the mountains of the Shomron. But this still seems difficult. If the ceremony is meant to take place at Eival/Gerizim/Shekhem, why twice stress the crossing of the Jordan (27:2,4)? If the ceremony is only meant to take place after a certain gap of time, upon reaching Har Eival, why stress the "the day" (27:2), why make it sound as if the ceremony must take place immediately upon entering the Land? On the other hand, what is so special about Har Eival? Why indeed is the ceremony delayed until reaching Har Eival?

In addition to the problem of setting sketched here, we may also justly wonder regarding the meaning and symbolism of the ceremony. While the Torah is quite specific in its instructions, it gives little hint as to the purpose of the ceremony. While we understand the what of the stones, the plaster, the writing, the altar and the sacrifices, we do not understand the why. In other words, what is the point of setting up large stones, covering them with plaster and writing the Torah upon them? What is the point of conjoining this with an altar and sacrifices on "the day," whether understood literally or as metaphor, that the Children of Israel enter the Promised Land?

Turning our attention back to the opening of Moshe's instructions for the Ceremony of the Stones may provide a clue to deciphering the nature and purpose of the ceremony. Just after commanding the Children of Israel to set up the stones, cover them with plaster and write the Torah upon them (27:2-3), Moshe provides what seems to be a rationale for the prescribed actions. The full sentence, partially cited above reads as follows:

"And thou shalt write upon them kol divrei hatorah hazot, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto Ha'Aretz which Hashem Eloheicha giveth thee, Eretz zavat cholov udevash; as Hashem Elohei Avoteicha hath promised thee."

Apparently, fulfilling the command of the stones seems to be the key to entering and possessing the Promised Land. The phrase "so that" establishes an if-then relationship between the Ceremony of the Stones and the successful possession of the land. But this seems strange. How does the erection of a monument, or even the writing down of the Torah, guarantee possession of the land? As Moshe emphasizes numerous times throughout Sefer Devarim, it is the keeping of the commandments, the hearkening to G-d's word, not the mere writing of them upon stones, that guarantees success in the land (see 7:12-16, 8:1, 11:8-9, 28:1-2).

The answer may be provided by an interesting parallel between the Ceremony of the Stones (27:1-8) and the segment of the Torah normally termed "parashat ha-melekh," the instructions for the appointing and conduct of the king (17:14-20). Like the Children of Israel upon crossing the Jordan, the king is commanded to write "this Torah" (17:18). In the case of the King, the purpose of the "writing command" is clear. He is to keep the Torah with him and thereby learn to fear G-d and keep the commandments (17:19). His heart will not become haughty, he will not turn away neither "right nor left" from the commandments, and his days of kingship and kingdom for himself and his

children will be prolonged (17:20). But these of course constitute religious virtues, aims, goals and issues not just for the king, but also for the entire nation.

Throughout the Book of Devarim, Moshe reiterates the need to fear G-d and keep the commandments (see 6:24-25, 10:12-13). Similarly, once again in parallel to parashat ha-melekh, Devarim 8:13-14 warns the Children of Israel of the danger of material accumulation and the risk of an elevated, haughty heart. Finally, Moshe twice warns the people to turn neither "right nor left" from the commands (5:29, 17:11), and often conjoins the keeping of the commandments with the prolonging of life in the land for the Children of Israel and/or their children (4:40, 5:28-30).

The point seems to be something like the following. Just as in the case of the king, where the writing of "this Torah" constitutes the key to fearing G-d, veering neither right nor left, a humble heart and longevity in the land, so too in the case of the communal writing of "this Torah," the inscribing somehow constitutes the key to the religious virtues of fearing G-d, neither veering right nor left, a humble heart and the desired goal of success and longevity in the land.

While the writing down of the Torah upon great stones upon crossing the Jordan may be thought of as something like a national mission statement (Abarbanel 27:1-8), the parallel to parashat ha-melekh indicates that it most probably should be viewed a kind of national memory device. Just as the personal Torah carried by the King serves as a constant reminder, so too the monumental Torah of the people serves as a reminder. As noted by the Ramban (27:3), the writing down of the Torah upon a great monument serves as an everlasting means of emphasizing the centrality of the Torah and its commandments. It serves to vouchsafe the Children of Israel's remembering, and thereby keeping, the commandments. This, in turn, guarantees their successful possession of the land in the short term and prospering in the long term.

While the memory interpretation presented here goes quite away to unmasking the meaning of the Ceremony of the Stones, it fails to deal with all of the details present in the ceremony. For example, it really has nothing to say about the altar and sacrifices that seem to comprise an integral part of the ceremony. Moreover, it has little to say about the context of the ceremony, the

need to accomplish the ceremony upon entering the land, or the Har Eival setting.

In order to develop an alternative to the memory theory, or more accurately, in order to develop an additional and complementary element, we must turn our attention not so much to another example of Torah writing found in Sefer Devarim but to a third case of Torah writing, one found in Sefer Shemot.

Towards the end of Parashat Mishpatim, the Torah relates that upon descending from Mount Sinai, Moshe told the people of "all of the L-rd's words" and "laws" (24:3). In a precursor of the famed response of "na'aseh ve-nishma – we will do and we will listen" found later in the segment, the people respond that "all the words which the L-rd has spoken we will do" (24:3). At this point, the Torah reports the following sequence of events:

(Sh'mot 24:4-5 "And Moshe wrote kol divrei Hashem, and rose up early in the boker, and built a Mizbe'ach at the base of HaHar, and twelve matzevah (stone pillars), according to the twelve Shivtei Yisroel. And he sent out na'arei Bnei Yisroel, which offered olot (burnt offerings), and sacrificed shelamim (peace offerings) of bulls unto Hashem.")

Moshe then places half of the blood from the sacrifices in flagons and sprinkles the other half of the blood upon the altar. At this point, the symbol of the just-written "laws" and "words," i.e. the Torah, returns to the narrative. To resume the story…

(Sh'mot 24:7-8 "Then he took the Sefer HaBrit, and read it aloud in the ears of HaAm, and they responded, All that Hashem hath said we will do, and be obedient. And Moshe took the remaining dahm, and sprinkled it on HaAm, and said, Hinei dahm habrit, which Hashem hath cut with you concerning all these words.")

As the narrative progresses, the spoken "laws" and "words" of G-d become concretized. They are written down and transformed into what the Torah terms "Sefer Ha-brit," the Book of the Covenant. It is this now-written Torah that Moshe reads out to the people, and it is this now-written Torah that the

people commit to absolutely in their famed profession of "na'aseh ve-nishma – we will do and listen." As the name of the now written Torah and Moshe's explicit proclamation to the people indicates, the entire process is a process of covenant, and constitutes the contracting of a covenant between G-d and Israel upon the just-written Torah.

Similarly, as the narrative clearly indicates, the altar at the foot of the mountain and the sacrifices, in the language of the original text, the mizbe'ach, the har, the olot and the shelamim all constitute central motifs of the Covenant of Sinai. It is at the foot of Mount Sinai that the sacrifices are brought, and it is the blood of the sacrifices that is sprinkled upon the people to seal the covenant.

Finally, as befitting a covenant ceremony between G-d and Israel, all twelve tribes are represented, in this case by twelve stone pillars, or monuments (24:4), and the covenant ceremony contains the element of duality, symbolizing the two sides of the covenant. Half of the blood is sprinkled upon the altar (24:6), and half of the blood is sprinkled upon the people (24:8).

To put this slightly differently, we may identify the following seven linguistic and thematic elements in the Brit Sinai story: i) the writing of the Torah/written Torah ii) a mountain iii) an altar iv) sacrifices v) stone pillars/monuments vi) commemoration of each of the twelve tribes vii) duality/covenantal two sidedness.

Needless to say, this schematic should make us realize that the story of Brit Sinai found in Sefer Shemot (24:3-8) and the story of the Ceremony of the Stones found in Sefer Devarim (27:1-8) stand in a particular relation. Like the story of the Covenant of Sinai, the story of the Ceremony of the Stones involves writing of the Torah/written Torah (27:3,8). Similarly, in a second and third parallel between the two stories, like the Covenant of Sinai the story of the stones involves an altar and sacrifices, in the original language of the text, a mizbe'ach, olot and shelamim (27:5-7). Similarly, in a fourth and now obvious parallel, just as the Covenant of Sinai took place in the shadow of a mountain, Mount Sinai, so too the "covenant of the stones" takes place in the shadow of a mountain, in this case the Mountain of Eival, located in the Land of Israel. Finally, in a fifth point of thematic parallel, both stories involve stones, pillars and monuments. The story of Brit Sinai mandates a stone pillar, a kind of monument to symbolize and commemorate the participation of each tribe (Shemot 24:4). But what is the story of the Ceremony of the Stones (27:1-8), if not a story of monuments. The very act of "setting up of stones" (27:2,4) constitutes an act of setting up a monument.

To put this together, the story of the Ceremony of the Stones is foreshadowed by the story of Brit Sinai found in Sefer Shemot. Or more accurately, the story of the Ceremony of the Stones constitutes a conscious echo of the covenant contracted at Sinai. Just as the story of Brit Sinai comprises a covenant story, a story of commitment by the Children of Israel to the words of G-d, so too the story of the Ceremony of the Stones constitutes a covenant story, a means by which the Covenant of Sinai is echoed, extended and renewed upon the entrance of the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel.

This point is further strengthened by the larger context of the narrative we have been analyzing. In point of fact, reading the Ceremony of the Stones as a story of covenant may be explicitly suggested by the text. Following up the flow of the narrative following the Ceremony of the Stones (27:1-8) should make this readily apparent.

As mentioned earlier, Har Eival is almost always accompanied by its partner Har Gerizim, and the text of Sefer Devarim indeed refers to them together shortly after the Ceremony of the Stones (27:1-8). At this point in time, the Torah gives us the details of the "blessing and curse" ceremony to be conducted at Har Gerizim and Har Eival upon "crossing the Jordan" (27:11-26). Six tribes stand upon, or on the side of, Har Gerizim – upon the blessing so to speak – and six tribes stand upon, or on the side of, Har Eival – "upon the curse" (27:13).

This textual proximity to the story of the stones (27:1-8), the parallel mentions of Har Eival in the two stories (27:4, 27:13), and the deliberate echo at the outset of the latter story of the crucial phrase "when you cross the Jordan" (27:12) found twice in the story of the Ceremony of the Stones (27:2,4), all indicate that the Ceremony of the Stones, the narrative found in Devarim 27:1-8, is neither an independent text or an independent ceremony. Rather, it is part and parcel of a larger Gerizim/Eival ceremony.

On one level, this point helps us to complete the parallel between the Ceremony of the Stones, what may now be thought of the first part of the Gerizim/Eival ceremony, and the story of Brit Sinai. Just as all twelve tribes are marked and represented in the Covenant of Sinai (Sh'mot 24:4), so too each of the twelve tribes is mentioned in detailing the Gerizim/Eival ceremony

(27:12-13). Moreover, just as the narrative of the Covenant of Sinai contains the element of duality, of division and two sidedness in accord with the standard Biblical marker of covenantal duality and mutuality, so too the continuation of the story of the stones, the larger ceremony of Gerizim/Eival, contains the element of duality. In accord with the covenantal nature of the ceremony, there are two mountains, the tribes split into two groups of six and the dual possibility of blessing and its opposite are readily present (27:12-13). But this is only part of the story.

Most probably, the text's detailing of the larger ceremony at Har Gerizim and Har Eival does not end with the material found in chapter 27. As the Ibn Ezra maintains (27:14), the long parasha of blessing and curse found in chapter 28 (28:1-68) most probably constitutes an integral part of that ceremony, and is in fact the text read aloud at Gerizim and Eival upon entering the land (see Yehoshua 8:34-35).

This brings us to our destination and completes the Brit Sinai-Ceremony of the Stones/Gerizim-Eival circle. At the very end of chapter 28, the Torah sums up what the chapter, and by implication the entire Gerizim/Eival ceremony, is all about. It states the following: These are the words of the covenant, which the HaShem commanded Moshe to contract with the Children of Israel. (28:69)

Like the story found in Sefer Shemot, the story of the stones, of Gerizim and Eival constitutes a story of covenant. It comprises a means of extending, renewing and remembering the Covenant of Sinai. Upon entering the land, the Children of Israel are required to renew, re-commit and re-engage with the Covenant of Sinai. By virtue of writing the Torah, engaging in a covenant commitment ceremony and, perhaps most crucially, by creating and leaving behind a monumental edifice of a mountain, an altar and Torah written in stone, the Children of Israel create an everlasting echo and reminder of the Covenant of Sinai and their commitment to the Torah. It is by this virtue that they will inherit the land.

Reading the ceremony of the stones as a story of covenant renewal and extension, as a story of covenantal echo and concretization should resolve most of the difficulties raised above. We no longer need wonder about the meaning of the setting up of the stones, the writing of the Torah, the altar, the sacrifices and the like.

Likewise, this reading should help dissolve much of the tension implicit in the setting designated for the ceremony. On the one hand, the ceremony should indeed be carried out "upon crossing the Jordan," perhaps even on the very day the Children of Israel enter the land. After all, it is by virtue of their commitment to the Covenant of Sinai, to the Torah, that they enter. At this crucial juncture, at the very start, matters must be set straight, and the Children of Israel's covenantal commitment must be commemorated and renewed.

Yet on the other hand, no re-creation of the experience of Sinai and no permanent monument to the Covenant of Sinai can take place without a suitable mountain. Writing the Torah, building the altar, and the sacrifices are meant to recreate the Covenant of Sinai. As such, they must take place in the shadow of a mountain, a Sinai substitute. Similarly, the permanent stone Torah and stone altar (27:5-6) left behind are meant to serve as reminders of the Sinai experience. Again, as such, they must stand in the shadow of a mountain, a Sinai substitute. To no surprise, the ceremony is delayed and takes place at Har Eival.

Yet all is not fully resolved. We may still justly wonder regarding the specific choice of Har Eival. Theoretically, any mountain should have been sufficient. The ceremony could be carried out at a mountain close to the Jordan, even on the very day the Children of Israel cross into the land. Waiting until the Children of Israel reach the mountains of Samaria seems wholly unnecessary and undermines the central symbolism of covenant renewal and commemoration upon entering the land. Once again, why Har Eival?

We may be tempted to argue that Har Eival's central location at Shekhem in the Shomron region and its consequent ability to serve as a central and ongoing reminder to the Covenant of Sinai, a kind of "shrine of Sinai," constitute the cause of the choice of Har Eival. While this claim cannot be supported directly from the text, Shekhem does constitute a central location, and the claim cannot be refuted. Yet as an alternative, I would like to look at the past role, rather than the future role, of Har Eival and Shekhem in the history of the Children of Israel.

As worked out earlier, the identity of Har Eival with the Shekhem region depends on a bit of textual comparison. At no point does Sefer Devarim explicitly locate Har Eival at Shekhem. Rather, it refers to the mountain pair of

Gerizim and Eival as being located near "Eilonei Moreh" (11:30). But as mentioned above, Eilonei Moreh should be identified with Eilon Moreh, a location found earlier on in Sefer Bereishit and clearly connected to the Shekhem region (Bereishit 12:6, see Rashi, Ibn Ezra 11:30). At this point, it is worth taking a look at the textual context in which this identification occurs - the beginnings of the Avraham narrative and the story of Avraham's arrival in the land of Canaan.

Upon being commanded by G-d to leave his land and birthplace (Bereishit 12:1-4), Avraham promptly gathers up his wife, household and possessions, sets out for the land of Canaan (12:5), and with almost miraculous alacrity, within the time span of less than a verse, arrives in the Land of Canaan (12:5). At this point, the pace of the action slows down and the Torah informs us of Avraham's actions upon arriving in Canaan.

And Avram passed through the land to the place of Shekhem, to Eilon Moreh, and the Canaanites were then in the land. And HaShem appeared to Avram and said, To your seed I will give this land, and he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. (Bereishit 12:7)

For some reason or another, Avraham proceeds directly to Shekhem and Eilon Moreh. Then and only then does G-d reveal himself to Avraham and promise the land to Avraham's descendants, thereby informing him that he has reached the right place, the place previously identified as "the land I will show you" (12:1). Following HaKadosh Baruch Hu's revelation, in an apparent act of thanksgiving, Avraham builds an altar. He has arrived, and the land has been promised to his descendants.

In this reading, the text forges a conceptual connection between divine promises, the end of a journey and entering the land of Canaan on the one hand, and the building of an altar in Shekhem on the other. Interestingly enough, this is not the only time Sefer Bereishit details such a link. The next time Avraham or one of his descendants enters the land we find the very same link. Upon returning from his long exile in Charan, Yaakov, recently renamed Yisrael, proceeds to Shekhem (Bereishit 33:18). He builds an altar and names it with a divine name; he calls it "G-d of Israel" (33:20). Again, in response to a divine promise and command (see 28:13-15, 31:11-13), Avraham or one of his descendants, this time in the person of Yaakov/Yisrael, embarks upon a journey to, and terminates a journey in, the Land of Canaan.

Once again the journey reaches its end in Shekhem with the building of an altar.

By now we should no longer be surprised by the choice of Har Eival as the sight for the Ceremony of the Stones and its altar. In accord with the typological patterning often found in the Torah, in which the actions of the forefathers seem to foreshadow later actions of their descendants, the third arrival of Avraham/Israel in the Land of Canaan, this time in the form of the of the nation of Israel, takes the very same form. Like both Avraham and Yaakov, the Children of Israel arrive at the end of their journey, undertaken in response to divine promises and commands, in the Land of Canaan. By no surprise, they will arrive at Shekhem and build an altar to G-d (27:4-6, Yehoshua 8:30). Just like their forefather Yaakov/Yisrael and just like their forefather Avraham. The "day" that the Israelites "pass over the Jordan" into the "land that the Lord your G-d gives you" (27:2) constitutes their long anticipated arrival in the Land of Canaan. As such, it can only culminate in an altar at Shekhem.

This should be understood as more than literary formalism. As the text points out upon the first arrival of Avraham/Israel in the land, "And the Canaanites were then in the land" (12:6). Immediately upon the heels of this phrase, God appears to Avraham and promises the land to his descendants (12:7). The time is not yet ripe; Avraham's arrival in the land is yet tentative. He can pass through, he can wander, but he cannot dwell. The land still belongs to the Canaanites. Such is still the case at the time of the second arrival, that of Yaakov. While Yaakov does partially possess land, and the text depicts him as purchasing the field he dwells upon (33:19), his possession is dependant upon the good will of the inhabitants and is yet tentative (see 34:30). But G-d's promise to Avraham means that this state will change. One day, the children of Avraham will fully possess the land. The occurrence of the third arrival, the Children of Israel's arrival in the Land of Israel, at the very same place and in the very same form as the arrivals of their forefathers, emphasizes that they arrive by virtue of the promises to the forefathers and as an actualization of the potential inherent in their forefathers' arrivals. G-d's promise has now been fulfilled.

But there is more to it than this. The parallel between the arrival of Avraham and the arrival of the Children of Israel does more than mark the fact that the latter arrival constitutes the fulfillment of the former arrival, a realization of the promise and potential inherent in the forefather's path. It also informs us regarding the contents and meaning of the entire ceremony conducted upon entering the land. Just as Avraham builds an altar in thanksgiving to HaShem upon arriving at Shekhem in the Land of Canaan, so too the Children of Israel

are to build an altar at the very same place in thanksgiving to G-d upon the fulfillment of the divine promise and their arrival in the land. The Ceremony of the Stones is about more than memory, or even covenant recreation. It is also about celebration and thanksgiving to HaShem for arriving in the land (see 27:7 and Ibn Ezra 27:3).

While the story of Avraham, the founding forefather of the Children of Israel, is complex and multilayered, certain key themes such as the promise of descendants and the promise of the land clearly stand out. Similarly, while the story of Moshe, the redeemer, and other "founder" of the Children of Israel is complex and multilayered, a certain key theme, that of Torah and commandments, the Covenant of Sinai, certainly stands out. In the Ceremony of the Stones, in the arrival of the descendants of Avraham in the land at the very same place as Avraham and in their recreation of the Covenant of Sinai, these two heritages merge into a harmonious whole. It is about both the heritage of Avraham and the heritage of Moshe. This is also why the Torah is Parashat Shoftim 18:15 proclaimed a Navi/Nasi/Mashiach liken unto Moshe would be raised up, as this new Redeemer would re-confirm, re-new the Brit:

(D'varim 18:15 "I will raise them up a Navi from among their achim, like unto thee, and will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him")

According to us of the Netzari belief in Judaism, we believe this Goel is Rebbe Y'shua Ha'Netzer as found in the Netzari Ketuvim:

(Yochanan 5:46 "For if you were having emunah in Moshe, you would have had emunah in me, for he himself wrote concerning me.")

(Acts 3:22 "Moshe Rabbenu indeed said, "NAVI KAMOCHA [T. N. i.e., a prophet like Moses] for you Hashem Adonoi will raise up from your achim; to him you will give heed according to everything whatever he may speak to you.")

(Luke 24:44 "And he said to them, These are my dvarim which I spoke to you while still being with you, that it is necessary that all the things having been written in the Torah of Moshe and the Neviim and the Tehillim about me [Moshiach] to be fulfilled.And he said to them, These are my dvarim which I spoke to you while still being with you, that it is necessary that all the things having been written in the Torah of Moshe and the Neviim and the Tehillim about me [Moshiach] to be fulfilled.")

(Ivrim 12:24 "And to Yehoshua, the Metavekh of a B'rit Chadasha and to the dahm hahazzayah (blood of sprinkling Isa 52:15), which speaks better than the dahm haHevel (blood of Abel).")

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(D'varim 27:26 "Arur be he that confirmeth not divrei haTorah hazot by doing them. And kol HaAm shall say, Omein.")

Ramban explains this to mean that every Jew must accept the Torah's validity in full, and dare not claim that even one of its mitzvots is not relevant. The Talmud Yerushalmi in Sotah 7:4 also states that this curse applies to anyone who can influence others to be loyal to the Torah, but does not care to do so, especially people in positions of authority, who have the power to mold the behavior of others. Even someone who studies the Torah and is rigorously observant, but is unconcerned about the shortcomings of others, even though he can help them, is included in this curse.

This is why Rebbe Y'shua addressed anyone to proclaim to be his talmidim in regards to Torah:

(Mattityahu 5:19-20 "Therefore, whoever annuls one of the least of these mitzvot (divine commandments given by Hashem to Moshe Rebbenu) and so teaches Bnei Adam, shall be called katon (least) in the Malchut HaShomayim; but whoever practices and teaches them, this one will be called gadol (great) in the Malchut HaShomayim. For I say unto you that unless the Tzedek (Righteousness) of you exceeds that of the Sofrim and Perushim, you will certainly not enter the Malchut HaShomayim.")

As much as Xtianity attempts to "proclaim" that the Torah is invalid, with their version of Rebbe Y'shua coming to do away with the Torah is completly false and is pagan. And for those among both Jewish and Xtian srouces who attempt to say Rav Sha'ul taught against Torah, their understanding of Rav Sha'ul is false and twist his teachings, as Kefa had stated that his words were hard to understand as a member of the P'rushim. Rav Sha'ul proclaimed:

(Romans 7:12 "So that the Torah is kedoshah (holy) and the mitzvoh (commandment) is kedoshah and yasharah and tovah.")

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(D'varim 28:1-2 " And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt give heed diligently unto the voice of Hashem Eloheicha, to be shomer and to do all His mitzvot which I command thee today, that Hashem Eloheicha will set thee on high above kol Goyei Ha'Aretz; And all these berakhot shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt give heed unto the voice of Hashem Eloheicha.")

If loyalty to the mitzvots can cause one's business and family life to prosper, surely it can yield infinite spiritual bless. These blessings will overtake Israel without effort when they make Torah their primary activity and focus of HaShem, and their worldly occupations secondary. Rebbe Y'shua confirmed this:

(Mattityahu 6:33 "But seek first the Malchut Hashem and the Tzidkat Hashem, and all these things will be added to you.")

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(D'varim 28:9-10 "Hashem shall establish thee an Am Kadosh unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt be shomer over the mitzvot of Hashem Eloheicha, and walk in His ways. And all people of ha'aretz shall see that thou art called by the Shem of Hashem; and they shall be afraid of thee.And all people of ha'aretz shall see that thou art called by the Shem of Hashem; and they shall be afraid of thee.")

The Talmud states that “the name of G-d is called upon you” refer to the Tefillin of the head. Why is it, then, that although so many people wear the tefillin, they have not achieved the reverence of other people? Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev suggests that the words of the Talmud must be scrutinized more carefully. The Talmud does not state tefillin that are "on the head," but "in the head." It is only if the messages inscribed on the parchments within the tefillin are absorbed and have been incorporated into one's mind that one can achieve the reverence of other people. These messages are the belief in the unity of G-d, the acceptance of serving Him with all one's heart, soul and fortune, even to the extent of yielding one's life to sanctify G-d's name, and the remembrance that G-d delivered us from bondage to make us truly free. Tefillin on the head refers to a rather superficial ritual and while it is a mitzvah is of limited value. Tefillin in the head is the ideal -- it refers to integrating the tefillin within one's character, a sincere dedication and commitment to everything written in them, so that one's every thought and every

act is processed through the principles of the four portions contained in the tefillin. This is what is meant to have the mark of G-d as found in Yehezqel, and Hitgalut:

(Yehezqel 9:6 "Slay utterly zaken (old man) and bochur (young man), betulah, little children, and nashim; but come not near any ish upon whom is the TAV; and begin at My Mikdash. Then they began with the anashim hazekenim which were before the Beit [HaMikdash][1K 4:17].")

(Hitgalut / Chazon 9:4 "And it was told them that they should not harm the grass of ha'aretz (the earth) nor any greenery nor any etz (tree), except the Bnei Adam, all who do not have the chotam (seal) of Hashem on their metsakhim")

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(D'varim 28:12 "Hashem shall open unto thee His otzar hatov, the Shomayim, to give the matar unto thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thine hand; and thou shalt lend unto Goyim rabbim, and thou shalt not borrow.")

HaShem through the Ha'Navi Malachi reconfirmed this message:

(Malachi 3:10 "Bring ye kol hama'aser (all the tithes) into the Beis HaOtzar (House of the Treasury), that there may be teref (food) in Mine Beit [Hamikdash], and prove Me now herewith, saith Hashem Tzva'ot, if I will not open you the windows of Shomayim, and pour you out a berakhah, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.")

Contrary to Xtianity's popular usage of this text to justify their prosperity of tithing, they don't understand that this one verse sits in context to the D'varim 28 of the blessing and the curse in regards to OBEDIENCE to G-d's Torah, something Xtianity does not acknowledge, but will take a sound bite of Jewish scripture to justify how to make money. When one reads Malachi 3 in context with D'varim 28, you can see HaShem's problem with Israel was their lack of shomer Torah; tithing was just one part of being shomer out of all of the mitzvots, and we see this by the response of the Jewish people in Malachi:

(Malachi 3:14 "Ye have said, Avod Elohim is vain; and what profit is it that we have been shomer over His mishmeret, and that we have walked as mourners before Hashem Tzva'ot?")

Thus Malachi records what HaKadosh Baruch Hu thinks of those who remain shomer Torah:

(Malachi 3:16-18 "hen they that feared Hashem spoke often one to another; and Hashem paid heed, and heard it, and a Sefer Zikaron (book of remembrance) was written before Him for them that feared Hashem, and that meditated upon Shmo (His Name). And they shall be Mine, saith Hashem Tzva'os, in that Yom when I make up My segullah (special treasure, possession); and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own ben haoved oto (son that serveth him).And they shall be Mine, saith Hashem Tzva'os, in that Yom when I make up My segullah (special treasure, possession); and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own ben haoved oto (son that serveth him). Then shall ye return, and discern between the tzaddik and the rasha, between oved Elohim (him that serveth G-d) and him that serveth Him not.")

Once again, if Xtianity was truly doing the will of G-d as taught by Rebbe Y'shua who they proclaim to follow, then they would uphold what he taught in Mattityahu 5:19-20, and remeber this falls in line with D'varim 27:26... Amien

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(D'varim 28:13-14 "And Hashem shall make thee the rosh, and not the zanav (tail); and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou give heed unto the mitzvot Hashem Eloheicha, which I command thee today, to be shomer to do them; And thou shalt not turn aside from any of the devarim which I command thee today, to the right, or to the left, to go after elohim acherim to serve them.And thou shalt not turn aside from any of the devarim which I command thee today, to the right, or to the left, to go after elohim acherim to serve them.")

One can't be on top and on bottom on the same time. What, then, is the Torah teaching us? Rav Tzaddok HaKohein of Lublin draws attention to the prayer of Yaavetz,

"If You will bless me and extend my borders."

Why does he ask for both a blessing and an extension? Rav Tzaddok explains that people may be given tremendous bounty, but if they are not equipped to handle it, it can destroy their life. Yaavetz thus asked that G-d "extend his borders" - make him a better and wiser person in order for him to be able to handle the blessing.

How do we "expand our border"? By giving to our others - by giving our time and money to our others, by being attentive spouses, parents and children. The Talmud (Taanist 9a) states: "tithe in order to become rich". At first glance, this seems to be some sort of segulah (charm). However, it is nothing of the sort. By tithing - giving to others - the bigger we become and the more we grow and, in turn, the more we are capable of handling wealth. May we all be blessed with being on top - being blessed with wealth - and not on bottom - having expanded borders with which to accept such blessing. possess within our souls.

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(D'varim 28:15 "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not give heed unto the voice of Hashem Eloheicha, to be shomer to do all His mitzvot and His chukkot which I command thee today, that all these kelalot (curses) shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not give heed unto the voice of Hashem Eloheicha, to be shomer to do all His mitzvot and His chukkot which I command thee today, that all these kelalot (curses) shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:")

The Torah promises that for every act of disobedience to the mitzvot of blessings will come double the curses for disregard to HaShem's word. As Rav Sha'ul reminds the Xtian audience that claims to follow his teaching:

(Galatins 3:10 "For as many as are (seeking "YITZDAK IM HASHEM") by chukim of the Torah are under a kelalah (curse); for it has been written, ARUR ASHER LO YAKIM ES DIVREI HATORAH HAZOT LA'ASOT OTAM ("Cursed is everyone who does not uphold, abide by all the words of this Torah to do them, to carry them out")

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(D'varim 28:17-18 "Arur shall be thy basket and thy kneading bowl. Arur shall be the pri of thy womb, and the pri of thy adamah, the increase of thy livestock, and the flocks of thy sheep. Arur shall be the pri of thy womb, and the pri of thy adamah, the increase of thy livestock, and the flocks of thy sheep.")

The blessing of children was mentioned before prosperity in verses 4-5, but here, in the curse, the order is reversed. Similarly, in the blessing, victory over enemies precedes prosperity (verses 7-8), and here the order is reversed. Children are

people's ost precious possessions, and security against attack and violence is the first goal of any government, so that these come before material wealth in the list of blessings. When HaShem turns His wrath against His wayward nation, he removes these last.

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(D'varim 28:32 "Thy banim and thy banot shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them kol hayom; and there shall be nothing you can do. Thy banim and thy banot shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them kol hayom; and there shall be nothing you can do.")

The Roman use to select the most attractive young Jews and ship them to Rome, to be slaves and to gratify the lust of the conquerors.

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(D'varim 28:47 "Because thou servedst not Hashem Eloheicha with simchah, and with gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things; ")

It's very astounding to see such a statement in the Torah that shows that lack of joy is the reason for punshiment of these curses. Joy is an essential component of the service of Hashem. The Yalket Me'am Loez explains this ideal with a simple but profound analogy. A king had an uncontrollable son, whose unrestrained acts of self-indulgence were often a source of embarrassment to the king. Whenever the king was about to punish him, the son would put on a sweet, angelic smile. When the king observed the happiness and sweet innocence in his son's eyes, it became difficult for him to execute his planned punishment. When Hashem sees the inherent joy and happiness emanating from our service of Him, He defers punishment. Even if one is intellectually aware of the value of Torah and a Torah lifestyle, he must nonetheless experience it through joy.

Da'vid Ha'Melech Ha'Navi Nechemyah proclaimed:

(Tehillim 4:7 "Thou hast put simcha in my lev, more than in the time that their dagan and their tirosh increased.")

(Nechemyah 8:10 "neither be ye grieving; for the chedvah (joy) of Hashem is your strength.")

It is a very great mitzvah to be always joyful, and to push away depression with all one’s strength. It is a very great mitzvah to be always joyful, and to push away depression with all one’s strength. Doctors report that sickness is due to depression, and that joy is a vital healing agent. Doctors report that sickness is due to depression, and that joy is a vital healing agent.

(Midrash Rabbah Sh’mini, 11:9 "n future days, joy will increase tremendously. Our sages state that The Talmud states that “In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will be in the center of the circle of tzaddikim”)

HaKadosh Baruch Hu will make a circle of the tzaddikim, and He will be in their center.

In the Hebrew, the word “center” is written literally as “at the head.” Also, the word for circle, choleh, is homonymous with the word for a sick person. So we can understand this quote as related to the Talmudic statement that G-d’s presence hovers above the headboard of the sick person (Nedarim 40a).

The sick person himself has no life force. Instead, G-d’s presence gives him life.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches:

(Likkutei Moharan II, 24 "In the future days, as a result of joy, illness will be rectified. Then G-d will be at the head of the sick person, for joy is associated with rectifying a sick person. That is why joy and dancing are both called choleh, for they both rectify illness. A person must gather all his resources to be constantly happy. As a result of day-to-day problems, human nature tends toward depression. Everyone has problems. A person has to work very hard to force himself to be constantly joyful and to do whatever he can to make himself joyful—even with silly things. It is true that a broken heart is very good. But that is only for a limited amount of time. A person should set aside a certain amount of time every day to break his heart and speak to God in his own words. But for the rest of the day, he must be joyful. It is much easier to shift from a broken heart to depression than it is to lose control as a result of joy. So a person must be constantly joyful, except for a specific time when he has a broken heart.")

(Sichot Haran 177 "At first you have to make yourself as happy as possible with everyday things. From that, you can come to true joy.”)

(Chayei Moharan, p. 76, 2 "It was right that I leave after this [fire]. It would not be right that while others are in sorrow, I am joyful. If [my house] had not been burned, I would have to join the others in their sorrow, because when a Jew has such a sorrow, I must take part. But now that my house was also burned, I must accept this in love and joy, and I need to be tremendously joyful. So it isn’t right that I should be with the others; for how can I be joyful while they are full of sorrow? It goes without saying that I accept losing money with joy, since ‘a person will exchange skin for skin, but he will give everything he has for his soul’ (Job 2:4). Even if God were to take my life, God forbid, I would accept that with great joy too”)

(Sichot Haran 177 "Be joyful in G-d. Even though you don’t know G-d’s greatness, you should rely on me, because I know God’s greatness. As it is stated 'I know how great G-d is' (Tehillim 135:5). You should also rejoice that you had a teacher like me.”)

How much more did Rebbe Y'shua state:

(Yochanan 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you that the simcha of me may be in you and the simcha of you may be made shleimah.")

(Mattityahu 13:44 "The Malchut HaShomayim is like otzar (treasure) hidden in the field, which, having found, a man hid. And from the simcha he experienced, he goes away and sells everything he has and buys that field.")

(Mattityahu 25:21 "And his Adon said to him, Shkoyach (well done), eved tov vneeman (good and faithful servant)! A few things you were faithful over, over many things I will ordain you. Enter into the simchah of your Adon.")

(Yochanan 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have shalom. In the Olam Hazeh you have tribulation; but have lev same'ach. I have conquered the Olam Hazeh.")

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(D'varim 29:3-4 "The massot hagedolot (great trials) which thine eyes have seen, the otot, and those mofetim hagedolim; V'lo natan Hashem lakhem lev lada'at v'einayim lirot v'ozna'im lishmoa ad hayom hazeh (Yet Hashem hath not given you a lev for da'as, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, to this day.")

As the Sages say in Avodah Zarah 5b, a talmid does not fully understand his teacher until after 40 years. It was no 40 years since Moshe had led Israel out of Mitzrayim, so that he told them that HaShem would no begin to expect more of them. Ha'Navi Yeshayahu hints at the sod meaning of this verse in D'varim when he states:

(Yeshayahu 64:4 "For me'olam (since ancient times) no one hath heard, nor perceived by the ozen, neither hath the ayin seen any Elohim besides Thee, Who acts on behalf of him that waiteth for Him.")

Yeshayahu's hint to D'avrim was that Moshe Rabbenu in his wisdom knew HaKadosh Baruch Hu was trying to prepare Israel for something beyond just rituals, and being Jewish. The focus was not external understanding, but internal understanding which would lead to eternal understanding. Rav Sha'ul understood this when he quoted Yeshayahu and wrote:

(1Cor 2:6-11 "But we do speak chochmah (wisdom) to the man who is mevugar (mature, grown up), to those with mature ruchaniyut (spirituality in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach), yet, it is a chochmah (wisdom) not of the Olam Hazeh, neither of the rulers of the Olam Hazeh, the ones being brought to naught. But we speak the chochmah of Hashem in a hidden sod (mystery 2:1), which was nigzar merosh (determined from the beginning, preordained, predestined, decided beforehand) by Hashem lifnei yemei haOlam (before the days of eternity) for our kavod; A chochmah which not one of the rulers of the Olam Hazeh has known, for, if they had had da'as, they would not have made talui al HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem (being hanged on the Tree of the Curse of G-d- Dt 21:23) the [Moshiach] Adon HaKavod. [Ps 24:7] But even as it has been written, “Things which no eye has seen and LO SHAMU (“they had not heard”) nor did it come up into the heart of Bnei Adam, the things G-d prepared for the ones who have ahavah for him.” [Isa 64:3[4] TARGUM HASHIVIM; Isa 52:15] But Hashem has made the hitgalut haSod (the revelation of the mystery) to us of these things through the Ruach Hakodesh; for the Ruach Hakodesh searches all things, even the deep things of G-d. For who of Bnei Adam

has da'as of the things of Bnei Adam except the ruach of a man in him? So also the things of G-d no one has known except the Ruach Hashem. [Jer 17:9; Prov 20:27])

As this Sidrah comes to a close, it's intresting to not that there are 122 veres compiled in this Sidrah which numerically correspond to the mnemonic "

To His Servants" , which is an allusion to the Admonition of the / לעבדיוblessings and curses. Only a true servant of HaShem knows what His Master is doing, as Ha'Navi Amos states:

(Amos 3:7 "Surely Adonoi Hashem will do nothing, but He revealeth His sod (secret) unto His avadim hanevi'im.")

Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu Melech HaMashiach L'Olam Va'ed