Parshas Ki Tavo: Blessings Promised, Curses Guaranteed

In our Torah portion this week, Ki Tavo, Devarim (Deuteronomy) 26:1 - 29:8, Moses describes a heaven on earth promised as a result of applying Torah's design for living. The Divine blueprint, given to the Jews at Mt. Sinai, was to be demonstrated in Israel and given to all of humankind. It was a gift promised to deliver prosperity, happiness, and human flourishing on earth.

Moses also offers a horrifying picture of the total collapse of human civilization, curses guaranteed as a result of end stage spiritual bankruptcy transpiring from the rejection of this gift.

The portion opens with a lesson in gratitude to God for sustenance as shown Him through the laws of the first fruits, offerings to the Temple as well as to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. This practice is taken very seriously in the agrarian society of the time as a way of securing God's blessings and protection.

Moses then conveys instructions to create monuments in strategic locations displaying all the words of Torah. These will serve as constant reminders of the civic and religious standards expected of the Jews. These are required to maintain the special contract with the Almighty to which they previously agreed. 

He contrasts the blessings of keeping the covenant with the curses of forsaking it. He warns against idolatry, disrespect for parents, real estate fraud, uninformed consent to exploit people for profit, judging against those who lack protection in society, aberrant familial sexual relations, gossiping, and profiting from the execution of the innocent. Moses completes the list with a general cautionary declaration to consider all of Torah in this light.

The contrast between the blessings and the curses makes a dramatic argument in favor of total acquiescence with sincere gratitude and reverence. Blessings promised are robust fertility, healthy offspring, plentiful crops, peace of mind and soul, territorial security, military readiness, financial success, good reputation and Divine providence.

Curses guaranteed are low fertility rates, sick offspring, unhappy family life, starvation, anxiety and fear, disease, military unpreparedness, invasion, terrorism, genocide, drought, disability, exile, business failure, contempt from others, tyranny and enslavement.

The portion closes with reassurances that spiritual growth and love of God come only after great pain and suffering. Every day is a day when we can allow circumstances to humble us so we can reconstitute ourselves as channels of Divine inspiration. In our Haftorah this week, Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1-22, Isaiah reprises this reassuring theme.

Perhaps Moses means to inspire the people into compliance, perhaps he means to scare them into obedience. Whatever his intentions, our history clearly shows a correlation between God centered living and flourishing, as well as a correlation between secularism and suffering.

Because the cause of our worldly problems is spiritual, so must the solution be spiritual. Political, military and social strategies conceived in human minds will fail us and increase our woes. Moses gave us the solution long ago - repent and rely on the love and mercy of God to restore peace and prosperity to Israel and to every other nation. And He will!

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Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Cecily Routman is the founder and president of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. She opposes abortion homicide in general and among Jews in particular and laments secular policy making in Israel that results in loss of Jewish life and delays the messianic redemption. She envisions a Torah based holy Land of Israel and a world that respects the life of every human being from conception.