Parasha Ki Tavo
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha is one of the most formidable and alarming chapters of the Torah. We find fourteen verses of the good things that will happen to the us if we faithfully obey Hashem’s divine commandments. And then, we read 54 verses that warn of the converse, the curses that will befall us if we do not faithfully observe all His commandments.
This is the time of the year when we reflect, when we turn inward, review our past year’s successes and disillusionments, with the purpose of looking forward to a better year…in other words, gezunt, hatlacha and parnassa.
The parasha begins with “When you arrive,” and ends with “When you have arrived at this place.” We are to be joyful, to be sameach, not simply because we feel we’ve succeeded, but because it is a commandment to do so.
We know that success requires a great deal from us, including genuine faith and trust in Hashem, an authentic commitment to observing His covenant, family and community, generosity, gratitude, humility, and our consistent, unfettered, effort.
This is what this week’s parasha, teaches. After all, it’s clear that the parasha tells us that the “Promised Land” won’t be ours without this type of mindset and “hishtadlus,” השתדלוס, maximum effort. Every setback, every stumbling block along the way, has a purpose, a benefit for us.
Couldn’t we all use some genuine happiness in our lives, not just with COVID and the DELTA upon us, but daily, regardless of whatever is going on around us? This week’s parasha may be just the thing that can bring it. Do you encounter your Judaism as a “get to” or a “have to” experience? This week’s Torah reading, Ki Tavo, asks us to consider how we serve Hashem, with joy…or with oy “…because you did not serve the Lord, your God, with happiness and with gladness of heart, when [you had an] abundance of everything…you will serve your enemies.”
This verse, according to the Arizal, teaches us to choose joy as we perform the mitzvot. Just doing mitzvot is not enough. Doing so with gladness of heart is the proper way. Remembering where we come from, not “who we are,” but “whose we are” expands this gladness.
Why did Hashem put us through all of the stresses and strains of 40 years roaming through a wilderness? The parasha tells us, (Deuteronomy 29:5), “…that you may know that I the Eternal am your G-d.” Look at how He sustained us through this journey…including clothing and shoes that did not wear out (29:4). It’s clear that through the lens of our Torah, our success is not ours alone. Our hard work alone is not the magic potion to assure our success. He accompanied us through difficulties of the wilderness, and He accompanies us through times of success.
Perhaps we can learn from the plagues what role we play in their creation when we act poorly. We discover environmental curses – what are we doing to help our environment, our climate? We learn of lack of prosperity and can ask ourselves what we are doing to help others become more successful. Another group of curses we read about includes hopelessness, particularly lack of progeny, and decline in values. What, we may wonder, are we doing to be responsible for this? Then we learn of a cluster of cures around illness and yes, epidemics, including mental health concerns. What of our own self-care, and providing healthcare for all? Last, we read of political conquest. Are we doing all we can to protect our democracy? We have 14 pasukim that can guide us in a more positive direction…the choice is ours.
The story is told of a woman who stood before Hashem with a broken heart due to the pain and suffering she experienced in her life. She called out to Him, “Please G-d, look at all of the anguish and distress, the injustice in the world! Please send help!!” Hashem replied to her, “I did. I sent you.”
It’s easy to come to feel arrogant, pride, and overconfident during times of success. Bringing Hashem into the formula for success, as Ki Tavo teaches, prevents these foolish feelings from building. Sure we’ve all behaved arrogantly, acted out of contempt, gossiped, been insensitive and hypocritical. Rosh Hashanah, a week and a half away, with Selichot beginning tonight after Shabbat, provides us the opportunity to renew and nurture the best in ourselves.
Indeed, “Therefore observe faithful to the covenant with G-d, that you may succeed in all that you do” (Deuteronomy 29:8). The Hebrew word for “succeed” (taskilu) also means to comprehend so this verse tells us that by fulfilling G‑d’s commandments, we will comprehend all that we should do.
The Sforno, עובדיה ספורנו Obadia ben Jacob, (1475-1550) teaches, “In adhering to G-d’s covenant, Israel would achieve its natural and spiritual purpose.”
The “secret of success,” of “happiness,” may well be found and summed up simply in the parasha, (26:11) “Then, you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord, your God, has granted you and your household you, the Levite, and the stranger who is among you.” We shall…it seems that happiness, success, is a commandment! He tells us to focus on what we have, not on what we don’t have or haven’t accomplished. In fact, authentic joy, hakarat hatov הכרת הטו gratitude, the parasha tells us, is a foundation to our ability to succeed.
Indeed, in the sixth Aliyah of the parasha we are taught, “All these curses will befall you, pursuing you and overtaking you to destroy you because you did not obey the L-rd, your G-d, to observe His commandments and statutes which He commanded you. And they will be as a sign and a wonder, upon you and your offspring, forever, because you did not serve the L-rd, your G-d, with happiness and with gladness of heart, when [you had an] abundance of everything.”
May we be zoche זוכה, be granted the merit, in the coming year to live up to our obligations and His covenant and see the success we all pray for with the coming of Moshiach and be blessed with healthy bodies, minds and souls.
Shabbat Shalom…
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com