Ask at Your Shabbos Table

וְאִם־לֹא תִשְמְעוּ לִי... - “But if you will not listen to Me...” (Vayikra 26:14)

Parshas Bechukosai has the chapter of tochacha. According to the halachos of Kriyas HaTorah, tochacha is not divided into multiple aliyos.

Ask around your Shabbos table: What do you think is the reason for this halacha?

Answer: Midrash Devorim Rabba teaches that the tochacha needs to be read by one person because Hashem says, “I have written about Myself (Tehillim 91:15), “עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה” - “I am with him (i.e., Klal Yisroel) at the moment of his distress.” It is not proper that curses should be read to My children while I am being blessed [by a person who came up for an aliya].”