This week’s parsha is parshas Bechukosai. In this essay, we will focus on the beginning of the parsha (Vayikra 26, 3): ,אותם ועשיתם תשמרו מצוותי ואת תלכו בחוקותי אם" "פריו יתן השדה ועץ יבולה הארץ ונתנה בעתם גשמיכם ונתתי—if you will follow My decrees and observe My mitzvos and perform them; then I will provide your rains in their time, and the land will yield its produce and the tree of the field will bear its fruit. Based on the Toras Kohanim, Rashi comments: “If you will follow My decrees”: One might think that this is a reference to the fulfillment of mitzvos when it says “and you will observe My mitzvos.” But that is already stated in the verse. What then is meant by the phrase “if you will follow My decrees”? That you should occupy yourselves in the labor of Torah.
Now, in parshas Eikev, the Torah enumerates all the rewards HKB”H has in store for us in Olam HaZeh for fulfilling the mitzvos (Devarim 7, 12): תשמעון עקב והיה" וברך והרבך וברכך ואהבך ...אותם ועשיתם ושמרתם האלה המשפטים את ...צאנך ועשתורת אלפיך שגר ויצהרך ותירשך דגנך אדמתך ופרי בטנך פרי ."העמים כל את ואכלת ...חולי כל ממך 'ה והסיר ...העמים מכל תהיה ברוך And it will be because of your listening to these ordinances and your observing and performing them . . . He will love you; He will bless you and He will multiply you, and He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land—your grain, your wine, and your oil; the offspring of your cattle and the herds of your flock . . . You will be the most blessed of all the nations . . . Hashem will remove from you every illness . . . You will devour all the nations . . . So, why does HKB”H choose to begin this week’s parsha by focusing primarily on the rewards related to the produce and fruit that the land will yield?
Parshas Bechukosai Is a Preparation for Chag HaShavuos --the Rosh HaShanah for the Fruits of the Tree
To explain the matter, we will refer to the teaching in the Mishnah (R.H. 16a) that the festival of Shavuos is the New Year for the fruits of the tree. On this festival, the world is judged as to whether or not the fruits of the tree will be bountiful. The Gemara elaborates: פירות זמן שעצרת מפני ,בעצרת הלחם שתי הביאו תורה אמרה מה מפני" כדי ,בעצרת הלחם שתי לפני הביאו הוא ברוך הקדוש אמר ,הוא האילן ."האילן פירות לכם שיתברכו Why did the Torah instruct us to bring the offering of “the two loaves” on Atzeres (Chag HaShavuos), because Atzeres is the time of judgment for the fruits of the tree. HKB”H said: “Bring before Me the two loaves on Atzeres so that the fruits of the tree will be blessed for you.”
Additionally, Chazal teach us that Ezra HaSofer arranged the weekly Torah-readings such that the curses—“klalos”—in parshas Bechukosai will be read prior to Chag HaShavuos (Megillah 31b): קורין שיהו לישראל להן תיקן עזרא ,אומר אלעזר בן שמעון רבי תניא" מאי .השנה ראש קודם תורה ושבמשנה עצרת קודם כהנים שבתורת קללות ."וקללותיה השנה שתכלה כדי ,לקיש ריש ואיתימא אביי אמר ,טעמא It was taught in a Baraisa: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: Ezra decreed that Yisrael should read the curses found in sefer Vayikra (Bechukosai) prior to Shavuos and those in sefer Devarim (Ki Savo) prior to Rosh HaShanah. For what reason? Abayei said, while some say that Reish Lakish said it: So that the year may end along with its curses.
This prompts the Gemara to ask: תורה שבמשנה בשלמא" השנה ראש עצרת אטו כהנים שבתורת אלא וקללותיה שנה שתכלה כדי איכא ".היא The concept of “let the year end along with its curses” is appropriate for the “tochachah” in sefer Devarim, because it is read prior to Rosh HaShanah, which is the beginning of a new year. But does this pronouncement apply to the “tochachah” in sefer Vayikra? Is Shavuos a type of Rosh HaShanah? The Gemara answers: על ובעצרת דתנן ,היא השנה ראש נמי עצרת אין" "האילן פירות—yes, indeed, Atzeres (Shavuos) is also a Rosh HaShanah . . . with respect to the fruits of the trees.
Tosafos (ibid.) explain the rationale behind the accepted practice of reading parshas Bamidbar as a buffer between parshas Bechukosai and Shavuos and, similarly, reading parshas Nitzavim as a buffer between parshas Ki Savo and Rosh HaShanah: Because we wish to interrupt and have a Shabbas prior to Rosh HaShanah on which we read a portion that does not mention curses at all; so that the curses are not juxtaposed to Rosh HaShanah. And it is for this reason that we read parshas Bamidbar prior to Atzeres; so as not to juxtapose the curses in parshas Bechukosai with Atzeres.
Thus, we learn a vital principle. The reading of the “tochachos” is a wonderful omen. Here is how the Tiferes Shlomo explains the matter (Ki Savo): The body of curses, known as the “tochachah,” the Rebuke, accomplishes the goal of “let the year end along with its curses,” based on the principle of (Hoshea 14, 3): שפתינו פרים ונשלמה — and let our lips substitute for bulls. In other words, reciting a corresponding passage of the Torah acts as a substitute for the act described in that passage — such as bringing a particular korban. In this case, it will be as if we received all of the punishments mentioned. For instance, if, chas v’shalom, it was decreed from above that something bad should happen to us, the decree is fulfilled by the reading of the list of curses. Instead, they will all be transformed into forms of berachah.
Thus, he teaches us a tremendous chiddush. During the reading of the “tochachah” this Shabbas, we should have in mind for the year to end along with its curses prior to Chag HaShavuos. It should be as if we received all of the punishments due us and have merited atonement by means of the Torah-reading. Clearly, it would be preferable for us to study Torah and perform mitzvos, so that those punishments and curses will not be decreed against us.
With this introduction, we can appreciate why HKB”H began this week’s parsha, which is a preparation for Chag HaShavuos, the Rosh HaShanah for the fruits of the tree, with the words: "תלכו בחוקותי אם" —which urge us to occupy ourselves with the study of Torah. As we know, this is a magnificent way to overcome and thwart the yetzer hara. As we have learned in the Gemara (Kiddushin 30b), HKB”H said to Yisrael: אין בתורה עוסקים אתם ואם ,תבלין תורה לו ובראתי הרע יצר בראתי בני" "בידו נמסרים אתם—My son, I created the yetzer hara, and I have created Torah as its antidote. If you engage in Torah-study, you will not be delivered into its hand. Thus, one is assured that on Chag HaShavuos, the fruits of the tree will be blessed, as promised by the passuk: יבולה הארץ ונתנה בעתם גשמיכם ונתתי" "פריו יתן השדה ועץ.
Further on, however, at the beginning of the “tochachah,” HKB”H warns us (Vayikra 26, 14): ואם" "האלה המצוות כל את תעשו ולא לי תשמעו לא—but if you will not listen to Me and will not perform all of these mitzvos. Here Rashi comments: “But if you will not listen to Me,” to be laboring in Torah, to know the exposition of the sages . . . “And will not perform”: Once you will not study, you will not perform. Thus, you will have committed two aveiros. In this case, all of the punishments HKB”H lists in the “tochachah” in this week’s parsha will be enforced. Hence, it is advisable to read parshas Bechukosai prior to Chag HaShavuos, so that the reading will exonerate us from any further punishment.
