‘‘The blessing, if (asher) you will hearken to the commandments... and the curse, if you will not hearken.’’ (Deut. 11:27-28) The Hebrew word the Torah uses in relation to the blessing, ‘‘asher,’’ is more correctly translated ‘‘when.’’ When you obey My commandments, G-d promises, this is the blessing that you will receive. By contrast, the ‘‘if’’ of ‘‘if you will not hearken’’ implies that the curse need not happen at all. Only the blessing is a sure thing, for we know that in the End of Days, all Jews will return to G-d and observe His mitzvot. (Panim Yafot)
More in this printout
- Stop the LitterRabbi Yitzi Hurwitz explores the essence of blessings and curses in Parshat Re'eh, paired with a Talmudic lesson on communal responsibility and littering.
- Four Chairs and TefilinA personal story about how moving four unwanted chairs led to a providential encounter with a man named Danny, who discovered his Jewish identity and put on tef
- Hakhel – UniteReports on the completion of the eighth Children's Torah scroll in Jerusalem and the opening of a new Chabad center in Oxford, Connecticut, emphasizing unity.
- New CenterRabbi Shmaya and Hadassa Hecht establish the Chabad Jewish Center of Oxford, Connecticut, the ninth center in the Greater New Haven area.
- Hakhel – UniteAn exploration of the commandments of Hakhel and writing a Torah scroll as expressions of Jewish unity and the formation of a collective congregation.
- from correspondence of the Lubavitcher RebbeA letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe to a mother whose son joined a cult, explaining the spiritual interconnectedness of the Jewish family and the power of Mitzv
- A Award from the DirectorRabbi Shmuel Butman discusses the spiritual significance of the month of Elul and the analogy of the king in the field for self-improvement and growth.
- The Story of Sarah and the SquireA pious Jewish girl and her family face a squire's ultimatum until a selfless teacher intervenes, leading to the birth of the famous Rabbi Leib Sarah's.
- Lessons from the Torah Portion Re’ehInsights from Parshat Re'eh on individual choice, the power of Jewish unity for national safety, and the spiritual dangers of judging the needy.