The era of Moshe Rabbeinu’s leadership is coming to an end. Klal Yisrael stands poised to enter the Promised Land. Our quintessential leader and Rebbe delivers his final messages, mussar and guidance. This parsha begins with a message for life that is both timeless and deeply profound. He declares: “See, I present before you a blessing and a curse.” The text itself begs elucidation. If Moshe intended to present two entirely separate paths, he should have stated the words brachah or klalah, blessing or curse. Why does he say blessing and curse, almost as if the two are intertwined?
Perhaps the Torah is teaching us that blessing and curse are not mutually exclusive. They often exist side-by-side, concealed within one another. What, on the surface, appears to be an undeniable blessing can actually be — or contain within it — the seeds of downfall. Likewise, what seems to be serious adversity can be the precursor of growth, success and redemption. Power can be beneficial; it can also corrupt. Fame can bring admiration, but at what expense? Do peace and privacy always herald success? Can failure serve as the impetus for introspection and strengthening of character which awaken wisdom and skills that comfort has glossed over?
To judge circumstances only by outward appearances is the mark of a fool. To always look for a curse in a bed of roses reflects negativity that borders on a flawed mind. Hisbonenus, discernment, penetrated thinking, not taking anything at face value, determines blessing and curse. During a garbage strike in New York, trash was piling up everywhere with no end in sight. One clever man put all his garbage into a large refrigerator box, wrapped it carefully, and left it in the back of his car with the tailgate open. As expected, it took less than an hour for a thief to become the new owner of the refrigerator box — and its contents. The clever man was rid of his garbage, while the foolish thief, thinking that he had discovered an exceptional blessing, ended up carrying away someone’s trash.
It is all about discernment. A blessing unaccompanied with wisdom can become a curse, while a curse met with wisdom and faith may be the precursor of blessing. Blessing and curse go hand in hand. This is perhaps the rationale behind the word, hayom, today. What is/was so special about today? Simply, today conveys the message of immediacy. Discernment cannot be put off, because, by the time one realizes what he is really up against, things have changed, with the curse remaining a curse, and the blessing not as positive as he had originally perceived.
Furthermore, the ability to discern objectively, to achieve moral clarity, is achieved only when one’s mind is honed by the truth of Torah. Klal Yisrael was coming to the culmination of more than a forty-year journey. It was Kabolas HaTorah, followed by forty years of living, breathing bitachon and emunah 24/7. What greater clarity can one have? Moshe emphasized ha’yom – today. You will never have a more fitting opportunity for spiritual discernment than today. Use it wisely to choose correctly, so that you live your life with both eyes wide open.
Reb Sender and his father ran a successful tea business in Russia. They would travel to the fair in Leipzig, Germany, and take delivery of the goods at the Russian border. Unfortunately, they had a competitor who was as unethical in business as he was jealous of anyone who was in his way. He felt Reb Sender was in his way, so he informed the authorities that something was wrong with his shipment of tea. He hoped the authorities would confiscate the goods, and Reb Sender would incur a loss that would quickly put an end to his business.
Every successful businessman has his contacts who keep him informed of any unscrupulous activity that would undermine his business. As such, Reb Sender was aware of his competitor’s less-than-savory intentions, so he hid his merchandise. Nothing was confiscated. In the interim, however, his tea spoiled and, with that, his business failed. His competitor’s plan backfired and, in the end, his tea ended up in the Russian authorities’ warehouse. Now, both Reb Sender and his antagonist were both out of business.
The situation definitely appeared to be a curse, but Reb Sender was a great believer in Hashem. He trusted that whatever Hashem decreed was for a purpose, and a silver lining/blessing is always waiting to be realized. The informer became ill and, during his illness, his daughter became of age for marriage. Since he had no business and was seriously ill to boot, the informer’s prospects of marrying off his daughter were bleak. One day, Reb Sender visited him. When he was told that Reb Sender was on his way over, he wanted to dig a hole under the bed and hide. How could he face the man whose life he had ruined? Hashem had paid him back for his unscrupulous ways. What could he say? When Reb Sender entered his room, the man whose mouth had slandered Reb Sender lay there tongue-tied. Reb Sender told him that things would be good. He must trust in Hashem and have faith in His salvation.
Reb Sender was a gentleman with a pleasing disposition. His soothing words, filled with passionate faith, calmed the sick man and allowed him to forget his tzaros, troubles, if only for a short time. After Reb Sender left, the patient found a packet of cash beneath his pillow. Interestingly, the envelope contained sufficient funds to marry off the patient’s daughter and provide for her dowry.
A curse turned into a blessing, because a person would not allow the greed of a competitor to destroy his belief in a positive outcome. The informer suffered, and then Reb Sender demonstrated to him that curse and blessing are in the hands of Hashem. He ended up holding the short end of the stick. Oh, Reb Sender? He sadly passed away at a young age. Curse? No. The Baal HaTanya told Reb Sender’s grief-stricken father that Hashem had accorded his son an especially lofty place in Heaven as reward for his kindheartedness in reaching out to someone who had caused him harm. There is more. The “curse” was the precursor of blessing: Reb Sender was to become the great-grandfather of Rebbetzin Rivkah, wife of the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe, the “Rebbe Maharash.”
