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Home -> 5785 -> Ki Savo

והיית משוגע ממראה עיניך אשר תראה

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5785

And you will go insane, from what your eyes will see. (28:34)

This is a difficult punishment. Losing one’s mind and the ability to be a rational human being is a frightening punishment. The Torah’s text however, is puzzling. It adds, “from what your eyes see.” One who becomes insane suffers an emotional breakdown as a result of all the suffering, pain and affliction. The enslavement and degradation ultimately wear him down until he no longer can take it. Physical and emotional anguish can torment a person to the point that he loses his mind. But what does the Torah mean when it says you will go mad from what your eyes…

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Home -> 5785 -> Ki Savo

ונתנך ה' לראש ולא לזנב

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5785

Hashem shall place you as a head and not as a tail. (28:13)

On the surface, these two terms demonstrate an apparent redundancy. Obviously, if one is a head/leader, he is not a tail/follower. Ramban explains that it is possible for a nation to be a leader to some, but a follower of others. This is “sandwich” leadership, where one’s leadership is of relative value. Klal Yisrael will ultimately be worthy of everyone’s respect, which represents true leadership. The concept of rosh v’lo zanav comes into play on Rosh Hashanah night when, during the simanim (symbolic foods eaten to signify hopes and prayers for a good year), we underscore our hope to be…

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Home -> 5785 -> Ki Savo

עשיתי ככל אשר צותני

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5785

I have acted according to everything You commanded me (26:14)

Rashi interprets the word tzivisani, You commanded me, to Mah she’gazarta aleinu; “What You decreed on us.” Noticeably, a difference exists between a tzivui, command, and a gezeirah, decree. A gezeriah is more forceful, definitive—no ifs, ands, or buts. The Kotzker Rebbe, z”l, makes note of this change in translation. He explains that no more demanding decree exists than to command a Jew to declare, “I did everything that You asked me to do. I carried out Your command to perfection. I had all the correct and proper intentions and did everything purely for Your sake.” This is an overly…

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Home -> 5785 -> Ki Savo

וירעו אתנו המצרים ויענונו

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5785

The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us. (26:6)

HoRav Yechiel Yaakov Hopstien, z”l (Fifth Koznitzer Rebbe), adds a homiletic twist to the interpretation of the passuk, allowing for historical and contemporary reflection. He understands vayarei’u as being derived from rei’a, friend. Thus, the affliction brought on by the Egyptians resulted from their befriending us. When the gentile wants to be our friend, and we, sadly, become excited with our new-found acceptance, we go overboard and out of our way to endear ourselves to him. This leads to acculturation, which is the precursor of total assimilation. Contemporary society is deeply focused on antisemitism- its resurgence, its many forms and…

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Home -> 5785 -> Ki Savo

וענית ואמרת...אמרת לפני ה' אלקיך

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5785

Then you shall call out and say (26:5)…Then you shall say before Hashem, your G-d. (26:13)

Notably, the tenor of the declaration for the Bikkurim is much louder than the sound of the Viduy, confession which accompanies the Masser. Chazal (Sotah 32b) teach, “A person should say his own praise in a soft voice and that which is to his discredit in a loud voice.” Concerning the maaser, tithe, confession, when one declares that he acted appropriately, he speaks softly. Conversely, when one brings Bikkurim, when he details the hardships which the Jewish people have endured, he calls out loudly. Simply, this means that, when one is blessed with good fortune, he should be thankful, but…

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Home -> 5784 -> Ki Savo

ברוך אתה בבואך וברוך אתה בצאתך

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5784

Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. (28:6)

Chazal (Devarim Rabbah 7:5) interpret this pasuk as a guide to Jewish living. One should strive to leave this world (after 120) as pure and free of sin as when he entered this world as an infant. It is seemingly a tall order. Life is filled with challenges which can be viewed as impenetrable obstacles or as speedbumps which only slow us down. In any event, if one works at it, he can maintain the spiritual integrity of his life, thereby giving it meaning. The Ksav Sofer explains that this pasuk is based upon a well-known debate among the Tannaim,…

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Home -> 5784 -> Ki Savo

ברוך אתה בבאיך וברוך אתה בצאתך

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5784

Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. (28:6)

Chazal (Devarim Rabbah 7:5) explain that one should leave this world as free of sin as when he entered the world at birth. Rabbi Berachyah says, “Shlomo Hamelech says in Koheles (3:2), Eis laledes v’eis lamus, ‘There is a time to be born and a time to die.’ Do we not know this? Everyone is born and we will all one day leave this world. (What is Shlomo Hamelech teaching us?) Fortunate is he whose moment of death is like his moment of birth – innocent, pure of sin.” Is the sole purpose of man to leave this world as…

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Home -> 5784 -> Ki Savo

ושמעת בקול ד' אלקיך ועשית את מצותיו ואת חקיו

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5784

You shall listen to the Voice of Hashem, your G-d, and you shall perform all His commandments and decrees. (27:10)

The command to listen to Hashem’s mitzvos follows on the heels of Moshe Rabbeinu’s declaration, Ha’yom nihiyeisa l’am, “Today you became a people.” Today you have indicated that you have reached the level of maturity critical for becoming a nation. Now that you are a card-carrying member of Am Hashem, the nation of G-d, Hashem expects you to act appropriately for someone of this caliber. Sadly, we are influenced by the society in which we live, and we often view ourselves through the lens of the secular, immoral society which surrounds us. As a result, we become victim to the…

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Home -> 5784 -> Ki Savo

ולקחת מראשית פרי האדמה... והלכת אל המקום אשר יבחר ד' אלקיך שמו שם

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5784

And you shall take the first of every fruit of the ground… and go to the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose to make His Name rest there. (26:2)

The mitzvah of Bikkurim, offering the first fruits, is a mitzvah which teaches us the importance of hakoras hatov, recognizing and paying gratitude to Hashem, and, by extension, to everyone and anyone from whom we have benefited. Parashas Ki Savo, which commences with the laws of Bikkurim, begins with the concept of gratitude to Hashem for the wonderful crop we have been fortunate to yield. We most often read this parshah on the Shabbos preceding the last week of the year, as a portent that Tichleh shanah v’kilelosehah v’tacheil shanah u’birkosehah, “Let the past year with its curses come to…

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Home -> 5783 -> Ki Savo

ושמחת בכל הטוב... אתה והלוי

Sruly Schnair
In Ki Savo, 5783

You shall be glad with all the goodness… you and the Levi. (26:11)

When the Jew celebrates his good fortune, he must see to it that the Levi, who does not have a designated portion in Eretz Yisrael, is included. Rashi comments that the Levis’ dispensation concerning the Bikkurim, the first fruits, applies only as long as the Leviim do not plant produce in the designated Arei Ha’Leviim, cities set aside for the Leviim. If his plantings yield produce, he must take the first fruits and bring them to the Bais Hamikdash. Implied from this halachah is that, even though Shevet Levi was not enslaved in Egypt as were his brethren, he is…

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