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“And observe the words of this covenant.” (29:8)

Rashi explains that after forty years of travel in the desert, Klal Yisrael had attained a sublime level of dignity.  They perceived gadlus Ha’Boreh, the greatness of Hashem, and appreciated the boundless beneficence He had showered upon them. They realized that their remarkable military prowess, as well as their continued success and well-being could only be attributed to Hashem’s generosity. At this juncture, Hashem chose to make an agreement (covenant) with Klal Yisrael so that they would not forget all that transpired these forty years.  He wanted them to reflect upon their source of strength and not take personal credit…

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“You shall plant vineyards and dress them but you shall not drink of the wine… for the worm shall eat them. You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders but you shall not anoint yourself (with the) oil, for your olives shall drop off.” (28:39,40)

These pesukim which represent the tochechah, curses, present a question. The curses concerning the wine/grapes and those relating to the olives/oil are distinct. Regarding the wine, the Torah states that the grapes will be ruined and therefore there will be no wine. Regarding the olives, on the other hand, the Torah apparently states that we will have olives, but we will not be able to use their oil.  Consequently, it would seem that the curse regarding the wine/grapes was greater than that of the oil/olives. This concept, however, is inconsistent with Rabbi Yochanan’s statement in the Talmud, Bava Basra 8…

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“Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.” (28:3)

The Midrash adds to this pasuk. “In the merit of the mitzvos that you perform in the city you will be blessed therein; and in the merit of the mitzvos which you perform in the field, you will be blessed in the field.” What is this message and what are the mitzvos of the city and the field? Horav Mordechai Rogov z.l. interprets this Midrash homiletically. The city is an analogy for rest and solitude, peace and tranquility. It alludes to life in a structured, secure environment. The field, on the other hand, represents a place fraught with danger and…

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“And you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground… and you shall speak up and say before Hashem your G-d… When you make an end of the tithing of all the tithe… and you shall give unto the Levi, the ger, the orphan and the widow. And you should say before Hashem your G-d.” (26:12,13,25)

The parsha refers to two mitzvos which applied only when Klal Yisrael occupied Eretz Yisrael. They are the mitzvos of bikurim, the bringing of the first fruits, and maaser, the giving of tithes to the Levi, the widow and the orphan. Another tithe was maaser sheni, which was brought to Yerushalayim to be eaten among family and friends in joyful celebration. The fulfillment of each of these mitzvos was accompanied by a tefillah, prayer. One was known as mikra bikurim, the reading of pesukim of thanksgiving for the first fruits; the other was known as viduy maaser, the confession of…

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“And the Egyptians dealt ill with us and afflicted us.” (26:6)

Most commentators translate the word osanu as lanu, to/with us, referring to the harsh treatment to which we were subjected at the hands of the Egyptians.  Horav Mordechai Gifter, Shlita, suggests that the literal meaning is a more propitious definition. When the Egyptian leadership sought to enslave and ultimately destroy the Jewish people, they realized it would be difficult to convince the average Egyptian citizen to participate in this blatant anti- semitism.  They understood that first they must perform a successful campaign of vicious character assassination against the Jewish people. This negative propaganda would veil their virulent hatred of the…

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