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By Rabbi Tuvia Bolton, Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim, Kfar Chabad, Israel

The two portions of the Torah that we read this Shabbat together contain 36 interesting commandments such as the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, various monetary and property laws, the law of the Jewish slave and more.

But what really catches the eye are the list of 48 terrible curses and catastrophes in parshat Bechukotai, if the Jews transgress the Torah (26:14-40) which history has proven were not just empty threats.

But after the curses are over G-d promises redemption (via Moshiach):

“I will remember the covenant of Jacob and the covenant of Isaac and even the covenant of Abraham ….. and the Land of Israel I’ll also remember. Even when they are in the land of their enemies I will not despise or reject them to destroy them and invalidate my covenant with them because I am the Creator; their G-d. And I will remember the first covenant when I took them from Egypt before all the nations to be their G-d, I am G-d” (26: 42-45)

But between these curses and promises of Geula we see two very strange sentences.

“They (the Jews) will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers etc. .. And I will bring them into the land of their enemies, then their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and their sins will be forgiven.” (ibid 40,41)

This seems to make no sense.

If the Jews confess their sins why should G-d THEN take them to the land of their enemies? (A few sentences earlier it said they already were in the land of their enemies!)  And why does it say that only after their confession will their hearts be humbled? Usually confession comes AFTER humility and regret.

To understand this here is a story that occurred some 150 years ago in Poland.

Yankel’s magnificent carriage, pulled by four huge steeds, roared down the dirt road followed by a huge cloud of dust while Yankel, a rich, religious Jew, sat inside comfortably looking through the window at the Polish countryside sweeping by him, lit a fine long cigar and couldn’t help feeling superior.

He blew out a stream of smoke which disappeared out the slightly opened window and thought dreamily to himself, “Rich, influential, successful and humble. Thank G-d! Where can you find such a combination? The other rich Jews…. Why, they don’t even believe in G-d! Heh! But not me! Why, I’m on my way to Lezinsk! To the Rebbe!! I bet those Chassidim never saw a carriage like mine! But me, I could care less about what they think. That is humility!”

He leaned back to take another puff from his cigar when suddenly he noticed something outside. An old Jew dressed in raggedy clothes slowly dragging his way down the road side.
“Hey! Stop the carriage” he yelled as he pulled the string to ring the driver’s bell.

The driver stopped and in moments was bringing the wayfarer in. But when the old fellow was finally seated opposite him and the wagon resumed rolling Yankel saw to his amazement that he was mistaken. This Jew on was no old man. He was no more than in his early thirties possibly in his late twenties.

After a few words of conversation, he realized that the fellow was not crippled or ill or even crazy. That he was a simple bum!

“A good for nothing!” He thought to himself. “How could a young able-bodied fellow wear such rags? Had he no self-esteem!?  Here we have a lazy parasite that would rather take charity than work for a living.”

He considered stopping and throwing him out and maybe he should have because after a few moments of pregnant silence he couldn’t hold himself back and for the next two hours he poured out his anger on his guest with biting short epithets and cynical comments. Perhaps he could shock him into getting a job!

When they reached Lezinsk the poor man slinked out of the carriage, said a weak ‘thank you’ and disappeared into the crowded street, while Yankel ordered his driver to take him to a hotel to wash and prepare himself for his meeting with the great, holy Tzadik Rebbe Elimelech completely forgetting the episode with the pauper.

A half-hour later he arrived in the Synagogue and, being a big donor, immediately was escorted to the front of the line of Chassidim waiting for an audience with the holy Rabbi. But just as he arrived at the front the person already standing there, who probably didn’t see him, opened the door and entered.

Yankel was a bit angered but comforted himself saying, “In another few seconds I’ll be in.”

But ten minutes passed, a half hour, then an hour …. then two! Finally the door opened and Yankel almost fainted… it was the pauper he had cursed out just a few hours earlier. He apologized for taking so long and gave Yankel a strange look.

Suddenly Yankel felt ashamed and blurted out. “Listen, I’m sorry about how I treated you in the carriage and what I said, Okay?”

“No problem! I forgive you totally! Every word you said was correct.” the pauper answered and Yankel entered the Rebbe’s room.

His meeting with the Rebbe was short, he got the blessings and advice he asked for, gave a huge donation, left the room and in no time he was in his fine carriage on his way home.

But things weren’t the same.

When he went back to business and began buying and selling again he just couldn’t seem to think straight and make the right choices. Loss followed loss and within a few months he was a pauper himself. His creditors confiscated his home and all his belongings. His wife and family moved to her parent’s home and he, too embarrassed to live off his in-law’s mercy took to the road.

For months, then years he wandered aimlessly from town to town, sleeping in Synagogues and alleyways and, with no other choice, living off charity. He suffered from cold in the winter, heat in the summer and constant hunger and shame. He prayed that no one would recognize him and most of the time wished he had never been born. When would it end??

Then, after fifteen years of hell on earth, suddenly it all turned around. He found a large sum of money on a deserted road, bought himself a new suit, washed up, began to make investments again and regained his fortune. It was as though he had been asleep all this time.

But his days of poverty and suffering haunted him like a nightmare. It was obviously an act of G-d but what was the meaning of it all?

Then one day it dawned on him …….. he would go to Rebbe Elimelech of Lezinsk and ask for an explanation.

But when he got to Lezinsk he found that … the Rebbe had passed away just weeks earlier! He asked around for advice until someone suggested that he go to one of his past disciples Rebbe Dovid of Lelov.

So Yankel made his way to Lelov, got in line to see Reb Dovid and after two hours of waiting entered and closed the door behind him.

The room was deafeningly silent. The Rebbe looked up and asked. “Can I help you?” and when Yankel saw his face he almost fainted.

“It’s… it’s you!” He exclaimed.

“Yes”, the Rebbe answered “I’m the one you took in your carriage fifteen years ago! That is why you lost all your riches and suffered terribly till now.”

“Oy!! Because of how I shamed and insulted you back then!”

“Yes,” He answered. “And that is why I delayed in Rebbe Elimelech’s room for hours back then.

“When I entered before you, the Rebbe told me that it had been decreed in heaven that you should die. So we, Reb Elimelech and I, prayed and beseeched G-d for two hours to get your sentence rescinded. And we succeeded! Your sentence was changed from death to a life of poverty! So, you see, all that suffering was for your benefit…to save your life and to put true humility and joy in your soul.”

“But if so” Yankel asked, “Why did it stop? Why G-d give me back my riches?”

“Ahh!” answered Reb Dovid with a smile “Because, after all, you did give me a ride in your carriage. And, not only that but the purpose of your suffering was to humble you and I’m sure you’ll admit that your new riches now humble you more than the suffering did.

Now you realize that all you have, even your very life, is a gift from the Creator.”

This answers our question about the curses and regret.

The goal and purpose of the Jewish people is to make the entire world aware of the greatness, goodness and nearness of the Creator. But first they must feel this themselves… and this requires humility.

Therefore, the Torah here tells us that the Jews will be exiled AFTER they repent.

The Torah is saying that although Jews will repent when their Holy Temple will be destroyed, it will be insincere.

So G-d will give them a deeper exile in the land of their enemies so when the get the THIRD Temple they will find true humility. Just as happened to Yankel in our story when he regained his wealth.

But without G-d’s help and inspiration humility is impossible to attain! Only through the merit of the Forefathers can we truly open our hearts.

That is why the Torah continues, “I will remember the covenant of Jacob and the covenant of Issac etc.”

And all this will be set into motion by Moshiach.

Moshiach, whose arrival we have been waiting every moment for thousands of years, will arouse the Jewish identity from the forefathers to humble and arouse the Jews (and eventually all mankind) to make this world heaven on earth. True riches!!

And, as the Rebbe said repeatedly; this should happen at any moment. We are standing on the merits of thousands of years of Jewish service, hopes, prayers and suffering. It all depends on us!

One more good deed, word or even thought, can bring …….

Moshiach NOW!

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