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BEGIN WITH A GRIN

Doctor: Is anyone in your family suffering from mental illness?

Patient: No, we actually all enjoy it very much.

LET THEM SUFFER (NOT US)

Chassidus finds the point of light in every situation of darkness, and the positive in every negative situation. It’s not surprising that the Chassidic perspective on negative matters in a positive way also extends to Parshas Ki Savo. It’s well known that this week, we read the Tochacha (rebuke) every year – 98 terrible and awesome curses about what befalls those who… The Torah devotes more than fifty verses to the Tochacha, and for anyone who reads them, even with the most simple interpretation, without any study of Medrashim or the words of our Sages, their hair will stand on end from fear and terror.

But Chassidus has a different view of these verses. There are two general explanations about the inner essence of the Tochacha – the first is better known, the second less so. We’ll briefly present both:

First explanation: they are only blessings!

The Alter Rebbe says in his work Likkutei Torah: “According to the truth, they are only blessings!” These are the most sublime blessings, coming to express the greatness of G-d’s love for the Jewish people. But in order that the evil eye should not have any power over these blessings, they are written as “hidden kindnesses,” concealed from the eye (and from people’s simple understanding). But in truth and on an inner level, these verses are “only blessings!”

Second explanation: They apply to our enemies!

The second explanation (less well-known) comes from the Tzemach Tzedek, grandson of the Alter Rebbe. According to him, the curses are interpreted literally – terrible and awesome curses. If so, then what is so positive and good about them?

The good is that these verses were not said about the Jewish people – they were said about the forces of impurity and the kelipa! This is what will happen to them, not to us, G-d forbid!

A simple biblical source to prove the Tzemach Tzedek’s words is brought by the Rebbe from an explicit verse in next week’s parsha, Parshas Nitzavim: “And Hashem your G-d will put all these curses upon your enemies and upon those who hate you, who pursued you” (Nitzavim 30:7). What does the Torah mean by the words “all these curses”? Which curses is it referring to? To the curses mentioned in our portion, Parshas Ki Savo. The Torah did not intend for these curses to fall (G-d forbid) upon the heads of the Jewish people. Rather the opposite – the Torah’s intention was that if the Jewish people behaved properly, then these curses, interpreted literally, would fall upon the enemies of the Jewish people and their haters.

So which explanation of the two is more acceptable and correct?

The answer: Both!

The Rebbe explains that both explanations complement each other, to such an extent that one explanation causes and brings about the fulfillment of the other. As an example, the Rebbe brings the two Chassidic approaches in Tanya for “dealing with evil” as it exists within us. The first way is iskafia – subduing evil and enslaving it to good. The second way is is’hapcha – transforming evil into good. Which way is correct? How should a person behave?

The answer: Both! First of all, a person must subdue evil and enslave it to good. Afterward, when the person rises in levels of holiness and purity, they reach a spiritual state where they can (also) transform evil into good.

This method of operation also applies to both explanations regarding the verses of rebuke in our portion. Both explanations are correct, and they complement each other. The Tzemach Tzedek’s explanation is the introduction, and it brings about and causes the Alter Rebbe’s explanation.

First, we must follow the Tzemach Tzedek’s path and interpret the rebuke verses literally. Indeed, these are terrible and awesome curses, but they will befall the forces of impurity and kelipa, the enemies and haters of the Jewish people (not us, G-d forbid). Unfortunately, in the last generation, and especially in recent times, there’s no lack of people or organizations who deserve to receive all these curses literally!

But then comes the second stage, together with the second explanation and the second perspective, which transforms all these negative verses into positive ones. At this stage, the curses become blessings – and not just any blessings, but the most sublime blessings, including expressions of very deep affection and love.

BLESS YOU

Based on this, the Rebbe explains something wonderful and simple that, due to its simplicity, is often overlooked. The verses of ‘rebuke’ are written twice in the Torah – the first time in Parshas Bechukosai and the second time in our parsha. Interestingly, both times, the verses of Tochacha were written specifically in the most important aliyos.

In Parshas Bechukosai they are written in the third aliya which is the most important aliya according to Nigleh of Torah, the Gemara and Shulchan Aruch. In Parshas Ki Savo, the rebuke is written in the sixth aliya which is the most important aliya according to the Nistar of Torah and Chassidus.

Why write such bad and negative things in such important and honored aliyos?

The reason is simple – this is the Torah’s way of hinting to us that sublime matters are hidden in these verses, deep matters that require attention.

And as always, the connection to Geula lies in the conclusion of the rebuke. Just as Geula comes at the end of exile, so too the Torah hints to us that Geula is alluded to at the end of the rebuke. Where?

In the last verse of the Tochacha it says: “And G-d will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, you shall see it no more; and there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you” (Ki Savo 28:68).

After a long sicha explaining Rashi’s commentary on this verse in the simple meaning, the Rebbe continued to explain the “wine of Torah” learned from this difficult verse:

“And G-d will bring you back to Egypt” – The reason a Jew descends “to Egypt,” to this world, to the final exile, and to all the negative things around us is – “and will bring you back” – so that the Jew will reach the level of teshuva. The level of teshuva is so sublime that the main work of Moshiach will be “to bring the righteous to repentance,” to bring even the righteous who never sinned to return in teshuva.

And what do we do “in Egypt”? What does a Jew want when he is in “Egypt” – in this exile? “And there you shall sell yourselves… as male and female slaves” – and Rashi explained: “You seek to be sold.” A Jew wants to be a servant to G-d. The Jew gives himself over to serve his Master with complete acceptance of the yoke. And then?

“And no one will buy” – Rashi explains “for they will decree upon you killing and destruction.” Sounds awful, doesn’t it?

The Rebbe explains that the meaning of “killing and destruction” is that the Jew, on his part, finds himself in such a sublime spiritual state, to the point of kelos hanefesh (expiration of the soul). His union with G-d is at the highest level, to such an extent that he loses his personal existence – he is completely “killed” and “destroyed,” and becomes one existence with the Creator.

In the same way, the Rebbe explains, one should read the words “and no one will buy” (ein koneh) – the divine “nothingness” (ein or ayin) “acquires” (koneh) the Jew’s existence, because it becomes part of Him.

And this is the work of Moshiach – to bring even the righteous who never sinned to this complete unity with G-d.

TO CONCLUDE WITH A STORY

This coming motzoei Shabbos we begin saying Selichos for the new year. The following story describes how saying Selichos can cause an entire street to “return home.”

Every Thursday night during the month of Elul, a special minyan takes place for Selichos at the Kosel, according to the Yemenite custom. The founder of the minyan was Rabbi Shlomo Siani a’h. His son, Aryeh Siani, tells the story:

“Once I happened to attend a funeral in Kfar Saba. A man with a religious appearance approached me, hugged me and said: ‘Thanks to you, this entire street has drawn closer to its roots.’ I was very surprised – I live and work in Yerushalayim, I never lived in Kfar Saba, and I don’t know the local residents at all. That man, seeing my surprise, began to tell his story.

“One night during the month of Elul he happened to visit the Kosel for an ordinary visit. Suddenly he heard the echoing sounds of shofars together with the recitation of the thirteen attributes of mercy (as is customary among Eastern communities). He drew closer and closer, and saw hundreds of worshipers during the recitation of Selichos. He felt a stab in his heart, a shock of ‘Where are you?’… and he decided to take action.

“He told his friends in the neighborhood about it, and the following week, on Thursday night, he dragged all of them to the Kosel for Selichos. Needless to say, one mitzva leads to another, and today they are Torah and mitzva observant. ‘And the Lord will bring you back’ through Selichos.”

Good Shabbos!

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