B'chukotai

Leviticus 26:3-27:34

Dvar Torah by Robert Tornberg, RJE, for ReformJudasim.org

Reflection in Multiple Ways

Parashat B'chukotai is the final Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus. Here we have learned, perhaps more than we ever wanted to know about the statutes, rules, and details of the work of the kohanim, the priests, and the sacrificial system. In the midst of all this we were also presented with a whole series of inspiring laws in Parashat K'doshim about how we can bring a measure of holiness into our daily lives as we interact with others. In fact, the focus of the much of the Book of Leviticus is considered by commentators and scholars to be "holiness."

This week's portion seems qualitatively different than the rest of the book and is divided into two sections, basically by the two chapters. The first section (Leviticus 26:3-46) contains a series of blessings and curses, and is considered to be an epilogue to all of Leviticus. The second section, chapter 27, appears to be somewhat of an afterthought containing supplementary laws about vows, gifts, and dues that seem to have been left out previously. In our examination today, we will focus on the epilogue.

The parashah opens with the following words: "If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments, I will grant your rains in their season, so that the earth shall yield its produce ..." (26:3-4). After being told that the Land will be fruitful if we obey God's commandments, we further learn in the next 8 verses that there will be peace in the Land, we will be victorious over enemies outside the Land, we will be fertile and multiply, and the Divine Presence will dwell in our midst.

Following this picture of prosperity and tranquility, we read, "But if you do not obey Me and do not observe all these commandments ...and you break My covenant, I in turn will do this to you..." (26:14-16). The section continues with 5 subsections of curses that parallel the blessings. The difference, however, is that the curses are described in much greater detail and take up a total of 30 verses (26:14-43) compared with the total eleven verses (26:3-13) of blessings. The penultimate verse in this chapter raises the specter of hope as God promises to " ...remember in their favor the covenant with the ancients, whom I freed from the land of Egypt ... " (26:45). The final verse in this chapter teaches clearly that all of the laws in Torah – including Leviticus – were given at Sinai (26:46).

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