A good portion of this week’s Sedra is dedicated to the Covenant of Blessing and Curse (chalila) that Hashem makes with Klal-Yisroel. At the end of this two sided pact the Torah states “אלה דברי הברית… מלבד הברית אשר כרת… בהר חורב” (in essence: this is the Covenant that Hashem made with Am-Yisroel, aside from the Covenant that He made with the People at Har Horeb [Sinai]). As there wasn’t any apparent covenant that Hashem had made with us at Har-Sinai Rashi explains that this is referring to the Bris of Blessing and Curse that is mentioned in Parshas Bechukosai.

Klal-Yisroel received a Bris of Brachos and Klalos twice. In our Sedra the Torah clearly says that these two pacts are separate and independent from one another – as the Passuk states: “aside from the Bris that was made at Har Horeb”. What is it that makes each Bris a separate Covenant? Is it that Hashem just made a Bris with us twice or is there something inherently different between the two convents?

In Parshas Bechukosai there is a constant theme in the Klalos. The Torah mentions again and again the term קרי. This term comes from the word mikreh – haphazard or inconsistent. It would appear that the thrust of the curse in Bechukosai is that if we have an unsteady and inconsistent relationship with Hashem then Hashem will likewise remove His consistent relationship with us and allow for bad to befall us. In our Sedra this theme is utterly omitted. In our Sedra it would seem that the curse is more a punishment for Klal-Yisroel if Klal-Yisroel ever leaves Hashem entirely.

While each Bris is a separate pact, it would seem impossible that both Klalos could befall Am-Yisroel at the same time. Should Klal-Yisroel only partially left Hashem by becoming unsteady in its relationship with Hashem, it would then Chalila get the first Klala (of Bechukosai). Should it entirely leave Hashem it would then Chalila get the Klala described in our Parsha.

If, however, Klal-Yisroel is Oseh Retzono (fulfills Hashem’s Will) and is steady in its relationship with Hashem, it will then get the Brachos of both pacts.

Chazal tell us that we read Ki-Savo every year before Rosh-Hashana so as to say “let this year be the end of all bad and next year should contain only Bracha”.

May all the bad and evil of last year cancel out any bad that we deserve, and may we merit that this forthcoming year should be a year of double Bracha.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski