Torah Sparks

Raising the Torah: Parashat Ki Tavo

by Rabbi David Greenstein
Sparks Ki Tavo 2016
Parashat Ki Tavo
Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8
The Torah tells us more than once that its ways are ways of blessing, while abandoning the Torah means choosing the opposite. In our portion we read of a dramatic performance meant to give this message theatrical vividness.
Moses tells us that, after we enter the land of Israel, we should gather the people and split them up into two sections, to stand on two facing mountains, . one half on Mount Gerizim and one half on Mount Ebal. The priests and Levites are to stand in the valley, between them and call out blessings and curses.

The list includes moral infractions that usually happen in secret, and thus cannot be controlled by society. So this public ritual compels every person to solemnly promise to abide by these rules, to be blessed if they follow them and cursed if they do not.

The last of the list is an all-inclusive one. The curse reads: “’Cursed be the one who does not hold up all the words of this Torah, to fulfill them.’ And the entire people shall answer ‘Amen!’” (Deut. 27:26) Our Rabbis asked: “What can it mean to not hold up the Torah? Is there sucha thing as a fallen Torah?” They took the image – clearly meant as a spiritual and moral metaphor – literally. In a sense they were simply following the lesson of this dramatic ritual, which, itself, puts the concepts of blessing and curse into a concrete action.

But that assembly of Israel on facing mountains is not a continuous ritual to be observed over the generations. Is there a carryover of it for us, today? Nachmanides, the great medieval rabbinic sage, says that there is! He explains that this verse is the basis for our custom to “hold up high” the Torah scroll after we complete our public reading from it. This is called “hagbahah – lifting up.” We literally hold the words of the Torah aloft so that everyone in the room can see that the scroll is filled with words of Torah. Even today we feel a little surge of electricity as the Torah is hefted upward and spread out for us. At that moment we celebrate our mystical combination of seemingly childish literal-mindedness with our mature and considered commitment – to keep upholding the Torah so as to fulfill her words and values. And, in doing this literal/symbolic action, the Torah promises that we are vouchsafed a blessing.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi David Greenstein

 


Subscribe to Rabbi Greenstein’s weekly d’var Torah

image:  “Rabbi Jay holds the Torah“ © Josh Evnin adapted and used with permission via Creative Commons License.

  • Rabbi David Greenstein

    Rabbi David Greenstein arrived at Shomrei Emunah in August 2009 with a rich, broad and deep background as a rabbi, cantor, artist, scholar, and teacher. Being Shomrei’s rabbi, he says, allows him to draw on all of these passions, as well as his lifelong commitment to building Jewish communities.

    View all posts