*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Donate
Buy in Paperback or Kindle
Buy on Apple Books
Purchase on our website
Sign up for Daily Distribution
Chamishi
- The blessings and curses on Har Gerizim and Har Eival:
- The tribes on Har Gerizim for blessing: Moshe commanded the Jewish people that day saying: After passing the Yarden, on the side of blessing on Har Gerizim will stand Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Yissachar, Yosef and Binyamin.
- The tribes on Har Eival for curses: On the side of curse on Har Eival will stand Reuvein, Gad, Asher, Zevulun, Dan, Naftali.
- The Levites are to stand and proclaim to the Jewish people in a loud voice, the following:
- The curses:
- Cursed is the man who makes idols. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who degrades his parents. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who moves back the boundary of his friend’s property. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who fools the blind. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who perverts the judgement of an orphan or widow in a court case. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father’s wife. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who sleeps with an animal. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother in-law. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who discreetly hits his friend. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who takes money to kill the innocent. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- Cursed is the man who does not fulfil the Torah. The entire nation is to answer Amen.
- The blessings
- If you listen and follow all of Hashem’s commands He will elevate you from amongst all the nations of the world and you will receive all the following blessings:
- You will be blessed in the city and field.
- Your children and animals and land will be blessed.
- Your fruits and dry goods will be blessed.
- You will be blessed when you enter and when you leave.
Parsha Bee – Devarim 27:11–26 & 28:1–6 (Rashi)
- How many tribes stood on Mount Gerizim?
Answer: Six tribes. - How many tribes stood on Mount Ebal?
Answer: Six tribes. - Which tribes stood on Mount Gerizim?
Answer: Shimon, Levi, Yehudah, Yissachar, Yosef, and Binyamin. - Which tribes stood on Mount Ebal?
Answer: Reuven, Gad, Asher, Zevulun, Dan, and Naftali. - Where did the Kohanim, Leviim, and the Aron stand?
Answer: In the valley between the two mountains. - Toward which mountain did the Leviim face when giving the blessings?
Answer: Mount Gerizim. - Toward which mountain did the Leviim face when giving the curses?
Answer: Mount Ebal. - How did all the tribes respond to each blessing and curse?
Answer: Amen. - What was the first blessing and curse about?
Answer: Making a graven or molten image. - What does “one who degrades his father and mother” mean?
Answer: Treating them with disrespect. - What does moving a neighbor’s landmark mean?
Answer: Shifting the boundary to steal land. - What does “misguiding a blind person” mean according to Rashi?
Answer: Giving bad advice to someone who is ignorant about a matter. - Which vulnerable groups are mentioned in the curse about perverting justice?
Answer: The stranger, orphan, and widow. - What sin is described by “lying with his father’s wife”?
Answer: An immoral relationship with one’s stepmother. - What is cursed in verse 21?
Answer: Bestiality. - What relationship is forbidden in verse 22?
Answer: Relations with one’s sister. - What relationship is forbidden in verse 23?
Answer: Relations with one’s mother-in-law. - What does it mean to strike one’s fellow in secret?
Answer: Slander. - How many curses does Rabbi Moshe Hadarshan count in this section?
Answer: Eleven. - Why are there eleven curses instead of twelve?
Answer: Because Moshe neither specifically blessed nor cursed the tribe of Shimon. - What is cursed in verse 25?
Answer: Taking a bribe to kill an innocent person. - What does the final curse include?
Answer: The entire Torah. - What did the people accept upon themselves through the final curse?
Answer: The whole Torah with a curse and an oath. - What condition introduces all the blessings of Chapter 28?
Answer: Obeying Hashem and keeping His commandments. - What reward is promised in verse 1?
Answer: Israel will be placed above all the nations. - What will happen to the blessings if Israel obeys Hashem?
Answer: They will come upon them and cleave to them. - What does “the offspring of your cattle” (שגר אלפיך) mean?
Answer: The young animals born from cattle. - Why are sheep called עשתרות according to the Rabbis?
Answer: Because they enrich their owners. - What does “Blessed will be your basket” refer to?
Answer: Fruits (or liquids strained through baskets). - What does “your kneading bowl” refer to according to Rashi’s second explanation?
Answer: Dry goods that remain in the container. - What does “Blessed will you be when you come, and blessed will you be when you depart” mean?
Answer: Just as you entered the world free of sin, so should you leave it free of sin.
Bonus: Which curse does Rashi interpret as referring to lashon hara (slander)?
Answer: “Cursed be he who strikes his fellow in secret.”