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Parshas Ki Savo

Pesukim: 122 [Siman:לעבדיו]

Haftorah: Yeshayahu 60:1-22

 Rishon

1. Bikurim:

• When you enter Eretz Yisrael and settle in the land, you shall take all the first fruits of the land in a basket to the area that Hashem chose to dwell [i.e. Jerusalem] and bring it to the Kohen. The Kohen is to take the basket and place it before the altar of Hashem.
• The declaration of the pilgrim: He is to declare before the Kohen “An Aramean would have destroyed my father and we descended to Egypt few in number and then became a great nation. The Egyptians enslaved our ancestors and afflicted us with hard labor. We screamed to Hashem our G-d and Hashem saw our suffering and heard our screams. He took us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, with miracles and wonders and brought us to this land, a land of milk and honey. Now, I have brought the first fruits of the land which Hashem has given me.” You shall place it before Hashem and bow to Him. You shall rejoice with all the good that Hashem has granted you, you and the Levite and convert amongst you.

Sheiyni

2. Mitzvas Viduiy Maaser-Confessing the Maaser tithing:
   • When you complete the tithing of all your produce in the third year of Maaser, you are to distribute [the tithes] to the convert, the orphan and widow, and they are to eat and be satiated. You shall confess before Hashem and say “I have removed the Maasros from the home and distributed it to the Levi, convert, orphan and widow, just as you commanded me. I have not transgressed your command and have not forgotten. I have not eaten it in a state of Aninus or impurity. I have listened to the word of Hashem and did all that He commanded. Gaze down from your Holy abode, from heaven, and bless Israel and the promised land that you have given us.”

Shelishi

3. Moshe encourages Bnei Yisrael to follow the Mitzvos:
   • On this day, Hashem has commanded you to perform all of his commands, and you are to guard it with all your heart and soul. You have chosen Hashem today as a G-d for you and Hashem has distinguished you from amongst all the other nations, to follow his Mitzvos and to make you highest above all the other nations, a Holy people.

Revi’i

4. Instructions to write the Torah on stones and build an altar of stone:

• Moshe and the elders of the Jewish people commanded the nation to guard the Mitzvos. On the day that you pass the Jordan to the promised land, you are to set up large stones [by the Jordan] and cover them with plaster and write the entire Torah on them. [A second set of] stones are to be erected by Mount Eival. You are to build there an altar for Hashem. The altar is to be built of whole stones and is to be used for sacrifices. Iron is not to be used to hew the stones. You are to offer sacrifices there and rejoice there before Hashem your G-d. You are to write on the stones the entire Torah, well clarified.

Chamishi

5. 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:

6. 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.

7. 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.

Shishi

• Your enemies will flee from you. They will approach you on one road and flee in seven directions.
• Hashem will bless the storehouses and all your actions.
• All the nations will see that the name of G-d hovers over you and they will fear you.
• The heavens will give rain at their proper time.
• You will lend the nations and will not need to borrow from them.
• Hashem will place you at the head and not the tail, and you will be only on top and not on bottom.

8. The curses:

• If you do not listen to Hashem and his Torah, all the following curses will befall you:
• You will be cursed in the city and field.
• Your fruits and dry goods will be cursed.
• Your children and animals and land will be cursed.
• You will be cursed when you enter and when you leave.
• You will be stricken with curse in everything you do until you are destroyed.
• You will be stricken with disease until you are destroyed.
• You will be stricken with fever and illness until you are destroyed.
• The heavens will be like copper and the earth like iron.
• The heavens will rain dust and ash until you are destroyed.
• You will flee from your enemies in seven different directions.
• Your corpses will be food for the birds and animals.
• You will be stricken with Egyptian boils and hemorrhoids that cannot be healed.
• You will be stricken with insanity.
• You will be like a blind man who can’t see and nothing you do will be successful.
• You will be robbed and swindled without anyone to help you.
• You will marry, and another man will take your wife.
• You will build a house and vineyard and another man will live there.
• Your cattle will be taken by the enemy.
• Your children will be taken captives by other nations.
• Other nations will capture all your work and use it.
• You will go insane from witnessing all this.
• You will be struck with boils throughout your entire body.
• You will be taken captives by other nations and serve idolatry there.
• You will be a mockery amongst all the nations.
• Locusts will eat your produce.
• Worms will eat your vineyard.
• Your olives will fail to produce oil.
• Your children will not be yours as they will be taken captive.
• Your trees and produce will be inherited by locusts.
• The nations will be elevated, and you will be demoted.
• You will borrow from them and they will not borrow from you.
• You will be a tail and they will be a head.
• You will receive all these curses until you are destroyed.
• This is all coming upon you due to the fact that you did not serve Hashem with joy of all the abundance that you have.
• You will work hard for your enemy.
• Hashem will bring upon you a foreign nation who has no mercy.
• They will take all your crops and belongings.
• Your fortresses will be taken down.
• You will eat the flesh of your children.
• The pampered amongst you will have to do the most gross of acts.
• You will be stricken with other illnesses and tragedies not written in this book.
• You will remain very few instead of the many that you once were, being you did not listen to Hashem. Just as Hashem rejoiced by doing good to you, so too He will rejoice to destroy you.
• You will be scattered across the earth and serve other gods. You will not be tranquil there. In the morning you will say, “If only it was the night before” and in the evening you will say “If only it was the morning.”
• You will be returned to Egypt on ships and sold as slaves, but no one will buy you.
• These are the words of the covenant that Hashem commanded Moshe to make with the Jewish people, aside for the covenant that was made in Chorev.

Shevi’i

9. Moshe recounts the miracles witnessed by Bnei Yisrael:

• Moshe called to the Jewish people and said to them “You have seen all that Hashem has done to Egypt, and to Pharaoh, his servants and all his land. You saw all the great miracles and wonders. You have not been given by G-d a heart to know and an eye to see and an ear to hear until this day. You have traveled the desert for 40 years and saw that your clothing and shoes did not get worn out. You did not eat bread, and wine and beer you did not drink, [and rather you lived off the Mun].
• Sichon the king of Cheshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came against us in war and we smote them. We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to Reuvein, Gad, and half of Menasheh. You are to guard this covenant in order so you will succeed in all that you do.