This portion of the Torah, Deuteronomy, gives the Israelites detailed instructions before they enter the Promised Land. It outlines what happens when people defy God’s commandments. The punishment for disobedience is swift, certain, and, most importantly, to be feared.
The promise of a new era
Moses gathered the Israelites to enter the Promised Land and gave them these instructions. It’s time for them to renew the covenant their parents made with God at Mount Sinai. It will serve as a reminder as to the duties they have to serve God and the rewards they’ll receive for doing so. The covenant is seen as a mutual pledge; if they pledge their loyalty to God, He will reward them with favoritism.
What God will give you for obedience
It was clear to the people that if they obeyed God, they would get quite a bit in return. The Israelites are promised prosperity in many different forms. They’ll be prosperous with their crops, farm animals, and even with their offspring.
If they’re willing to obey God, they’ll also be guaranteed victory over their enemies. This is a big deal because it seemed like people were always fighting back in the day. Actually, not much has changed since then, especially in this region of the world.
They’ll also receive respect from other nations. If all that wasn’t enough, God will establish them as His Holy people. A standing in which anyone can understand why it would be so important.
The curses dished out for disobedience
You can’t expect God to sit around and do nothing when his people disobey him. That’s where the curses come into play. It’s clear that if God’s angry, no one is going to be happy.
Diseases and plagues were one of the ways that God said he would punish those who disobey. Being defeated by your enemies is another way He will punish you. Just when you think things can’t get any worse, He can also destroy your cops. And, if all else fails, and you’re still standing, He can excite you and scatter you amongst the other nations.
All of these curses happened, and the people of the time were well aware of them. That’s what drove them to obey, but as human nature would be as it is, not everyone would. Hence, the reasons for God lashing out the way He did.
The ceremony of blessings and curses
A surprising aspect of Ki Tavo is the description of a ceremony to be performed once the Israelites enter the Promised Land. The tribes are to be divided between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The Levites are instructed to proclaim blessings from Mount Gerizim and curses from Mount Ebal. After each of the blessings or curses, the people are to respond with "Amen."
Ceremony of the first fruits
The Israelites are commanded to bring the first of their harvest to the central Sanctuary. After they do so, they must recite a declaration acknowledging God's role in bringing them to the Promised Land. After all that, they must show gratitude to God for the thankfulness of his blessings.
Wishing you a wonderful and sacred day!
See you in my next update,
Tohar Liani