Ki Savo

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Savo . The Haftorah for this week is from Yeshayahu Isaiah 60:1-22 and is the next Haftorah from Isaiah of consolation that comes in the row of Parsha Haftorahs after Tisha B' Av .
This Parsha starts by telling us of the Bikkurim First Fruits that we are to bring to Yerushalaim to the Beis Ha Mikdash and give them to the Kohein . Our Rabbis refer to these fruits being of the Seven Species that Israel is Blessed with , being wheat , barley,pomegranates,grapes , figs , dates , and olives . These were to be brought in a beautiful procession with others from the same city at a time , to be brought to the Kohanim and the verses stated in Torah in this Parsha Devarim 26:3-10 ( Mishna Bikkurim 3:6 ) to be recited in the original Hebrew in front of the Kohein . The one's bringing the Bikkurim would also stay overnight in Yerushalaim , taking in the Holiness of Yerushalaim , the Temple and the Avodah of the Kohanim in and around the Temple . This Mitzvah of taking the First Fruits , was given as we were about to enter the Land , so we could be reminded that The Land and All Things , do not belong to us , but that HaShem Who Created All things , is the World's and Creation's True Owner . As soon as the First Fruits ripened , the farmer was to tie a red band around it and declare it Bikkurim . How beautiful is the love for HaShem , by our people , who , having waited so long to come home , keep HaShem's Commandment to give Him the First Fruits before partaking of it themselves . From the moment we were to enter the Land , we were to acknowledge HaShem , Whose Gift this Land and Creation was and is .
The Jews and Israel are like one . HaShem Commanded us to Keep His Laws in Eretz Yisroel and that this Land is a Land where HaShem's Laws must be kept .
Also from the moment we entered the Land of Israel , from travelling in the Wilderness , we were to make a new commitment to HaShem that we would Keep His Torah . HaShem Commanded that as soon as we go over the Jordan River , we were to set up twelve huge stones on which HaShem's Torah would be inscribed . It was to be plastered and thus could be visible to all , entering The Land , that this is to be a Land of HaShem and His Torah and that anyone who doesn't respect that , is not to be there . Thus even the Gentiles were to be able to glean truth from Torah and know that it is to be a Land where HaShem is to be respected , and followed completely , not denying that HaShem is to be followed everywhere . Thus like in Mashiach's time , all are to abide by the Laws of HaShem .
On entering the Land of Israel , the Children of Israel , were also to perform a certain Mitzvah . They , by Tribes , were to stand , six on each of two Mountains , on Mount Gerizim were to stand Simeon , Levi , Yehudah , Yissaschar and Yosef and Binyamin and on Mount Eival , Reuvein , Gad , Asher , Zevulun , Dan and Naphtali opposite them on the other mountain ( divided to a large extent by each Tribe's Fore Mother , wives of Yaakov ) , with the Kohanim and elders in between , down in the valley , and the Kohanim were to call out the words mentioned here in this Parsha , first as a Blessing with each one and then as a curse with each one and an answer of Amein would be given , for the blessings , toward Mount Gerizim and for the curses , toward Mount Eival . So from the moment that we were to enter Eretz Yisroel, we were to renew our covenant with HaShem .Gemorrah Sotah goes into great detail of how the Ceremony was performed . We notice as Chazal say that each of these stated here to be said , ' Amein ' to , were all Aveirahs , that one generally commits in private . HaShem Knows All .
HaShem Then Through Moshe Tells of the Blessings and Curses that will come to us or befall us if we stray from HaShem and His Commandments . First is mentioned the Brochas , the Blessings if we are obedient to HaShem , and then , with full force , HaShem Has Mention Made , of the Tochachah , the Admonition and the Curses that will come upon us for disobedience , getting stronger and stronger , the less we obey and the more we turn away , Chas Ve Shalom , from HaShem and His Commandments . These Tochachah are very strong , how sad that we need them to be so strong , for HaShem Gives us a World and all we need to do is Keep It as HaShem Tells us to . The Tochachah here , was said by Moshe , and Ramban says these Admonitions refer to the sad period of the Second Beis Ha Mikdash and its destruction and our present Galus Exile , while the first Admonition in Leviticus 26 , Ramban tells us , referred to the period up to the destruction of the First Beis Ha Mikdash and our entry into Bavel . No matter how harsh these Curses sound , if only we keep HaShem's Commandments , these Curses will turn around and become Blessings , the opposite of what is said as a curse . The same is with the acknowledgements made on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival . But even punishment fom HaShem , is for our benefit and improvement and a way for us to enter Gan Eiden purified and changed into a more Holy and Torah Following person .
Moshe ends the Parsha reminding us of HaShem's Miracles in egypt , our passage in the Wilderness for forty years and how our garments didn't wear out nor our shoes . How HaShem Fed us on His Sweet Tray of Dew , the Mannah and how HaShem Helped us smite powerful enemies like Sichon and Og and How HaShem Gave us their land , which was given to the Tribes of Reuvein , Gad and half the Tribe of Manasseh . Moshe ends the Parsha telling us that we " shall observe the words of this covenant , so that we will succeed in all that we do . " So ends the Parsha .
This Parsha is called " Ki Savo , " - " which means " When you Enter ( when you go in ) . " Last week's Parsha was " Ki Seitzei , " which means " When you go out . " So these two Parshas are related , as the whole of the Torah relates to every other part . We notice that when we " Ki Seitzei " - " Go out " from HaShem's Commandments and Protection , we face War and Strife and Curses . But when we " Ki Savo , " - " Come in or enter into " HaShem's Commandments and Torah , we receive beautiful reward and a Land Flowing with Milk and Honey which also refers to Torah in the Land . We receive abundant Brochas Blessings . The whole Parsha of " Ki Savo " that we read this Shabbos has this one continuing theme , of there being two choices always presented to us , of following and keeping HaShem's Torah and Commandments and receiving Blessing , or turning away from HaShem's Commandments and Torah , and being Punished and Cursed . We see this in the past Sedra too and in this one .
We see it in the Ceremony of the two Mountains of Gerizim and Eival and we see it also in the Brochas and Tochachas - the Blessings and Admonitions . So the message is all too clear . HaShem , Since the beginning of time , Has Presented us with two choices . Listen to Him and be Blessed . Or disobey Him , Chas Ve Shalom and the opposite will occur . So the solution to all things , is to Listen to HaShem - Pure and Simple . We have this choice in every day that we live . As we approach Rosh HaShanah , which is the day HaShem Created Man , now is a very good time to look toward Heaven and make the positive right choices and choose HaShem and His Torah . Our Rabbis teach us of the sounds and shape of the Shofar that we blow on Rosh HaShanah and also during the month of Elul , just before Tishrei . Our Shofarim that sound the Tekiah , Teruah and Shevarim sounds , are meant to sound like crying and pleading for HaShem's Love and Mercy . How can we possibly ignore that . Rosh Ha Shanah is a Beautiful time , when HaShem Is Closest to us ( on the day When HaShem Created man ) , to Appeal to Him and Make the Decision from that moment on , to follow Him wholeheartedly . As the Shofar is to be bent and not straight , so must we be bent and humble and conciliatory in pleading for HaShem's Forgiveness and Closeness , and thus make the decision here and now that from now on , we will follow HaShem and His Torah and Commandments Only . Every day , we can come close to HaShem and follow His Torah . We should at all times choose the right way . In fact , in every moment that we breathe , this choice is presented to us . HaShem Doesn't Want us to stray . It is us that does stray , when we go against HaShem . Deep down , no one really logically wants to stray from HaShem . It is irrational and not at all logical . We know there is no future in going our own wrong way . We know that HaShem Created all things . So it is so logical for us to choose correctly to follow HaShem . So why do we sometimes get tempted to go the wrong way , Chas Ve Shalom . Because we forget HaShem and His Commandments in those moment and think only of what we want . How sad , that we wouldn't even have those moments . HaShem Gives us every moment that exists . so we should give HaShem every moment we have . So how do we overcome this problem of putting ourselves first . We keep always HaShem before us . We must bring HaShem into everything we do . The life of the Religious Jew does exactly that . Keeping The Torah , does exactly that . The Laws are there to help us , giving us a helping hand through this World .
To accommplish our task , let us take lesson from the last Parsha and this one . To overcome the negative , make sure not to " Ki Seitzei , " - " Go out from and away from HaShem , " Chas Ve Shalom , by choosing for HaShem's Sake , not for our own . How do we always stay on the right path . By " Ki Savo , " Entering into , " HaShem's Commandments and Torah , and not letting ourselves follow our own wants , which are completely illogical and have no future , and only a temporary momentary pull that dies before it really starts . If we find ourselves faced with a choice , we mustn't sit and think , because thinking what to do , is an opportunity for the Yetzer Horah to pull us away . We must , straight away , " Ki Savo , " Enter into , " and walk toward HaShem 's Choice , without any thought necessary . So how do we know what is HaShem's Choice ? We go and learn . We go and study HaShem's Torah , Where the Truth is , by becoming more of a Torah Follower every day and learning more Torah every day . So when the negative pull comes , we will know without thought , what to do and it will be the right Torah Choice , for our learning of Torah , our Guide to Life From HaShem , will lead us . Thus Torah , is not just for the sake of learning It's Holiness , but HaShem Gave it to us , so that we can become It . It Starts with learning but must never end there , for the sweet purpose of learning is to practice , as Pirkei Avos teaches .
The more we walk away from " Ki Seitzei , " HaShem , the colder it gets and the further we lose ourselves and the True Truth . The more we come close to and enter and come to HaShem's Closeness , " Ki Savo , " the warmer we get and the closer to the true Truth we get , and are surrounded by .
Truth is not found elsewhere away from the Truth of HaShem , for HaShem Is The Truth and the True Truth . Thus Truth is only to be found with HaShem The True Truth and the Guide to Him That He Gave us , the Lighthouse to guide us back to shore , His Torah Of True Truth .
How interesting that last week's Parsha " Ki Seitzei , " ends with the words " Lo Tishkach , " - " You shall not forget , " and this Parsha ends with the words " Ush'martem Et Divrei Ha'Bris Hazos Va'asitem Otam Le Ma'an Taskilu Eit Kol - Asher Ta'asun , " - " You shall observe the words of this covenant , so that you will succeed in all that you do . " So if we put this together as we interrelated the first words of these two Parshas , we get , ' And you shall not forget HaShem , or His Covenant , but observe the words of this covenant , so that you will succeed in all that you do . " It couldn't be more clear than that .
So , if you walk away from HaShem and His Commandments , Chas Ve Shalom , you will lose your way . But if you follow HaShem and His Commandments , HaShem Will Take you to Heaven .
I wish HaShem With Deepest Love , a Very Sweet and Special Shabbos Kodesh With Love and to all my fellow Jews and to all of Creation , a very Sweet and Special Shabbos Kodesh with Love .