Twice Warned
The two extended warnings for breaking the covenant reflect the changing relationship between the people of Israel and God as well as the two different exiles.
By Rabbi Haskel Lookstein
Provided by the Orthodox Union, the central coordinating agency for North American Orthodox congregations.
The Tokhackah, G-d's stern warning to the Jewish people of what will befall them should they stray from His commands, appears twice in the Torah, first in Parashat B'hukotai and again in this week's parashah.
This follows the ruling of the prophet Ezra, "that they read the curses in Torat Kohanim (Leviticus) before Atzeret (Shavuot) and the ones in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy) before Rosh Hashanah."
The link between the Tokhakhah and Shavuot--the anniversary of our acceptance of the Torah--is readily understandable. But what accounts for the connection between this week's Tokhakhah and the start of the New Year?
The new year includes Yom Kippur, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Z"tl (may his memory be a blessing) notes, which is also Zeman Matan Torateinu (the time of the giving of the Torah)--it is the date on which Moses brought down the second lukhot (tablets) from Sinai.
But there is a difference between the two Tokhakhot, Abayei points out in Tractate Megillah. The first Tokhakhah is stated in the plural and delivered by Moses from the mouth of G-d. The second Tochacha is stated in the singular and delivered by Moses on his own.
How is it that the second Tokhakhah was delivered independently by Moses? Tosafot (Talmudic scholars of 12th-13th centuries) answer that he did so with ruah hakodesh (divine inspiration)--the words still came from G-d.
Rav Soloveitchik suggests another, textual answer. The Tokhakhah in Ki Tavo concludes, "These are the words of the covenant…besides the covenant that was executed with [the Jewish people] at Horev [Sinai]."
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