When you come.

THE BIG IDEA

Do you believe in the spiritual consequences of your choices and actions? 

According to this week’s Torah Omens, follow spiritual law and be blessed, violate or ignore spiritual law,  and be cursed. Simple as that.

During this mid-point in the lunar month of Elul, it is a favorable time to remember the spiritually unknowable consequences of our actions -- and to invite ourselves into a state of compassion (and deep meditative prayer) for any pain we feel we might have brought on yourself. 

Feel yourself drop one level deeper into your personal introspection work.

DEEPER DIVE

This week’s narrative piece called Ki Tavo translated as when you come begins with a description of the fruit offerings to be made when the Israelites settle and farm the land. At the time of offering, each person is to present the fruit to the Levite and say these exact words — A first person statement of collective memory that acknowledges that even ‘our father’ of Torah living (Abraham) was almost killed, etc., and it is only by the grace of the Source Energy of the Universe that we are offering this fruit. 

Chosen people. Blessing that can also be the curse. 

People chosen to walk with awareness of the spiritual and social violence that one can incur — and be responsible to the gift of that awareness.

Take some time this weekend to read through the curses and see if you would say ‘amen’ too.

אָר֣וּר הָאִ֡ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲשֶׂה֩ פֶ֨סֶל וּמַסֵּכָ֜ה תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה מַעֲשֵׂ֛ה יְדֵ֥י חָרָ֖שׁ וְשָׂ֣ם בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְעָנ֧וּ כׇל־הָעָ֛ם וְאָמְר֖וּ אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be anyone who makes a sculptured or molten image, abhorred by the LORD, a craftsman’s handiwork, and sets it up in secret.—And all the people shall respond, Amen.

אָר֕וּר מַקְלֶ֥ה אָבִ֖יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who insults his father or mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֕וּר מַסִּ֖יג גְּב֣וּל רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who moves his fellow countryman’s landmark.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֕וּר מַשְׁגֶּ֥ה עִוֵּ֖ר בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who misdirects a blind person on his way.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֗וּר מַטֶּ֛ה מִשְׁפַּ֥ט גֵּר־יָת֖וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֑ה וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃*(ספק פרשה סתומה בכתר ארם צובה)

Cursed be he who subverts the rights of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֗וּר שֹׁכֵב֙ עִם־אֵ֣שֶׁת אָבִ֔יו כִּ֥י גִלָּ֖ה כְּנַ֣ף אָבִ֑יו וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife, for he has removed his father’s garment.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֕וּר שֹׁכֵ֖ב עִם־כׇּל־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who lies with any beast.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֗וּר שֹׁכֵב֙ עִם־אֲחֹת֔וֹ בַּת־אָבִ֖יו א֣וֹ בַת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who lies with his sister, whether daughter of his father or of his mother.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֕וּר שֹׁכֵ֖ב עִם־חֹֽתַנְתּ֑וֹ וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֕וּר מַכֵּ֥ה רֵעֵ֖הוּ בַּסָּ֑תֶר וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who strikes down his fellow countryman in secret.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָרוּר֙ לֹקֵ֣חַ שֹׁ֔חַד לְהַכּ֥וֹת נֶ֖פֶשׁ דָּ֣ם נָקִ֑י וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {ס}    

Cursed be he who accepts a bribe in the case of the murder of an innocent person.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

אָר֗וּר אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא־יָקִ֛ים אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה־הַזֹּ֖את לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת אוֹתָ֑ם וְאָמַ֥ר כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם אָמֵֽן׃ {פ}

Cursed be he who will not uphold the terms of this Teaching and observe them.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

INNER WORK GUIDE

I ask again:

Do you believe in the spiritual consequences of your choices and actions?

Where do you feel you might have violated a spiritual law?

Now is an excellent time to become accountable for the places you feel you were off, and commit to making adjustments for the future.

Shabbat shalom!

xx