Midreshet Amit

Torah

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Blessings

By: Anabella Berti

People always assume that Parshat Bechokotai is a depressing Parsha full of curses. However the blessings actually outnumber the curses.  The reason for the confusion is that the blessings are very general and the punishments are specific. If you perform the mitzvot the blessings will come all at once, but if you sin the punishments will come little by little so that you have the opportunity to change. In addition you don't get punished just for doing an averah you have to do the averah because you hate the mitzvot. If that is the case then the punishments come, but come slowly.

The blessings seem like they are just material rewards. Where is the spiritual component that we would think the Torah would have? The blessings are there to allow us to perform more mitzvot. Having no war, no sickness etc means we have the chance to do all the mitzvot without distractions. The punishments block the performance of mitzvot for people that hate doing them anyway.  This year in Israel has shown me that performing mitzvot in Israel have greater significance than anywhere else in the world. The blessings of my life is that I have been allowed the opportunity to e to enjoy my year at Amit and every mitzvah along the way.