[Avodah] Fwd: Bechukosai "Singular or Plural, Continuation or Pause, It Still is What it Is!"

[Cantor Wolberg]

>> The Gemara explains that the Tochecha in Bechukosai was given in  
>> the plural form and Moshe relayed them "Mipi Hagevurah", with a  
>> direct transmission from God. The Tochecha in Ki Savo was given in  
>> the singular form and Moshe stated them on his own, "Mipi Atzmo".   
>> Tosfos (famous commentary) immediately comments that Mipi Atzmo  
>> means that they were given through Ruach Hakodesh (Holy inspiration).
>> Rabbi Schneerson, zt"l, asked why we distinguish between parts of  
>> the Torah to say that this part came from Pi Hagevurah (from God  
>> directly) while this part came from Pi Moshe (on his own)?  ALL of  
>> Torah is Mipi Hagevurah, divinely given by God, so why the  
>> distinction within the Tochecha ?
>> Rabbi Schneerson explained that in the Tochecha in Bechukosai,  
>> Moshe was given the Berachos Ukelalos as the representative, as  
>> well as a member of the Jewish people. Moshe's role was that of a  
>> messenger to transmit the message from God to the Children of  
>> Israel. Hence, the plural form is used to include all of the  
>> Children of Israel.
>> In Ki Savo, God wanted Moshe to speak to the people using Moses'  
>> own name and warn them of the consequences of their actions if they  
>> do not follow God’s Torah. However, in both Bechukosai and Ki Savo,  
>> the Berachos Ukelalos (blessings and curses) were determined and  
>> ordained by God.
>> There is the famous, touching story of the ten year old boy (Dov  
>> Ber, later to become the Mitteler Rebbe), the son of a world famous  
>> author and lecturer, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. Rabbi Zalman, a  
>> true tzaddik, always read the Torah, including the Tochacha -- the  
>> vivid curses. One year the tzaddik was sick and unable to read the  
>> Tochacha: someone else read the Torah in his place. The little boy  
>> heard theTochacha being read and he fainted. When he returned home  
>> and told his mother what happened, she asked him why the Tochacha  
>> affected him so deeply -- "don't you hear it every year?" "Yes,"  
>> replied Dov Ber, "But every year, papa reads the Tochacha, and when  
>> he reads it, I hear only blessings." (Needless to say, the little  
>> boy was soon recognized as a tzaddik in his own right.)

      Kol tuv,
      ri
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