TORAH PORTION

This Tale Of Two
Mountains Tells All

Shabbat Ki Tavo: Deuteronomy 26:1-
29:8; Isaiah 60:1-22.

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I

n this week's Torah
blessings was full of veg-
portion, the chil-
etation. Even though they
dren of Israel are
were exposed to the same
instructed to perform an
conditions, they were very
unusual ceremony at the
different.
sight of two mountains,
There is no doubt that
Mt. Grizim and Mt. Eival.
nature and nurture both
This ceremony was to take
have a profound effect
place almost immediately
upon a person and a
upon entering Israel and
nation. Nevertheless, two
even before they had
identical people may have
Rabbi Michael
engaged in the battle to
the very same nature and
Cohen
vanquish the Land of
nurture but each develop
Special to the
Israel of the seven nations
into very different indi-
Jewish News
living there.
viduals. The difference is
Six of the 12 tribes of the Jewish
found in the choices that the per-
people were to ascend one of the
son makes. Countless individuals
mountains and the other six would
have overcome personal difficulties
ascend the other mountain. The
whereas others have used these
Levites would then turn towards Mt. same situations as excuses for their
Grizim and pronounce 12 curses of
own failure; the choice of whether
the Torah to which
we overcome or suc-
everyone would
cumb to the situation
respond "Amen"; the
is our own.
Levites would then
Particularly at the
turn towards Mt.
time that the Jewish
Eival and pronounce
people were about to
12 blessings to which
take their place on
everyone would in
the world stage as one
turn respond "Amen."
of the nations it was
The significance of
important to impress
these two mountains
upon them that their
and this ceremony at
success or failure was
this particular point in the history
not to depend upon military prow-
of the Jewish people seems strange.
ess, but upon their observance of
The Torah reminds the Jewish peo-
the Torah law and the decisions that
ple on many occasions that we must they made as to whether to follow
observe the commandments, why
the Torah or not. El
was it necessary now to perform
such theatrics?
Michael Cohen is rabbi of Young Israel
The great 19th century thinker
of Oak Park.
Rabbi Shamshon Rephael Hirsch
explains that the significance of
these two mountains and this cer-
emony hinged upon the fact that
Conversations
these mountains were geographi-
cally close to each other and were
Did you ever make a choice that
almost identical in physical prop-
had profound ramifications?
erties, benefiting from the same
climate; nevertheless, Mt. Grizim,
Why is Rosh Hashanah called the
the mountain upon which the curses
Day of Judgment?
were to be recounted, was devoid
of all vegetation while Mt. Eival
For what are we being judged?
the mountain that represented the

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The ch oice of
whethe r we
overco me or
succum b is our
own.

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