15 Sep Ki Tavo; Hashem’s Tochacha-Rebuke

Inspired by the teachings of Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth

Parshas Ki Tavo    contains words of rebuke to the Nation of Israel. It’s one of the ways G-d says ‘I love you’.  

 

We live in a pluralistic world, by definition a physical finite world with boundaries intermingled with the limitless and infinite flow of the spiritual world. Everything we can comprehend has inherent limitations (boundries).  

 

Paradoxically, G-ds unconditional infinite love that we experience in this world also has boundaries. His Rebuke is a powerful aspect of His Love. To experience the unbounded unconditional love of G-d is to also experience His rebuke.

 

Accordingly, in order for Free Will to exist and our efforts to have value, there must be both negative and positive consequences. Jewish wisdom teaches that there are powerful sparks concealed within the ‘seemingly negative consequence’ of rebuke that are meritorious when ignited and rectified through our tshuvah.  

 

We can then perhaps better understand how G-d loves us enough to help us on to a path of rectification through His Rebuke, an aspect of His Love.

 

 

Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com