ובאו עליך כל הברכות האלה והשיגוך, “and all these blessings will come upon you and will overtake you.” The meaning is that instead of having to chase after these blessings the blessings will “chase” after the Jewish people.

ברוך פרי בטנך, “blessed will be the fruit of your womb.” In this instance, the blessings accruing to the body are listed before such blessings as having abundance of food and drink, blessings which commence only with verse 5. When the curses are listed, the Torah begins with describing deprivations involving the people’s food supply (verse 17) before describing afflictions of the body (verse 20). This teaches the concern of G’d for us in that before harming us physically, He warns us by depriving us of something affecting our pocketbook, something not involving pain to our bodies.

וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך ויראו ממך, “and all the nations of the earth will realize that the Lord’s name is proclaimed over you and they will be afraid of you.” If someone is a servant of the king’s minister his stature does not compare to someone who is a servant of the king himself. Even the ministers of the king are in awe of the king’s “private secretaries,” etc. This is because the title of the private secretary contains the appellation “Royal such and such,” i.e. reminds people of the proximity of this individual to the king. This is the subject discussed by our verse. Whereas the nations of the world are subjects (servants) of the King’s ministers, i.e. the sun and the moon, etc., all of whom are servants of the Lord, Israel knows of no intermediaries in its relationship with the Lord. As a result of appreciating this when aware of the bounty with which G’d provides the Jewish people, these nations will develop a sense of awe of the Israelites. Seeing they will develop awe of the Israelites, they will most certainly develop awe of the master of the Israelites, i.e. the Lord.

Our sages in Menachot 35 explain the words כי שם ה' נקרא עליך as a reference to the phylacteries on the head (עליך), according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanus. This would account for the fact that that phylactery has two letters ש (a three stemmed one and a four-stemmed one) as part of its housing, a halachah dating back to the times of Moses. It is as if our verse would tell us that when the nations of the world observe these two letters ש on our phylactery on our heads they will be seized by a sense of awe and develop fear of us.

Furthermore, another mystical aspect of this verse is that when you read the alphabet in a reverse order i.e. exchanging letters such as א=ת, ש=ב, ר=ג, you will find that the letters of the great and Holy Name of the Lord, the tetragram, i.e. normally י-ה-ו-ה, are instead מ-צ-פ-צ whose combined numerical value is 300, or the same as ש. This is the letter ש written in larger than normal script at the beginning of שיר השירים, the beginning of Song of Songs. The year comprises 300 days on which the phylacteries are worn (after the Sabbath days and festival days have been deducted from the 365 days of the solar year). If you will look still more deeply into the significance of this letter ש, you will find that it is an allusion to the שכינה, a manifestation of the presence of the Lord. The letter ש of the four “heads” is an allusion to the Shechinah which orbits (surrounds) the entire globe as well as outer space and which exerts its influence on the 4 “chayot” of the Divine entourage (מרכבה) described both in the visions of Ezekiel and Isaiah. The strap to which the phylactery of the head is tied, and which has a knot in the shape of the letter ד, is an allusion to the four kinds of wind which operate (low) on earth from four directions guided by the Shechinah. These winds sometimes blow upwards and sometimes downwards. The straps (the part under the knot which looks like the letter ד and which continue in a downward direction), indicate that the Divine input into this earth’s domain occurs from above in a downward direction, i.e. emanates from the higher emanations חכמה and בינה. Consider the fact that already in the manner in which man’s body has been constructed the nose may be considered as analogous to the letter שין, the two nostrils leading in the direction of the brain, the site of חכמה and בינה. The significance of this organ (brain/nose) which is “stamped” by the letter ש is that it is viewed as teaching the lesson that the Shechinah itself collects Divine input (from a still higher source, [the ein sof, Ed.?]. Similarly, we may view man’s נשמה as both suffusing and surrounding his entire body, its power (influence) extending in all four ventricles of the brain. The first two ventricles are the seat of the ability to record by means of an illustration (כח הציור), the center orifice is the seat of מחשבה, entertaining abstract concepts, thinking without the aid of illustrations; the last orifice is the seat (source) of memory, retaining impressions gained over a period of time. All of the foregoing teaches us that the letter שין is an allusion to the Shechinah and he four chayot by means of which the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah have tried to illustrate these concepts for us inasmuch as they reflect celestial images as well as how these concepts are reflected in the microcosm, i.e. the human being which itself reflects powers in the celestial regions.

והשיגוך, “and they will overtake you.” In this verse, introducing the curses (afflictions), the word is spelled plene, i.e. with the letter ו, whereas in the previous appearance of this word in verse 2 describing the blessings the word was written defective, without this letter ו. The reason may be to reflect the verse in Psalms 91,15: “I will be with him (Israel) in distress.” This message is, however, alluded to in those words, i.e. עמו אנכי בצרה in the last letters of each of these words, the letters of the tetragrammaton ו-י-ה, which whenever they appear in reverse order allude to the attribute of Justice. The veiled message is that in spite of the awesome list of afflictions in this chapter they will not result in the extinction of the Jewish people. G’d will continue to watch over the Jewish people though they may not be aware of this.

ידבר ה' בך את הדבר עד כלותו אותך, “the Lord will make the pestilence adhere to you until it consumes you.” The word כלותו refers to the word הדבר, i.e. the pestilence, [the pestilence in its most violent form, Ed.] The word כלתו, usually understood to mean “it will totally consume,” is written defective, without the latter ו, to hint that the result will not be as terrible as we might think at first glance.

יככה ה' בשפחת, “the Lord will strike you with fever, etc.” Notice that in both these verses the instigator of the affliction is the attribute of Mercy, Hashem, not the attribute of Justice, i.e. אלוקים. However, there is no question that in this instance the term Hashem is used to describe the attribute of Justice as it has been used in Genesis 6,7 when the Torah wrote (using the attribute Hashem) “I will wipe out man whom I have created.” We also find the term Hashem used to describe the attribute of Justice in Exodus 17,14 when G’d describes His intention to wipe out Amalek. By the same token, there are instances when the term אלוקים refers to the attribute of Mercy, and not as usual, to the attribute of Justice. One such instance is Genesis 8,1 ויזכר אלוקים את נח, “G’d remembered Noach.” Another such example is found in Genesis 20,17 when the Torah describes G’d as curing Avimelech and his household, employing His attribute of אלוקים. All that these examples teach, -as we have pointed out repeatedly,- is that neither attribute ever operates in an undiluted form. Each of these respective attributes of G’d contains at least minor elements of the opposite attribute at the time when G’d employs the respective attribute which is mentioned. This principle is alluded to in our verse by the otherwise redundant addition of the latter ה at the end of the word יככה. This letter reminds us of the disciplinary function even within the attribute of Mercy, i.e. Hashem. We encounter this extraneous letter ה also in Leviticus 26,18 (during the list of the afflictions) when the Torah warns of further disciplinary afflictions using the word ליסרה instead of simply ליסר. in our chapter the extra letter ה appears with all the seven categories of afflictions.

בגרב ובחרס, “with wet boils and itch, etc.” The word גרב refers to an itch which the afflicted person scratches with a shard of earthenware. This is the approach taken by most commentators (Ibn Ezra quoting unnamed sources). It is, however, possible to understand the word ובחרס as related to שמש pronounced shamash (Pessikta Zutrata), that this affliction is due to G’d wanting to frighten the victim who faces such an affliction. The affliction is known by three names, שמש, חמה, חרס. The reason it is known as שמש is because man is supposed to be a servant serving his master, which the Jew afflicted with this disease has not been. Seeing that the servant (Israel) is of an especially high-ranking nature, this reflects on his Master and His High Rank. The name חמה reflects the fact that the skin affected becomes especially hot; it is also called חרס, reflecting the fact that the sun is supposed to spread light on earth (Job 9,7). [Both man and the sun have a similar task, the former to provide spiritual enlightenment, the latter to provide physical light. Ed.] Furthermore, if you examine the three words שמש, חרס, חמה, you will observe that the combined final letters of these three words spell שס'ה (365) an allusion to the number of days in the solar year. This is a reference to the orbit of the sun created on the fourth day of creation. It is the outermost orbit of the four respective orbits, i.e. daily rotation of earth on its axis, the cycle of the week, and the cycle of the month, i.e. lunar orbit. The veiled warning in all this is that if one does not obey the rules laid down by G’d the result will be a universe which will eventually self-destruct due to our not having observed the commandments of the Torah which are part of the laws of nature. [I have translated this somewhat freely. Ed.] The author cites various verses from Scripture such as Judges 14,18, in which the word חרס means “sun.” Seeing that in Psalms 121,6 David appears to view the sun as a negative force, i.e. “the sun will not strike (יככה) you by day nor the moon by night,” it appears that the thrust of David’s words is that disease and malfunctions in nature are all due to faulty eating habits (involuntary at times), or to exposure to an inclement climate. All of these things are caused in one way or an other by the motion of the sun.

והיית אך עשוק וגזול כל הימים, “and you will only be cheated and robbed all the days.” The same message is repeated once more in verse 33 with a minor variation, the word רצוץ, “downtrodden,” being substituted for the word “robbed,” in our verse here. As usual, the word אך or רק, represents some exclusion to what preceded them. In this instance the word אך excludes other nations who will never be as downtrodden as the Jewish people when they are being disciplined by the Lord. On the other hand, the word רק, in connection with the elevation of the Jewish people in verse 13, also means that such an elevation as will be experienced by the Jewish people as part of the blessings is unparalleled amongst the Gentile nations.

יירש הצלצל, “the chirping locust will impoverish.” The word יירש is from the same root as להוריש, to dispossess in Deut. 4,38. This is also the way Onkelos understands it, i.e. in Deut. 4,38 when he writes יתרך. Rashi, on the other hand, understands the word as derived from the word רש, poor. In that case, the Torah would describe the locust as making the fruit “look poorly.” The word צלצל describes a certain species of locust, based on the noise this species makes when it appears in swarms. The word is found in a similar meaning in Psalms 150,5 צלצלי תרועה, “the cymbals making loud noises.” The Targum renders this word here as סקאה, suggesting that it is a kind of locust or beetle equipped with a sack-like bag. The word appears in Baba Kama 116 as robbery with violence, the Talmud quoting our verse as proof for the meaning of ונטלוהו מסיקין. The meaning there is that one robs from the robber.

תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלוקיך בשמחה, “because you did not serve the Lord your G’d joyfully.” The Torah accuses people who do serve G’d not to have done so joyfully. A person is obligated not merely to carry out G’d’s instructions but to do so gladly, in a happy frame of mind. Joy when performing any of G’d’s commandments is considered as fulfillment of a commandment by itself, meriting additional reward. This is why one may be punished for failing to perform the commandments with a joyful heart. This is why the Torah requires that its commandments be performed with full intent and joyfully. Our sages in Midrash Ruth Rabbah 5,6 comment concerning this that if Reuven had been aware that G’d would write in the Torah concerning his attempts to save Joseph’s life from the hands of his other brothers (Genesis 37,21) that he would receive a reward not only for his deed but for the good intentions accompanying same, he would have carried Joseph on his shoulders and brought him back to his (their) father. The Torah also makes a point of underlining the joy in Aaron’s heart when he saw his brother Moses again after so many years. Had he known that his feelings would be commented upon favorably (Exodus 4,14), he would have gone out to meet his brother accompanied by an orchestra of many different musical instruments. Had Boaz known that his offering Ruth food and drink in abundance would be recorded for eternity as a good deed of his, he would have fed her the choicest parts of a fatted calf, instead of merely bread and vinegar (Ruth 2,14).

מרב כל, ועבדת את אויביך בחוסר כל, “You will serve your enemies...deprived of everything.” This is another example of how G’d makes the punishment fit the crime (Sanhedrin 90). Seeing that the people did not serve the Lord when they had “plenty of everything,” they would wind up serving their enemies when being “devoid of all.” We read in Chagigah 9 that the words of Isaiah 48,10: “I have refined you, but not as silver, I test you in the furnace of poverty,” mean that G’d reviewed all the various positive attributes He could treat the Israelites with and found that only the attribute of poverty would be appropriate. The scholar Shmuel commented on this statement that this is the meaning of the popular saying: “poverty is as appropriate for the Jewish people as a red harness for a white horse.”

כאשר ידאה הנשר, “as the eagle will swoop.” This is a reference to the Roman Emperor Vespasianus and his general (and son) Titus (before the latter became Emperor). He had thought that it would take him 10 days to reach Jerusalem whereas he found that he reached the city after only five days of travel. He had overheard a young child quote our verse in which G’d describes a nation being carried against the Jewish people from the end of the earth much like an eagle which swoops down out of the sky. He applied this verse to himself when he experienced such an extraordinarily fast journey in his campaign against Jerusalem. Just as this particular verse applies to the destruction of the second Temple, so the entire chapter speaks of events happening at the end of the period of the second Temple.

והצר לך בכל שעריך, “It will besiege you in all your cities.” The word שעריך is a simile for “in every location.” It is possible to explain the fact that the Torah uses the word שעריך four times in our context (verse 52 twice, plus verses 55 and 57) as meaning that the first time the word is mentioned it is in the nature of a heading, כולל. The second time the reference is to the gates guarding the country. The third time it refers to gates guarding entrances to houses of individuals, whereas the last time it is derived from the word שעור, “measure” in the sense of “planning.” It describes how the enemy would thwart whatever plans the Jews would make to counter him and fight him. Such planning of counter measures would only result in additional hurt and confusion among the Jewish people. The entire passage then would express the very reverse of what happens when one plans successful activities. Israel would be frustrated in every single move it makes. It would endure the reverse of what has been described as the fate of the wicked in Psalms 10,5: ”his ways prosper at all times.”

אם לא תשמור לעשות את כל דברי התורה הזאת הכתובים בספר הזה ליראה את השם הנכבד והנורא הזה, “if you will not observe to carry out all the words of this Torah which have been written in this Book, in order for you to revere His honored and awesome name.” The meaning of this verse is that there must be one overriding consideration running throughout all the commandments of the Torah, i.e. to infuse reverence in the people for the Lord. This is not the first time that Moses explains this as the overall purpose of Torah legislation. He had already made this point in Exodus 20,17 during the revelation at Mount Sinai, when he said: “G’d has come in order to test you and to ensure that the awe of Him shall be on your faces so that you shall not sin.” King Solomon also concluded his Book of Proverbs with the need for יראת ה', “reverence and awe of the Lord” (Proverbs 31,30). We also find that Isaiah 33,6 emphasizes the need for this important virtue. Our sages, in elaborating on this theme in Shabbat 31, imply that even if one has studied all the tractates of the oral Torah, the yardstick by which man is measured after death is whether he did relate to all of this with reverence for the Lord or not. The plain meaning of the verse in Isaiah 33,6 יראת ה' היא אוצרו is that it is a virtue stored up in G’d’s treasury, something very dear to Him, consisting of the cumulative virtues of awe of Him by G’d-fearing people which G’d treats like a most precious possession, “locking it away” in His most inaccessible treasure chamber. The reason that the prophet employs the term “treasure, something to be stored,” in connection with this virtue is that a king cannot establish a treasury unless he collected the funds for it from outsiders, from people. Anything the king locks away is called אוצר, “treasure.” What all this teaches is that of all the virtues we must acquire, a measure of awe and reverence of the Lord is the overriding virtue, “coloring,” i.e. lending value, to all the other virtues man practices. One of the reasons that this is so is that all the other commandments can be performed only at certain times, such as the wearing of a tallit or phylacteries. When one has put on these phylacteries one has effectively concluded performing this mitzvah. Not so with the commandment to relate to the Lord with יראה, with awe. It is a commandment which permeates all our waking hours. This is what David had in mind when he wrote (Psalms 19,10) “the reverence for the Lord is pure and endures forever.” Such a statement could not have been made concerning performance of any of the other commandments which require active performance, [as opposed to the mark of circumcision on our flesh. Ed.] It is a commandment which is both positive and negative, i.e. cultivating it is the positive aspect of the commandment, whereas failure to cultivate it and to maintain it at all times is a violation of it, i.e. equivalent to transgressing a negative commandment.

והתמכרתם שם, “and you will offer yourselves for sale there.” you will actively beg to be bought as slaves (an ultimate degradation of yourselves). ואין קונה, “but there will be no buyer.” This is a promise by G’d who spares you this ultimate degradation.