1.This Torah portion talks about blessings and curses. How do you identify what is a blessing and what is a curse in your life? How do we recognize which one we are dealing with in our life?

How do we recognize which one we are seeing in our life? When we look at the history of the early believers, throughout the time of the Messiah, until our day are these choices of blessings and curses still valid? As believers, do we still see clearly what is a blessing and what is a curse? 

How do we see the challenges of life such as sickness, financial crisis or any tragic event? Do these negative things have any connection to blessings or do we automatically categorize them as a curse? I have thought about this a lot this week. Did Peter and Paul and many others in scripture, see the hardships they went through as a blessing? To me this is a huge challenge for us. Can good ever come from seemingly terrible things that happen to us?

In Acts 7:54-59 we read of Stephen being stoned to death for his faith. How did Stephen and many others who died for their faith deal with these verses? How did Stephen know this was not a curse happening to him? One answer is, when we know we are walking in close relationship with our Father in Heaven we can have peace that whatever comes into our life is not a curse. Our Torah portion says curses come our way when we turn aside and follow our own way after other gods.

Also verses like I Peter 5:7 and Isaiah 41:10 give us another clue. Anxiety can cause us to look at life in a dark way. We are challenged to face the painful things in life with our eyes on our Creator. 

To me, the blessings come when we are focused on the greatness of G-d, always, in any circumstance, giving Him thanks for who He is and His love for us. A true test of whether we are receiving a blessing or a curse is to check our relationship with the Father. Are we following Him, hearing His voice? If  our measure of a blessed life is having everything we ever wanted given to us we will live a life of disappointment.

What a testimony we have when we live our life expressing gratitude to G-d for who He is and what He has done for us.  That is the true blessing. There is no promise for an easy life just because we are believers. In II Timothy chapter 1, as Saul sat in prison, he was praising G-d for who He was instead of blaming G-d for his circumstances.  He was focused on what G-d was doing. We are each a child of the King. In Col. 3:1-8 Paul gives us a good feel of what we should be thankful for and what we should focus on in our life.

Let our measure of blessings be our relationship with the Father and not according to the standards of the world. I believe we can be the light of G-d in a dark time. We can live a blessed life measured by the standard of our Heavenly Father. My prayer for us all is the blessings of G-d. A life well lived being our goal each day.

2.Also, after reading these first verses of our Torah portion concerning curses and blessings the question arises, who in their right mind would choose the curse over the blessing? We can see it happening around us but why?

Again, we see these words from Deut. 11:26-28  “Behold I set before you this day, a blessing and a curse. A blessing if you obey the commandments of the L-rd your G-d, which I command you this day. And a curse if you will not obey the commandments of the L-rd your G-d, but turn aside from the way I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.”

The question arises, who in their right mind would choose the curse over the blessing? Well, the fact is most of the people on this planet have chosen the curse instead of the blessing. This, in spite of having the instruction book of how to live an abundant life readily available. I would think some or all of us have somewhere chosen the curse over the blessing.

An earthly example may help us grasp why this happens. I can attest to having done this very thing in my life. I buy a new gadget or a new electric thing. They always come with a detailed instruction booklet. All the steps are clearly printed on how to set the item up so it will operate correctly. However, because I am a man, I say to myself, who has the time to read all this? I can do this on my own. This course of action usually does not bring success.

Often in our lives we never take the time to hear from G-d or read His instruction manual. That never goes well either. G-d has given us His word. The results of not reading, praying, studying, following His word and surrendering our life to Him never ends well for us. It usually results in wasted years or worse, wasted lives.

This world is no help. Our help comes from the L-rd Who made heaven and earth. In our portion we read these words in Deut./D’Varim 13:5, “After the L-rd your G-d you shall walk and Him you shall fear, and His commandments you shall keep and His voice you shall hear.” Notice the verbs in this sentence, walk, fear, keep and hear. Each of these verbs point back to the same subject, G-d. He is to be the director of our life. Later in our portion in Deut./D’Varim 28:9 we read, “The L-rd will establish you as His holy people as He promised you on oath, if you keep the commandments of the L-rd your G-d and walk in obedience to Him.” This verse was spoken to the people at G-d’s direction before they entered into Canaan. There they would find another people with no concept of G-d. This holds true for us as well. Each day most of us go out into the world and meet people who have no concept of G-d or how G-d would have them to live their lives. Unless we are able to hold on to our faith, it is easy to follow other gods such as money, sex, position, power, etc. Unless we know the Father and His word we will surely find ourselves worshipping other gods. So as you read this portion let it sink into your spirit. Our way as G-d’s children is not compatible to the world’s view. Sometimes we may feel left out or not a part of what the world says is the way to live. Take heart! In scripture from the beginning to the end we see G-d’s people faced with this same choice. 

3. In Deut. 11:27 in English it reads, “A blessing if you obey” and in verse 28 it says, “A curse if you will not obey.” The odd thing is that in these two verses the English word “if” is used but in Hebrew there are two different words used.  Verse 27- the Hebrew  should be translated “when you obey.” While in verse 28 the word is correctly translated as “if you will not obey.” What difference does it make to say, “When you obey.” Or “If you obey?” 

Using the word “when” in verse 27 gives the thought of immediacy. When we are faithful to G-d’s Word we can have peace in being a good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:16-23)

While when we stray from the Word there will come that conviction of the Father that we have missed the mark and strayed from the path. This conviction should drive us to repent.

So, as we live our life each day we have two options, the blessing or the curse. If asked, I think each of us would choose the blessing. In the Messianic scripture in Matthew 7:13-14 we read Yeshua’s words, “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” So here Yeshua is giving His followers the choice between blessings and curses. Walking in the way of blessing and joy is narrow and it demands faith, obedience and hard work. There are few who will make the effort.

4.What is the difference in Joy and Happiness .  In Deut. 12:7 it says, “And there you shall eat before the L-rd your G-d, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, because the L-rd your G-d has blessed you.” Here rejoice is from the Hebrew word simchah or joy. Psalms 1:1 says, “Happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…”  Happy is the Hebrew word ashrei. Is there a difference in these two words? How many places in this Torah portion do you see joy mentioned. Why would the emotion of joy be so important?

Happiness is something everyone desires. Happiness can be a fleeting emotion.

As we said, the biblical word for happiness, ashrei, is the first word of the book of Psalms. But far more often, Tanach speaks about simchah, joy. 

Deuteronomy 24:5 says, for the first year of marriage a husband was to “stay at home and bring joy to the wife he has married.” 

Deuteronomy 26:11 Bringing first-fruits to the Temple, “You and the Levite and the stranger living among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household”.

Deuteronomy 28:45-48 In one of the most extraordinary lines in the Torah, Moses says that curses will befall the nation not because they served idols or abandoned Gd but “because you did not serve the L-rd your G-d with joy and gladness out of the abundance of all things” 

A failure to rejoice is the first sign of decadence and decay.

Moses makes it eminently clear that joy is what the life of faith in the land of promise is about. Here are the seven instances in this parsha, and their contexts:

Deut. 12:7 The central Sanctuary, initially Shilo: “There in the presence of the L-rd your G-d you and your families shall eat and rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the L-rd your G-d has blessed you”.

Deut. 12:12 Jerusalem and the Temple: “And there you shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d, you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns”.

Deut. 12:18 Sacred food that may be eaten only in Jerusalem: “Eat them in the presence of the L-rd your G-d at the place the L-rd your G-d will choose – you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns – and you are to rejoice before the L-rd your G-d in everything you put your hand to”

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Deut. 14;26 The second tithe: “Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine, or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the L-rd your G-d and rejoice” 

Deut. 16:11 The festival of Shavuot: “And rejoice before the L-rd your G-d at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His name – you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, the Levites in your towns, and the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows living among you”.

Deut. 16:14 The festival of Succot: “Be joyful at your feast – you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows who live in your towns”.

Deut. 16:15 Succot, again. “For seven days, celebrate the feast to the L-rd your G-d at the place the L-rd your G-d will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete [vehayita ach same’ach]”.

In all these verses holidays, festivals and  worship are not something to be done because it is demanded but done in celebration with joy for who G-d is and what He has done for us.

Nehemiah 8:10 says joy of the L-rd is our strength!

Galatians 5:22 says joy is a spiritual fruit.