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Parsha Lab

What Are Blessings And Curses, Really?



In Parshat Ki Tavo, the Israelites are told that when they enter the land they must publicly bless those who keep the commandments, and curse those who violate them. And they have to proclaim these blessings and curses on two mountains – Mount Gerizim and Mount Eval. But why? What's so special about these mountains? And why must the blessings and curses be reviewed in such a public way? Join Daniel Loewenstein and Beth Lesch as they use the gematria, grammar and topography hidden in Ki Tavo to consider what blessings and curses are really about.

  1. Moshe’s Final Farewell
  2. Is Ha’azinu The Song Of Doom?
  3. What Does Yom Kippur Have To Do With Megillat Esther?
  4. What's Wrong With Moses’ Leadership?
  5. Parshat Nitzavim: What Is the 'Hidden Sin' In This Week's Parsha?
  6. What Are Blessings And Curses, Really?
  7. Parshat Shoftim: What Does It Mean To Be A Fair Judge?
  8. How Does God Really Feel About Child Sacrifice?
  9. Is This Another Akeidah?
  10. How Do We Manage The Influences Around Us?
  11. What Did The Spies Do Wrong?
  12. The Hidden Story Of Brothers, Borders, And Moses’ Burial
  13. How Is Land Ownership Connected To The Pesach Sheni Offering?
  14. Why Weren't The Plagues Enough?
  15. Why Do We Need A Red Heifer?
  16. Where Did The Rebellion Start?
  17. Spies. Conspiracies. And The Two Men Caught In The Middle — Sound Familiar?
  18. Is It The Beginning Of The End?
  19. What Are The Unique Laws Of Sotah Really About?
  20. Is the “Book of Numbers” A Good Translation for “Bamidbar”?
  21. What Does Childbirth Have In Common With Leprosy?
  22. What Does The Induction Ceremony For The Priests Have To Do With... Purim?
  23. Is Sefer Vayikra More Than Just Laws About Korbanot?
  24. What Do The Tabernacle And Creation Have In Common?
  25. Why Would Anyone Want To Make A Golden Calf?
  26. What Do The Laws Of Choshen Mishpat Teach Us About Our Relationship To God?
  27. What's So Special About The Tablets?
  28. Mishpatim: The Ten Commandments… The Sequel?
  29. Fowl Play? The Significance Of Birds In The Torah
  30. Why Is God Testing The Israelites?
  31. Arbeh The Plague… And Arbeh, The Blessing?
  32. What's With The Ten Plagues?
  33. Shemittah, Yovel and… Mount Sinai?
  34. The Omer Offering
  35. What Does The Mincha Offering Teach Us About Pesach?
  36. Part 2: How Can I Relate To The Mishkan, Today?
  37. Parshat Ki Teitzei: Remember Amalek; Don't Forget