By Rabbi David Cohen
See! I present before you today a blessing and a curse. (11:26)
Sforno interprets this pasuk to be a reference to the fate of Klal Yisrael’s being characterized by extremes. He writes: “Look and perceive that your affairs (as a nation) are not of an average nature, as is the case with other nations. This is because, indeed (in your case), I present before you today a blessing and a curse.” These are two extremes, since the blessing represents good fortune beyond that which is adequate, on a level which is exceedingly good. The curse is one which brings about diminishment to such an extent that even a state of sufficiency becomes unattainable: both of these – blessing and curse – are ‘before you’ – attainable, based upon your choice.
The fate of other nations is not one of “either/or”: full prosperity or extreme devastation. Theirs is not a condition of extremes: blessing or curse. They have “grey” areas in which neither is the blessing complete, nor is the curse that extreme. Not so Klal Yisrael, who are unlike other nations. As the people of G-d, our lot is destined to be uncommon. There is no middle road for us. It is either blessing or curse; nothing is in between. Even with these two extremes as the
Daat Zekeinim points out that the word reeh, see, focuses on what it was the nation was to look at. Moshe Rabbeinu said to Klal Yisrael: “See – look at me. I chose the derech tov, the path which leads to blessing. As a result, I look different.” This is a reference to the karnei or, rays of Divine light, which emanated from Moshe, causing his countenance to radiate.
Giving extremely divergent consequences isn’t enough, Moshe needed to point to himself and show them the greatness they can accomplish. May we all be zocheh to make the right choices.
Shabbat Shalom.