Likkutei Sichos Vol. 14 – Nitzavim 3
1. "And it shall be, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations where the L‑rd your G‑d has driven you, and you shall return to the L‑rd your G‑d with all your heart and with all your soul."
In the continuation of the parsha, it is understood that the intention of these verses is that ultimately every Jew will return to G‑d with complete teshuvah (repentance). This means that even one who has transgressed the ways of G‑d, etc., through the experience of "all these things... the curse," will be moved to reflect deeply until reaching "and you shall return to the L‑rd your G‑d."
However, according to this, we must understand what is meant by "and it shall be, when all these things come upon you... the blessing": It is understandable how something contrary to good, which causes a broken heart, etc., serves as a reason for awakening to teshuvah. But how does one become inspired to teshuvah through the coming of "the blessing"? Since this is difficult even in the study according to the "simple meaning of the text," there is an additional wonder: Why is there no hint of this difficulty and its resolution in Rashi's commentary, whose purpose is to resolve and explain every difficulty and matter requiring explanation in the "simple meaning of the text"? Therefore, it must be that according to the "simple meaning of the text," this question does not arise at all.
It is impossible to interpret these verses as words of prophecy about future events that will happen to the Jewish people, and therefore it is said "the blessing" (and specifically before the word "the curse") because this will indeed be the order of events for the Jewish people upon their arrival in the Land of Israel: the initial days will be days of blessing and goodness for the Jewish people, and after a time, when they sin, the opposite of good will come upon them.
1) The prophecy of future events is mentioned later in Parshas Vayelech. 2) The verses later explicitly state that this is a narrative of future events that will occur after their arrival in the Land of Israel — there is no mention there of blessing and goodness!
In general, logic dictates that receiving good in the future is not something that is foretold in prophecy — and the reason is that it depends on a person's choice. As it is explicitly stated at the end of the parsha, "I have set before you today life... and you shall choose life," and similarly explained at the beginning of Parshas Re'eh (which the student has already learned), "the blessing, if you listen, and the curse, if you do not listen." And in Parshas Vayelech, Moshe later said: "For I know your rebellion," which explains the certainty of the warning.
According to this, it is explained in our case that the intention of the verses is not to tell the future, but rather to testify and inform that if the Jewish people do not follow (by their choice) the ways of G‑d, and because of this "the undesirable things" will come upon them — through this itself they will be awakened to return with complete teshuvah. But if so, the aforementioned difficulty returns: what is the role of "the blessing" in awakening teshuvah, as mentioned above?
2. The explanation: In this parsha, as mentioned, the feeling of pain from "the curse" is what will awaken the sinner to return in teshuvah, and as the verse concludes — to such an elevated teshuvah that it is "with all your heart and with all your soul." Simple logic dictates that just as the teshuvah is in the most elevated manner, penetrating the innermost parts of his heart and soul — so too must be the cause, the feeling of pain from "the curse," meaning that the feeling of pain is in a manner more painful than usual (through "the curse" of any kind).
3. The verse explains: "When all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse" — the understanding here is that all the details of "the curse" will come after all the details of "the blessing" have first come. It is human nature that when something bad happens after something good, the absence of the good is felt much more intensely, both quantitatively and qualitatively, than if the good had not preceded it. As is known, a wealthy person who becomes poor experiences much greater pain than someone who has been poor all along.
Additionally, this is straightforward even for a "five-year-old learning Chumash," and it is also understood from Rashi's commentary before this parsha:
In Parshas Re'eh, on the verse "sufficient for his need, which he lacks," Rashi comments: "sufficient for his need — but you are not commanded to make him wealthy; which he lacks — even a horse to ride on and a servant to run before him." Seemingly, since "you are not commanded to make him wealthy," why must one provide him even "a horse to ride on and a servant to run before him," which is considered wealth (especially given the precision of "to ride on" and "to run before him," even though it is not for his fieldwork or livelihood)? It is true that this is a teaching of the Sages in the Gemara — but how does Rashi know to interpret this according to the "simple meaning of the text"?
Rather, the verse states "sufficient for his need," "which he lacks," indicating that if it is something he lacks, it is not a matter of wealth for him but a necessity (even though for someone not accustomed to it, it would be considered wealth) — therefore, one must provide him even "a horse to ride, etc."
From all this, it is understood that even according to the "simple meaning of the text," the reason why "the blessing" is mentioned in the verse is explained, because through it and by it, it is explained how the feeling of "the curse" leads to complete teshuvah, to the extent of "with all your heart and with all your soul": when "the curse" is felt in its full intensity, that is, when it is preceded by "the blessing," it has the power to also awaken teshuvah in all its greatness and strength — "with all your heart, etc."
4. However, according to this, it must be said: the intention of the verse is to explain that G‑d will orchestrate events so that each and every Jew will do teshuvah — and seemingly, this emphasis (that the completeness of teshuvah depends on the condition of the blessing preceding the curse) negates the possibility of complete teshuvah for someone whose "curse" comes without the preceding "blessing," contrary to the intention of the aforementioned verse.
The explanation is: at the beginning of Parshas Re'eh it is written, "See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse, the blessing if you listen to the commandments of the L‑rd, etc." Rashi explains: "if you listen" means "on the condition that you listen." Simply put, his intention is to resolve why the verse says "if you listen" — that it is a condition and should have said "if you listen" (as it says later — "if you do not listen"), because it depends on human choice. Nevertheless, Rashi interprets it as "on the condition" (and not "if") — for this very reason that the verse changes from the beginning (asher) to the end (im), it is necessary to say that the meaning of "if you listen" is not in the sense of "if" (you listen).
The difference between "on the condition" and "if" is simple: the term "if" implies a condition that must be fulfilled before the thing given by it — if he fulfills the required matter, then he will receive his reward (the blessing). And indeed, this is the case regarding the opposite of the blessing: that "if you do not listen to the commandments of the L‑rd, etc." then (and after this) the curse will come. "On the condition" means that the thing is given immediately, but its giving is on the condition — on the condition that he will do a certain thing, and so it is in this case regarding the blessing: G‑d gives the Jewish people "the blessing," and for this blessing to be maintained with them, the condition "if you listen" is given.
According to this, it turns out that there is no Jew who has not received the blessing; for even one who sinned and blemished and deviated from the path and was punished for it after he sinned in a matter that is the opposite of the blessing, nevertheless, the "blessing" was initially there, but afterwards, when he did not fulfill the condition (to observe the Torah and mitzvos), the opposite of the blessing came.
3. It is found that the matter explained in our parsha, that all these things (of) the blessing (and of) the curse (afterwards) lead to complete repentance "with all your heart and with all your soul," is a matter relevant to every Jew.
4. In this regard, we see a wondrous thing (particularly relevant in the time before Rosh Hashanah — the "Day of Great Judgment"): The Holy One, blessed be He, promised to give each and every Jew the blessing, regardless of his state — but He adds that the blessing will be maintained with him on the condition "that you listen."
The reason is obvious: since each and every Jew is a child of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Jewish people are children of kings, and even more so, they are kings themselves, they are deserving of receiving everything in completeness.
As explained in Bava Metzia regarding the allocation of sustenance for a Jewish worker: even if you prepare for them a feast like that of Solomon in his time, you have not fulfilled your obligation to them, for they are the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And what G‑d commands the Jewish people to do, He Himself does.
And certainly, each and every one will subsequently fulfill the condition "that you listen to the commandments of the L‑rd," and the "blessing" will be established with him permanently — and his repentance will not be for sins, etc., but rather in the manner of "and the spirit returns to G‑d who gave it," a level of higher repentance — and with joy and a good heart.
Especially in the context of this year, which is in the manner of a Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah that falls on Shabbos, as explained in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 16, with the letters of Teshuvah, and his service is higher repentance, which is with great joy.