Choose Your Blessings
by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine
The rebuke, found in this week’s Parsha and also in the book of Devorim, is associated as well with blessing. In conjunction with the statements of 
what bad will befall the Jewish people if they do not treasure their relationship with Hashem and His mitzvos, the Torah also articulates great blessing if they do the right things. In the Book of Devorim the blessing is expressed as one of tremendous wealth, while in this week’s Parsha the blessing is expressed as “You will be blessed with serenity.” What is the difference between these two blessings?
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky explains that the blessing in the Book of Devorim is for the general public of the nation. For them reward is expressed as being blessed with wealth. But in our Parsha we are dealing with someone who is “Going in the Law,” in addition to observance. Rashi explains that this is referring to someone who toils in Torah. Such a person who is imbued with Torah values knows that the real goal is not wealth, but rather serenity. So when talking to him the Torah does not speak of wealth, but rather of serenity.
Which prompts the question: Which blessing would you pick? The average person on the street has been trained to think that “another million wouldn’t hurt.” Or, “If only I won the lottery.” But a person with a little life experience, a person imbued a bit with Torah and its ethical values, recognizes serenity as the real blessing to yearn for, and acts accordingly. When faced with a question of fighting for money, or treasuring serenity, one has the ability to make levelheaded decisions as appropriate and decide accordingly.
The status of a Jew to be one who “toils in Torah” is available on some level to each and every one of us. Even if we can’t dedicate long hours to Torah study, it is possible to set up a treasured learning session on your own, with a partner, or with a group, in which you truly stay “on track” and lose yourself blissfully for a short while in the wisdom of Torah. Such a session, when done daily or weekly, directs our attitude to prioritize well. We form a sense of fortitude and clarity, and when faced with decisions we can respond more accurately in accordance with our core values. Not always will money trump all. Sometimes the importance of making a positive impact in the world will be more important.
When describing blessing, the Torah offers two expressions of blessing. Blessing can be expressed as financial blessing; blessing can be expressed as serenity. It is up to us to decide which method of expression is appropriate for us.
© 2016 by TEACH613™
Thank you so much Rabbi Rhine for posting your dvar Torah for Shabbat Bichuktai!
As a Kohane, and one with three Misrachi grandsons (by my son-in-law) and so I find myself
privileged to frequently observe the Mitzvah of Birkat Kohanim in Beth Sholom’s Sephardic
Minyan, I am alway searching for new insights and sources that help me understand
the 3-fold blessing. Thanks for giving me one more!
My understanding is that the 1st of the 3-fold blessings refers to material prosperity; the 2nd to spiritual
prosperity; and the 3rd refers to having the strength to find an appropriate balance for #1 an #2.
So now I can see #1 as also relating to the blessing in Dvarim & the 2nd to the blessing in Bichuktai.
Leaving the 3rd — which is fulfilled when we achieve the goal we state at the end of every Ameda, Shalom,
which I understand as completeness and harmony.
More – the Materiality blessing is for the general public. Pray for a strong community,
and strong court system & government with the means to keep the peace — lest we tear each other apart
(yes I am a Hobbesian)
The Serenity blessing is for the individual — to promote the development of strong positive meedot that
enables us to be strong self sufficient persons and to avoid conflict with others.
The 3rd Blessing – the Shalom blessing — is a yearning for that balance of stable, limited government
which while keeping the peace, does not invade our personal Serenity space.
Hope this is not too political . . . but there is a time for everything and it is that season 🙂
Shabbat Shalom Rabbi!! – Though we haven’t yet met, today is a nice intro.
Steve Bashein
Potomac