Shiurim

Back to Shiurim List

Parshat Behar- Bechukotai

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Hannah Wasserman, SFW ’04-‘05

In this week’s double parsha we read about the “tochacha” that was said on Har Sinai. After starting the admonitions, Hashem says, “If in spite of these you will not heed Me, I will continue to chastise you seven for your sins” (26:18). Rashi explains that there are seven punishments for seven sins and he continues to explain each part of the rebuke as a punishment for a sin. Why the number seven was chosen, I do not have an answer for (feel free to give me feedback), but along the lines of seven, there is an interesting “coincidence.”

Repeated seven times throughout the tochacha is the word “keri,” translated as casualness (26: 21, 23-24, 27-28, 40-41). It is surprising that “keri” is only mentioned for the first time after pasuk 18, after the first series of rebuke has already been listed.

Perhaps the Rambam’s interpretation of “keri” will help explain why this significant word is mentioned late in the tochacha. According to the Rambam (Hilchot Ta’anit 1:3 and Moreh Nevuchim 3:36), “keri” comes from the word mikreh, “happening.” Bnei Yisrael sin by seeing G-d’s messages as chance occurrences rather than punishments, which then causes them to continue sinning. Therefore, the first time something bad happens, bnei yisrael don’t assume it is “keri,” chance, but they also don’t try to understand it. In Vayikra 26:40, it says, “bma’alam asher maalu bi v’af asher halchu imi b’keri,” “…for the treachery with which they betrayed me and also for having behaved towards me with casualness.” Similarly, the word me’ilah is used in Devarim 32:51 where Moshe failed to acknowledge the miracle in mei meriva. Thus, the first level of “keri” is a failure to acknowledge G-d and His punishments or miracles, which isn’t yet a sin per say, but it leads to further sins. Therefore, “keri” is not cited in the first mentions of tochacha.

However, after repeated disasters occur, when bnei Yisrael still fail to acknowledge G-d’s hand in the catastrophes, then bnei yisrael are no longer repaid sin for sin, but will suffer a series of punishments that are unable to be misinterpreted as chance.

I am not sure why seven is used and repeated, but I think the message of “keri” is clear. Both the good and bad come from Hashem, and just as we observe shemita to show our trust in G-d, the source of all good, so too we must see Hashem’s hand through the bad, and stop attributing catastrophes to chance.

I owe thanks to Rabbi Henkin. Have a great summer!