Ki Tavo: Serving God with Joy — The Hidden Blessing Behind the Torah’s Curses

We usually think of Parshat Ki Tavo as “the parasha of curses” — a section that fills the reader with dread, listing harsh punishments that, sadly, history has often seen fulfilled.

However, when we read the parsha carefully, we discover that Ki Tavo is actually filled with joy. The very name of the parsha — “When you come into the Land” — announces celebration. At last, the people of Israel have reached rest and inheritance. After weeks of reading about battles and “when you go out to war,” the Torah now turns to coming home.

The parsha opens with an invitation to rejoice: “You shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you.”

The text paints a picture of abundance — vines, figs, and grain, and instructs us to bring the first fruits to the Temple, recall the hardships we overcame, share our blessings with the priest and the poor, and then declare: “I have not eaten of it in my mourning… I have done according to all that You have commanded me.”

Rashi explains: “I rejoiced and caused others to rejoice.” That is the Torah’s definition of joy — not self-indulgence, but gratitude, generosity, and spiritual celebration.

The Purpose of the Curses

Every blessing comes with instructions and boundaries. When someone buys a new car or a household appliance, the first thing they see is a safety manual — full of warnings that can sound alarming, but their real purpose is to help you enjoy the gift safely and make it last.

The same is true of the Torah’s warnings. The “curses” are not threats intended to frighten us away from God. They are the spiritual safety manual for living in His world.

The verse says: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart…” The Torah’s message is simple: serve God with joy. Don’t dwell on fear of sickness, plague, or drought. Don’t obsess over punishment. If you live in joy, you will never know these things. You won’t even recognize the names of the afflictions mentioned — because they are far from those who live joyfully in the service of God.

Why the Altar Was Built on Mount Eival

After the ceremony of blessings and curses on Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, Yehoshua is commanded to build an altar — not on Mount Gerizim, the “mountain of blessing,” but on Mount Eival, the mountain associated with curses. Why?

Mount Eival is not a mountain of punishment — it is the mountain of service. Knowing that consequences exist is what allows joy to exist. It is the foundation of true freedom and gratitude.

The altar, and the writing of the Torah upon it, were placed precisely where the warnings were proclaimed, to illustrate that Torah and life begin where fear ends. God sets before us “the blessing and the curse, life and death,” and then commands: “Choose life.”

That is the message of Ki Tavo. The altar on Mount Eival transforms a place of potential curse into a place of worship, meaning, and renewal. When we choose life, the curses lose all power. There are no curses for those who live with purpose and joy.

True Joy vs. Empty Pleasure

The Torah ends the parsha by teaching the difference between true joy and false joy. Joy without meaning — self-indulgence, arrogance, or moral emptiness, is like smoking cigarettes: the warning label always proves true in the end.

The joy of serving God however — simcha shel mitzvah, brings only life and goodness. It is the kind of joy that turns even warnings into blessings, and ensures that the troubles of Egypt and the curses of the Torah will never again be part of our story. “When you have seen Egypt, you shall never see them again forever.” 

Our mission is not to fear — but to serve God with joy.