The Unexpected Joy in Parshat Ki Tavo: How Warnings Lead to True Happiness

We usually think of Parshat Ki Tavo as the Parsha of curses, one that induces sadness and fear with its grim warnings. Unfortunately, many of these have indeed come to pass.

But delve into Parshat Ki Tavo, and you'll find it's filled with joy. The very name and opening words, "When you enter the land," signal a moment of happiness. Finally, the people of Israel are reaching a place of rest and prosperity. After several Parshiot focused on battles, like "when you go out to war," now comes the time for entering the land—a moment Jacob described as the "end of days" when discussing the tribes' inheritance.

The Parsha begins with a description of how to truly rejoice: "You shall rejoice in all the good," the abundance of grapes and figs. Coming to the Temple, they recount their troubles and deliverance. They share their yield with the priest and then the poor. This is how you're meant to celebrate in the land. Declare, "I have not eaten my tithe while mourning," meaning I did not consume the sacred portions in sorrow but did everything with joy, "I did as You commanded" — as Rashi interprets, "I rejoiced and brought joy."

Every good thing requires guidelines and limits. When a person buys a new car or device, the first thing to do is read the safety instructions, which contain many scary warnings. But these are really about how to optimize and enjoy your new gadget for years without risk. Unlike cigarette warnings that urge you to avoid the product entirely if you care about yourself, these instructions say, "Enjoy thoroughly, just remember to keep dry hands to avoid electrocution," for instance.

This is the essence of the curses: "Because you did not serve Hashem, your God, with joy." Serving Hashem should be joyful. You don't want to see or know about blight, mildew, locusts, and disease, so serve Hashem with joy. Don’t dwell on curses and troubles, just focus on serving Hashem. If you are joyful, you won't be aware of the calamities, even those not listed in the Torah, as long as you serve Hashem joyfully...

Some people are extremely cautious, often taking pride in avoiding harm. There's always someone ready to explain how their special diet wards off illness, fatigue, headaches, and so on. They aren't afraid of such descriptions; on the contrary, they're happy knowing their natural ways keep all ailments at bay. Even those opposed to vaccinations delight in narrating the horrors of vaccines...

The Torah teaches us something fascinating: after the blessing and curse ceremony on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, Joshua is commanded to build an altar and inscribe the Torah's words on the altar—on Mount Ebal. But why Mount Ebal, the mountain of curses?

The answer is Mount Ebal isn't a mountain of curses—it's a mountain where we serve Hashem. The awareness of curses is a prerequisite to serving Hashem joyfully. The altar stands where curses were announced, just as the Torah and the covenant were established after Hashem announced the curses, offering a choice between blessings and curses, life and death, urging us to choose life. That's the story—the Torah explains what life is. The altar and the inscribed Torah symbolize life, canceling the curses pronounced at that site. Curses will never come as long as we choose life. There's no mountain of curses, no curses at all, as long as we choose life. The list of illnesses is merely a list of what Hashem saves us from.

So, the story of Parshat Ki Tavo is the story of joy. It teaches us how to truly rejoice. Frivolous joy is akin to smoking cigarettes—warnings on the pack slowly come true. The joy of a mitzvah, however, is just life and goodness, and once you've seen Egypt, you'll never see it again. Once you hear the curses, you won't know them anymore, because your duty is to serve Hashem with joy.