Blessings and Curses – Over Which Commandments/2

Blessings and Curses

Exegetical Approaches

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All of Torah

The blessings and curses relate to observance of all of the mitzvot.  This position subdivides regarding whether they refer even to commandments that were not yet relayed to the Children of Israel, or only to those that the nation had already received.

All 613 Mitzvot

The covenant was made over both the Written and Oral Torah, even though not all of it had as of yet been transmitted to the nation.

Sources:Sifra Vayikra25:126:46About the Sifra Vayikra, RashiVayikra 25:1Vayikra 26:46About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki,

"אֵלֶּה הַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וְהַתּוֹרֹת" – Together these terms

"אֲשֶׁר נָתַן י"י... בְּהַר סִינַי"

Chronology of Sefer Vayikra

Why are the blessings and curses here?

Comparison to ceremony in Devarim

All Mitzvot Relayed Until Now

The covenant was made over all the laws that had been transmitted to the nation until this point, including everything from Parashat Yiro through Vayikra 25.

Sources:RalbagVayikra 25:1Vayikra 26:46About R. Levi b. Gershom, SefornoVayikra 25:1Vayikra 25:1Vayikra 26:46About R. Ovadyah Seforno

Laws of Shemittah and Yovel

The blessings and curses relate only to the laws of Shemittah and Yovel, mentioned in Vayikra 25.

Sources:RashbamShemot 12:1Vayikra 25:1Vayikra 26:46Bemidbar 1:1Bemidbar 3:1About R. Shemuel b. Meir

Only the Laws Given on Mt. Sinai

The warnings refer to all of the laws that are explicitly mentioned as being given at Mt. Sinai, including those commandments found in Parashat Yitro, Mishpatim and Behar.

Sources:Ibn EzraVayikra 25:1Vayikra 26:46About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RambanVayikra 25:1About R. Moshe b. Nachman, AbarbanelVayikra 25Vayikra 26About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel