Moses commands the Jewish people about a ceremony they must perform when they enter into the Land of Israel. Six tribes are to stand on Mount Gerizim and six tribes on Mount Ebal.
Some of the Levites will stand between these two mountains and proclaim 12 blessings and curses. The people will respond “Amen” after each proclamation.
Introduction
In the Torah, only the curses are written. But each verse is easily read as a blessing with only minor changes.
There are 12 curses written in Deuteronomy 27:15-26. Why were these sins designated to be proclaimed publicly?
These sins do not seem to be the most significant negative commandments in the Bible. For example, the observance of Shabbat and the holy days are not mentioned.
Rabbi Steinsaltz points out that these sins are most likely performed in secret and the perpetrator assumes he will never be detected. Hence, the need for the people to publicly proclaim they will not perform these acts.
According to Abarbanel, these curses correspond to the 12 tribes who were to stand on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Moses is pointing out to each tribe either a tendency toward sin that the tribe already exhibited or will exhibit in the future.
In this article I will summarize the commentaries of Rabbi Steinsaltz and Rabbi Don Isaac Abarbanel (Portugal 1437 – Italy 1508) on Deuteronomy 27:15-26.
Rabbi Steinsaltz focuses on the basic meaning of each verse. Abarbanel looks at each curse as an analysis of a tribe’s tendencies.
Deuteronomy 27:15 – Idol Worship in Secret
Cursed be the man who makes any engraved or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – The focus is not on making the idol, but rather worshiping it in secret. When a Jew publicly worships an idol, then the court can punish him. But this person acts in private, hence the need for the nation to take this oath.
Abarbanel – This curse is in relation to the tribe of Simeon and the events with the worship of Baal Peor (Numbers 25:1-16). The majority of the Jews who stumbled in this sin of idol worship and sexual immorality were from the tribe of Simeon. After this event the tribe’s population was reduced to only 22,000 (Numbers 26:14).
Deuteronomy 27:16 – Dishonoring Parents
Cursed be he who dishonors his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – It’s likely that no one in the family will publicize what is going on when a son or daughter dishonors the parents. This curse applies even if the parents are not aware of what is being done.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Levi because Levi and Simeon together were the ones who dishonored their father when they attacked the city of Shechem to rescue their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25-26). Jacob rebuked them at that time:
30. And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have brought trouble on me to make me odious among the inhabitants of the land…
He also rebuked them before he died:
6. O my soul, do not come into their council…
7. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce…
Deuteronomy 27:17 – Moving the Landmark
Cursed be he who removes his neighbor’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – One person expands his property into the neighbor’s property. The perpetrator assumes the victim won’t notice. This also includes usurping another person’s authority in a deceitful way.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Gad chose for itself an inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River. Here is what Moses said about Gad:
20. And of Gad he said, Blessed be He Who enlarges Gad; he lives as a lion, and tears the arm with the crown of the head.
This curse corresponds to Gad based on the concern that the tribe will want to expand and take the land of others.
Deuteronomy 27:18 – Misleading the Blind
Cursed be he who misleads the blind on the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – This curse applies even if the person is not blind, but lacks the information needed to make a proper decision.
I heard a story of a young man who had an opportunity to purchase real estate at a bargain price. He consulted with a couple of men he trusted about the deal. They suggested a course of action to him knowing it would cause a delay in his purchase.
While he was distracted by following their advice, they swept in and made the purchase.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Issachar because they were the ones who devoted themselves to learning and teaching Torah.
33. And of the men of Issachar, who were men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their commandment.
Hence, Issachar is warned to be careful not to mislead those who are ignorant of the intricacies of Jewish law.
Deuteronomy 27:19 – Perverting Justice
Cursed be he who perverts the judgment of the stranger, orphan, or widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – These are three groups who may not be aware that they are being mistreated and that the legal system is being warped.
- The stranger may not understand the local customs and laws.
- The orphan may be young and inexperienced.
- The widow may not have had to deal with these sorts of issues when her husband was alive.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Judah was given the role of kingship over the Jewish people (see Genesis 49:10). One role of the king (or any other ruler) is to protect the weaker members of society.
Deuteronomy 27:20 – Father’s Wife
Cursed be he who lies with his father’s wife; because he uncovers the corner of his father’s garment. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – This curse applies even after his father dies. Note: “his father’s wife” may or may not be his mother.
This could be an act of abuse by an older son and the woman is unable or unwilling to complain. In some cases, they may engage in consensual relations. In either case, it is an act that shames his father.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Reuben because of the event with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). Jewish tradition and the commentators give several explanations about what Reuben did. The important idea is that Reuben acted improperly with his father’s wife.
Deuteronomy 27:21 – With a Beast
Cursed be he who lies with any beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – Of course, the animal has no ability to report the abuse. The person who does this is not likely to publicize his actions.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Dan because Moses saw that Samson would come from that tribe. Samson’s troubles and eventual demise were at the hands of non-Jewish women.
Abarbanel is approaching this curse as a metaphor. He points out that the prophet Ezekiel compared adultery to lusting after donkeys and horses (Ezekiel 23:19-20). Also, the Jewish woman suspected of adultery is compared to acting like an animal (see Rashi on Numbers 5:15).
Deuteronomy 27:22 – With His Sister
Cursed be he who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – This could be an older brother abusing his power and authority to abuse his sister. He could intimidate her so that she is afraid to report the abuse.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Naphtali because Jacob compared Naphtali to “a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21). Moses said of the tribe that it was “satisfied with favor” (Deuteronomy 33:23).
Abarbanel understands this to mean that the tribe may be drawn after it’s (sexual) desires. Hence the warning against being drawn into sin with a sister who may be the most easily available female.
Deuteronomy 27:23 – With His Mother-in-Law
Cursed be he who lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – It does not matter if she is married or not. It could be that the man and his mother-in-law were close enough to develop an intimate relationship and it turned into a sexual affair. They may realize that other family members would be ashamed of what is going on, but that knowledge is not enough to deter them from sinning.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Benjamin because Moses foresaw the event of the concubine of Gibeah (Judges 19:21-30).
Abarbanel explains that the word translated as “mother-in-law” can have a broader meaning of being related by marriage. He also suggests that this curse includes a man having relations with the woman his son had relations with, even if those two never married.
Deuteronomy 27:24 – Hitting a Neighbor
Cursed be he who strikes his neighbor secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – On the physical level, this means hitting a person in the dark or covering his eyes so that he cannot see his attacker.
On the spiritual level, this means assailing a person verbally, such as defaming a person who is not present to defend himself.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Zebulun because Moses foresaw that Hoshea son of Elah (descended from Zebulun) would murder King Pekah and reign in his place (2 Kings 15:30). Hoshea was the last king of the Israel and was exiled by Assyria (2 Kings 17:4-6).
Deuteronomy 27:25 – Taking a Bribe
Cursed be he who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – This could be a judge who begins by accepting a small bribe to alter the proper ruling in a monetary case. The judge continues on that path until he even accepts a bribe to cause the death of an innocent person.
The judge and those who want to bribe him would meet in secret to hatch their plan.
In this verse, “bribe” is the translation of the Hebrew “shochad.” That word can also be translated as gift or present. Based on that translation, the verse could be about a person secretly accepting payment to murder another person.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Asher because King Pekah son of Remaliah was from that tribe. He accepted a bribe from Rezin king of Aram to fight against Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:5).
Deuteronomy 27:26 – Not Fulfilling the Torah
Cursed be he who does not maintain all the words of this Torah to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Steinsaltz – This is a general curse. This applies to everyone who does not do all in his power to uphold the Torah.
Abarbanel – The Tribe of Joseph because Moses foresaw that Jeroboam would descend from Joseph. Jeroboam lead the rebellion of the kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon. He did much to deter Torah observance (1 Kings 12:28-33) by:
- making two golden calves
- appointing common people as priests
- inventing his own holiday
- preventing people from going to Jerusalem
Abarbanel states this curse is about a person who harbors thoughts of apostasy to nullify commandments of the Torah and replace them with other practices.
The Commandment Fulfilled
The Jewish people fulfilled Moses’ commandment shortly after they entered the Land of Israel.
33. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests, the Levites, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, the foreigner as well as he who was born among them; half of them over opposite Mount Gerizim, and half of them over opposite Mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
The Jewish people who entered the Land of Israel performed the public proclamation of the blessings and curses commanded by Moses.
In our times, it’s our job to fulfill the Torah and be careful to refrain from secret acts that are contrary to God’s will for His people.
3. Happy are those who heed the law, who act with righteousness at all times.
Further Reading
Deuteronomy 27:15-26 are from Parshat Ki Tavo.